alcohol_ Posted October 2, 2004 Share Posted October 2, 2004 With a vintage guitar or any guitar really. Can you have a shorted pickup that still sounds? I had a guitar tech say the pickups on my SG were shorted, but I still got a signal from them. Is there an ohm meter test for this? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dennyf Posted October 2, 2004 Share Posted October 2, 2004 If a pickup is totally "shorted", it won't make any sound. However, if it just has shorted windings, then yes, you'll still get some sound, just at a reduced level, as if the pickup had fewer windings of wire on the coil(s). However, some assumptions I'm making based on your OP make me a little suspicious of the diagnosis. Fer instance, it seems unlikely to me that you would suddenly develop shorted coils in both pickups. Is there more to the story that you haven't shared? band link: bluepearlband.com music, lessons, gig schedules at dennyf.com STURGEON'S LAW --98% of everything is bullshit. My Unitarian Jihad Name is: The Jackhammer of Love and Mercy. Get yours. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alcohol_ Posted October 2, 2004 Author Share Posted October 2, 2004 It's my son's guitar. This guitar tech told me this guitar was worthless and one of the reasons was because he said the pickup was shorted. I brought the guitar to another tech and he said the guitar was fine. Now my son isn't sure if he needs new pickups. I'm not sure what he's looking for, myself. I think he's feeling the pickups aren't giving enough output for his satisfaction. You can here the guitar here playing the lead parts: http://futon.multifarity.com/secret/TurnOffTheRadio3.mp3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guitarzan Posted October 2, 2004 Share Posted October 2, 2004 why would a tech say a vintage guitar was worthless? if it is solid and playable its far from worthless. maybe the magnets have lost strength? and vintage pickups are less hot anyway. does it sound good to you? there could be a bad connection or dirt in the pots or jack that are cutting the signal. http://www.soundclick.com/bands/pagemusic.cfm?bandID=193274 rock it, i will Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dennyf Posted October 2, 2004 Share Posted October 2, 2004 C'mon, man, tighten up! First post you say "pickups" plural, second post you say "pickup", singular. If you can't accurately state the symptoms, how you gonna get an accurate diagnosis? Geez, you sound like my girlfriend. Are we talkin' one pickup, or two? Is the problem in both pickups? Is this a recent development, or just a recent concern over an existing condition? There's a lot of things that can affect the perceived output of a pickup. For example, the bridge pickup can be perceived as weaker simply because the amplitude of the string vibration is not as great over the bridge pickup as it is over the neck pickup because it is closer to the vibrational node (the bridge). On my two-pickup guitars, I have the neck pickup adjusted somewhat lower relative to the strings than the bridge pickup. And it's possible that the diagnosis is accurate, especially if we're only talking about one pickup. And yeah, there kinda is an ohmmeter test for this, but only if you know what the DC resistance should approximately be for your pickups. Google some pickups, check their specs, and you'll get an idea for what kinda ballpark DC resistances you should be seeing. band link: bluepearlband.com music, lessons, gig schedules at dennyf.com STURGEON'S LAW --98% of everything is bullshit. My Unitarian Jihad Name is: The Jackhammer of Love and Mercy. Get yours. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guitarzan Posted October 2, 2004 Share Posted October 2, 2004 the sound clip sounds good to me. its nice and clear. http://www.soundclick.com/bands/pagemusic.cfm?bandID=193274 rock it, i will Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alcohol_ Posted October 2, 2004 Author Share Posted October 2, 2004 Dennyf et al, Thanks for the advice. DennyF, I hope I don't sound like your girlfriend, for your sake; with such a deep voice, maybe she isn't really a girl. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
picker Posted October 2, 2004 Share Posted October 2, 2004 Sounds like a guitar to me. Did the tech who said it was worthless offer to take it off your hands for cheap or something? Always remember that you are unique. Just like everyone else. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dennyf Posted October 2, 2004 Share Posted October 2, 2004 Originally posted by alcohol_: Dennyf et al, Thanks for the advice. DennyF, I hope I don't sound like your girlfriend, for your sake; with such a deep voice, maybe she isn't really a girl. band link: bluepearlband.com music, lessons, gig schedules at dennyf.com STURGEON'S LAW --98% of everything is bullshit. My Unitarian Jihad Name is: The Jackhammer of Love and Mercy. Get yours. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Werewolf by Night Posted October 2, 2004 Share Posted October 2, 2004 Adrian Belew has an old, beat-up "vintage" Fender Strat that was his main guitar back in the late '70s and early '80s, before he got those famous painted and customized Fender Mustangs. It had a "shorted" pickup on it- I believe it was in the neck position- that still worked, just with less of the coil-winding actively working. He loved the sound of it, and kept it that way! If the coil is shorted to itself, it will still work, similarly to a coil-tap, yeilding a brighter, lower-output sound. If it's shorted to ground, it simply won't work. Years of corrosion 'n' damages from dirt 'n' beer 'n' soda 'n' sweat 'n' guitar-picks 'n' cigarette-smoke getting in there can take their toll! And either make it stop working, or "mo' vintage"! Ask yourself- What Would Ren and Stimpy Do? ~ Caevan James-Michael Miller-O'Shite ~ _ ___ _ Leprechaun, Esquire _ ___ _ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alcohol_ Posted October 2, 2004 Author Share Posted October 2, 2004 Cavean -----wrote: "If the coil is shorted to itself, it will still work, similarly to a coil-tap, yeilding a brighter, lower-output sound. If it's shorted to ground, it simply won't work." This describes how the guitar sounds quite well. Now we just got to decide whether to stay with this sound or change the pickup(s). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EmptinesOf Youth Posted October 3, 2004 Share Posted October 3, 2004 if you really likie the guitar then disregaurd this, and if its a high end model but replacing the pickups maybe not be the way to go. i dont know what your lookin at but, new pickups and an install can be expensive. i think when i wanted to get seymour duncans in my ibanez the total price would have been about $210.....i got my Agile for that and love it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guitarzan Posted October 5, 2004 Share Posted October 5, 2004 you know, that song is stuck in my head! i like it. http://www.soundclick.com/bands/pagemusic.cfm?bandID=193274 rock it, i will Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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