huge volume drop in 2&4 positions

[twebb0716]

So I put in the new pups in my HSS strat, a Custom bridge and little 59 at the neck. First let me say that I was blown away by the sound of the little 59. It's huge! It's a lot higher output than I was expecting also. It almost sounds like it's louder than my custom at the bridge. The Custom I think is OK. It does sound better than the stock atomic humbucker, especially on clean but the little 59 I think sounds better.

Anyway, everything is working fine on 1, 3, and 5 position, basically each pickup on its own sounds just how I wanted it to. 2, and 4 though sound really weird. There is an extremely noticeable volume drop and the positions sounds way thinner than they ever did. I'm confused by this since the new pickups are more output than the stock pickups did. I expecting a drop going from humbucker to single coil but not as much as it does. Especially in position 4 since I'm still splitting a humbucker and single coil. Any ideas why this is happening? Thanks

[LReese]

Sounds like you are out of phase on the middle pickup in relation to your split coils. Try swapping the leads on the middle pickup and see what happens.

[PunkKitty]

Sounds like you are out of phase on the middle pickup in relation to your split coils. Try swapping the leads on the middle pickup and see what happens.

Agreed. Swapping leads should fix your problem.

[twebb0716]

Cool, I'll try this tomorrow and let you know. Just out of curiosity, why would that happen? If the are in phase with stock pickups, what causes them to go out of phase when you swap pickups? Isn't everything wired up the same?

[the guy who invented fire]

Cool, I'll try this tomorrow and let you know. Just out of curiosity, why would that happen? If the are in phase with stock pickups, what causes them to go out of phase when you swap pickups? Isn't everything wired up the same?

No, pickups are different...for example Duncan Surfers and Texas Hots are out of phase with each other...

I agree it sounds like the middle pickup is OOP...swap the leads and see what you get!

Good luck

[twebb0716]

That was exactly the problem. Swapped the leads and it works perfectly now. Sounds amazing. Thanks!

[spleenharvester]

I have *exactly* the same problem. What is swapping leads? I don't use coil tap so my green+white are just soldered together.

[John E Rokker]

switch your lead wire with the ground wire but leave the shield to ground.

[the guy who invented fire]

That was exactly the problem. Swapped the leads and it works perfectly now. Sounds amazing. Thanks!

Good news!

[the guy who invented fire]

I have *exactly* the same problem. What is swapping leads? I don't use coil tap so my green+white are just soldered together.

switch your lead wire with the ground wire but leave the shield to ground.

Yep!

[spleenharvester]

Wait which shield? I have a Duncan Hot Rail SHR-1B and all I have is the lead wire, ground wire, green and white, no shield to be seen.

[ArtieToo]

Wait which shield? I have a Duncan Hot Rail SHR-1B and all I have is the lead wire, ground wire, green and white, no shield to be seen.

A Hot Rails should have standard Duncan colors: Black, white, red, green and ground. Black goes to output, red and white soldered together and taped, and green and bare to ground.

Sounds like you have a red wire hidden up under the cable insulation.

[spleenharvester]

I think the cable on mine was spliced to the circuit board since I bought it used - I'll pop the cover off the pickup and take a look tomorrow.