ShatnersBassoon Posted July 13, 2019 Report Share Posted July 13, 2019 (edited) This is my third build and I still haven't managed to get the electronics right. One bloody pickup in this build. Am I dim? A different problem every time. This time its a loud hum...I'm pretty sure i know what that is, but is it normally combined with a weedy pickup output? Its a P90. Problem is that the sound of the pickup seems to change at wim, from loud to quiet, to silent, to loud hum. Argh.... If the pickup isn't earthed properly is it normal to have hardly any output? Edited July 13, 2019 by ShatnersBassoon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mistermikev Posted July 13, 2019 Report Share Posted July 13, 2019 generally if you are having issues with output it could be either an intermittent live OR ground. If you have a multimeter, test continuity between points. if it is dropping you should see it on your meter. also, show us pics. I wouldn't get too frustrated, its hard when you first start out because of the intimidation of not knowing what direction to go. More failures = more confidence as you get better at recognizing what's wrong right off the bat. I believe in you. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShatnersBassoon Posted July 13, 2019 Author Report Share Posted July 13, 2019 Cheers mate, will upload some photos tommorow. I’m over the moon with the build so far! Some pics...Padauk, Wenge, and ebony. Thinking of keeping it raw, no finish. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mistermikev Posted July 13, 2019 Report Share Posted July 13, 2019 right on. I don't think paudauk nor wenge require finish. think that would look great on that guitar. looks good. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShatnersBassoon Posted July 13, 2019 Author Report Share Posted July 13, 2019 29 minutes ago, mistermikev said: right on. I don't think paudauk nor wenge require finish. think that would look great on that guitar. looks good. Have to say, Wenge is an amazing wood. Looks great, sounds great, feels great...It does tear out a bit on the router but not as much as the ovangkol I got last year! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mistermikev Posted July 13, 2019 Report Share Posted July 13, 2019 have some but haven't had the pleasure yet. Currently out in my garage getting sidetracked by a 10 space studio rack project... flamed maple... that tears out very easy! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShatnersBassoon Posted July 13, 2019 Author Report Share Posted July 13, 2019 35 minutes ago, mistermikev said: have some but haven't had the pleasure yet. Currently out in my garage getting sidetracked by a 10 space studio rack project... flamed maple... that tears out very easy! The flamed maple I have used hasn’t been a problem but based on evidence you have done a lot more advanced stuff than me . I suppose no one tree is the same! Maybe I have just got lucky on some of my woods...based on their supposed properties that is. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mistermikev Posted July 13, 2019 Report Share Posted July 13, 2019 i think it boils down to how figured it is... as I've routered some light/med/heavy figure and it wasn't bad... but then some really heavy figure and it tears out just looking at it. it has been my humble observation that if the wood actually looks shiny... it will tear out like crazy. that said, I suspect wenge is hard as a rock. probably a lot like rock maple. and that tears out about as bad as really figured maple - whether it's figured or not. all that said... I know nothing! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShatnersBassoon Posted July 13, 2019 Author Report Share Posted July 13, 2019 22 minutes ago, mistermikev said: i think it boils down to how figured it is... as I've routered some light/med/heavy figure and it wasn't bad... but then some really heavy figure and it tears out just looking at it. it has been my humble observation that if the wood actually looks shiny... it will tear out like crazy. that said, I suspect wenge is hard as a rock. probably a lot like rock maple. and that tears out about as bad as really figured maple - whether it's figured or not. all that said... I know nothing! You know plenty, awesome guitars. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mistermikev Posted July 14, 2019 Report Share Posted July 14, 2019 you are too kind. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bizman62 Posted July 14, 2019 Report Share Posted July 14, 2019 14 hours ago, ShatnersBassoon said: This time its a loud hum...I'm pretty sure i know what that is, but is it normally combined with a weedy pickup output? Its a P90. For what it's worth, my first P90 build used to hum like crazy. Great sounding when played, though, which led me to search for information about them since they were the first P90's I had ever played with. The common opinion seemed to be that hum is a feature in those rather than a flaw. Long story short, I took a closer look to my wiring. Lo and behold, despite having triple checked everything, the jack wiring was reverse to what it should be, the tip being grounded and the sleeve being hot. One minute of soldering and the issue was solved. Took a few weeks to find that out. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShatnersBassoon Posted July 14, 2019 Author Report Share Posted July 14, 2019 Ended up dropping off the guitar at a friends house, he’s pretty handy with electronics. I’ve done the whole thing up to now without help so I think I can accept apologies to oneself Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShatnersBassoon Posted July 14, 2019 Author Report Share Posted July 14, 2019 3 hours ago, Bizman62 said: For what it's worth, my first P90 build used to hum like crazy. Great sounding when played, though, which led me to search for information about them since they were the first P90's I had ever played with. The common opinion seemed to be that hum is a feature in those rather than a flaw. Long story short, I took a closer look to my wiring. Lo and behold, despite having triple checked everything, the jack wiring was reverse to what it should be, the tip being grounded and the sleeve being hot. One minute of soldering and the issue was solved. Took a few weeks to find that out. The P90 I’m using is actually pretty quiet, I know because I cannibalised it from one of my working guitars Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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