No output (!).. Need some help here!

anoukane · Post by **anoukane** » Tue Sep 05, 2006 2:47 am

I didn't found any loose wires. I'm getting desperate now

rickcrazy · Post by **rickcrazy** » Tue Sep 05, 2006 2:55 am

Looks like a rewind job is in order then...

rickfan60 · Post by **rickfan60** » Tue Sep 05, 2006 5:27 am

I am not sure about that Sergio. The pickups are pristine. The only thing we had to do to it was replace the missing jack assembly. The only jack I had was a genuine RIC part but from the 80's. It was NOS I bought from a former RIC dealer. For some reason it did not fit cleanly into the hole in this bass but it did fit in several others I had on hand that day. I used a small round file to reshape the hole in the edge of the body slightly so it would fit but it was still a little tight. I am guessing the problem is there somewhere.

doctorwho · Post by **doctorwho** » Tue Sep 05, 2006 7:44 am

Philip, try plugging it in with the jacks out of the body, that way you will be able to tell whether the plug is making proper contact with the jack. I use my VOM on its 'diode/beep' setting and check continuity between the tip and base of the cable from the unconnected end to the jack connections. I'd also plug the other end of the cable into an amp and see whether there is any output with the jacks out of the body - if so, then it's the way the jack is going into the body that's causing loss of contact.

rickfan60 · Post by **rickfan60** » Tue Sep 05, 2006 8:25 am

Good diagnostic Gary. Philip, I am work right now and can't do much to help until I get home.

anoukane · Post by **anoukane** » Tue Sep 05, 2006 8:34 am

Thanks so far guys. I didn't see any loose wire at the jacks. But I will try what you just said Gary, thanks

rickenbrother · Post by **rickenbrother** » Tue Sep 05, 2006 9:24 am

Philip, since you do not see any disconnected wires, it might be possible that you have a short. Are there any hot leads touching a ground anywhere? Look carefully, especially around the pickup selector switch.

anoukane · Post by **anoukane** » Tue Sep 05, 2006 10:48 am

Ok this is the situation now.

-The neck pickup works fine

The bridge pickup:
-When I play the A-string for example, no sound at all. When I touch the mounting ring while playing the A-string I hear the note with a lot of buzz/noise.
-When I play the A-string and touching the mounting ring ánd holding the plug which goes into the output of the 4003 I hear the note without buzz/noise.

Maybe you guys have a better idea now.
Thanks!

johnallg · Post by **johnallg** » Tue Sep 05, 2006 6:14 pm

Sounds like the ground wire(s) around the bridge pickup is not making a connection. One side of the pickup coil has to be grounded - to the shield of the grey cable from the controls. Also a ground wire with the eyelet goes to the screw that mounts the pickup assy. to the chrome surround. You touching the surround and the connector plate makes the ground and you hear the note.

anoukane · Post by **anoukane** » Tue Sep 05, 2006 11:31 pm

Thanks for your reply John. You're right, but I don't know how to solve the problem.

It doesn't work the way it should, like you see on the following picture:

But it does work when I do it like this:

And it does work when Im holding that thingy against a string:

Have you guys got any solution?
Thanks in advance and thanks for your help so far

simonmole · Post by **simonmole** » Tue Sep 05, 2006 11:48 pm

it seems a very long shot, but that last post seems to imply the bridge earth is a possible problem - I once went through this scenario and incredibly it seemed to be gunk under the allen screws of the bridge preventing a solid earth connection (seems the silk windings on the strings the bass came with didn't even make an earth connection via the brass ball ends either). very long shot, as I say, but it was such an unexpected problem I thought I'd better inform you of it - good luck!

simonmole · Post by **simonmole** » Tue Sep 05, 2006 11:50 pm

...that should be silk windings PREVENTED an earth connection...!

rickcrazy · Post by **rickcrazy** » Wed Sep 06, 2006 2:57 am

Hmm... I'm kinda badly mixed up now. Since when a defective string ground dramatically affects pickup output? And why isn't the neck pickup on Philip's 4003 thusly affected? (Scratching my head...)

anoukane · Post by **anoukane** » Wed Sep 06, 2006 4:09 am

Scratching my head aswell..

rickenbrother · Post by **rickenbrother** » Wed Sep 06, 2006 4:59 am

Philip take a few pictures as best that you can of the wiring from the pickup selector switch, pots and output jacks and post them here so we can see better. Right now we are all just guessing since we really can't see what's going on.
I do think that solder joint of the bridge pickup hot lead going on to the lug on the pickup selector switch looks like it could have been soldered better.