Loaded pickguard - any clue to why this wiring configuration sounds "dull"? (photo included)

ryanverbena

I tried out a set of Mark Foley pickups that came in a loaded pick guard. Sounds awfully dull, as though the tone knob is rolled back a couple of notches (when it's not). 

I've tried adjusting the pickup height with no luck. I was wondering if anyone can tell by the pickguard wiring if there's any clue as to what could be causing it? 

I'm not technically minded at all, so from a complete layman perspective, what I see here is "more transistors and resistors than I'm used to seeing under here". Could they be what's causing the problem?

Funkfingers

Compare and contrast the smooth "volcano" shaped solder joints in the pot terminals against the "rough as" mess of the ground connections to the volume pot.

Chances are that the pickups are not well grounded.

Additionally, the selector switch is the wrong way around. The spring should be inboard. Otherwise, its metal chassis could short out against any control cavity screening foil or paint.


Your pickup/electronics assembly uses CTS pots with flat-bottomed casings. These are less robust than the type with a dimple and the end of the axle showing. A direct hit can shift the wiper out of full contact with the resistance track.

thermionic

What you’re seeing which is more than you expected is a treble “bleed” network on the volume pot, which shouldn’t roll off treble. I would be checking the wiring against a schematic and checking ground connections with a multimeter - but then I am pretty technically minded!

SteveRobinson

Looks fine to me, it's one of @sixstringsupplies looms.

Is the hot connection to the jack okay though, it looks a bit tenuous?

Philly_Q

Everything works though?  I'd expect bad solder joints or shorts to cut the signal, maybe intermittently, but not to make it sound "dull".  Could it be wrong-value pots?  Although that seems highly unlikely.

ryanverbena

Thanks for the advice, as per the above:

1. Will rotate the pickup selector although there isn't any foil insulation for it to short against. It also came this way (see the photo below)
2. The pots work fine when I turn them. There just doesn't seem to be enough treble even when maxed out. 
3. @Funkfingers - could the poor grounding lead to a dull tone? I will try and re-solder the grounding wires properly. Hopefully that helps. 

@SteveRobinson is correct - it's from Six String Supplies. Pretty sure it was this one, although there seems to be extra capacitors on mine?

Funkfingers

The photograph of the SSS pre-wired harness helps. I find it reassuring that the tidy soldering work is theirs and that the scrappy soldering is somebody else's.

If the assembly drops into your Stratocaster without touching the side wall of the control cavity, leave the switch as is.

Personally, I would want the push-back cloth insulation to be moved back closer to the soldered joints on the pots and selector switch.

If anything, poor pickup grounding is more likely to result in reduced output and a thin tone. 

I am beginning to wonder whether the volume pot has been damaged internally by overheating.

SteveRobinson

ryanverbena said:

1. Will rotate the pickup selector although there isn't any foil insulation for it to short against. It also came this way (see the photo below)

There's really no need to do this, the frame is often earthed via a metal plate underneath and if it were to touch any internal screening it would make no difference. I always fit them this way round as did/does Fender

sixstringsupplies

the pickups aren't soldered in properly

The orange cap on the volume control is a treble pass network, it is not visible in the photo on the website because it is an optional extra to add it depending on your preferences.

The prewired kit is absolutely fine, however, as mass production of electronic components can inevitably result in dud components (give it a failure rate of <1%) that can scrape pass quality control in the factory they are produced in, be it Taiwan or Mexico or wherever.....we do offer a lifetime guarantee on our prewired items: https://sixstringsupplies.co.uk/pages/sss-premium-our-stamp-of-quality

I stand by that guarantee....but I do hope it is OK as we are completely out of 5 way switches!

All jokes aside I hope you get it sorted!

sixstringsupplies

oh yeah PS we don't offer prewiredguards with Mark Foley pickups so this is a customer / tech job

ICBM

Did your old pickguard have the shielding plate? This does noticeably dull the tone.

Don't rotate the switch - it's correct like that, and even if it does touch any shielding it makes no difference because the frame and the shielding are both grounded.

I can't see anything wrong with the wiring, other than the pickup wiring being untidy - ideally they should be twisted, although Fender didn't. The jack wiring is nowhere near tightly enough - and ideally should be a shielded cable, although that's not 'vintage correct'.