software

I have a pickguard loaded with three Quarter Pound Strat pups that I happen to really like. Recently I got the idea of maybe making the whole setup more flexible by using the Tapped version with a set of push/pull pots instead. So I went out on eBay to find one just to try it out and see. I haven't installed it, but I tested the DC resistance with my meter and found the Red/Black wire pair to read 7.1k but the White/Black wires gives me zip. So I figured great, a broken pickup. So I went out and got another one which just came today. Dug out my meter and sure enough, the Red/Black leads read about 7.2k and the White/Black pair again couldn't even make the meter blink.

Am I doing something wrong or did I just get unlucky twice in a row?

Thanx.

That is unusual. Both my QP's read approx. 7.x from red to white or black. Measure from black to white and see if you get anything. The definitive test then would be to install one, using only the black amp; white wires and see if it produces sound.

Thanx. On both pickups, red to white is nothing, black to white is nothing, red to black is 7.x. Scratching my head on this one... I'll wire it up just say I did it, but if the meter says zip, then signal is going to have to be zip. Don't you think?

It certainly sounds like you have two pups that both have half the coil quot;openquot;. Thats unusual, but I guess it can happen. I don't know if it would be worth trying to fix or not. The repair charge would probably exceed the new cost.

On the bright side, half of a QP is still a nice sounding pickup. But it is a shame to not have the full deal.

Artie

Edit: One thing you might try. Carefully remove the tape, (if there is any), and closely examine where the leads connect to the coil wires. You may get lucky and be able to spot the break. You don't have quite as much to lose if you mess it up. (Not likely.)

I had a tapped QP once and it worked fine both ways. I didn't care much for the tapped sound, though, because it just didn't sound like a 7k Strat pickup.

I may get another one and partially unwind it to about 10k or something.

I've only owned one tapped pickup before and it sounded bad both ways, so I didn't really attribute the tap itself as being lame. It was a long time ago and I'm pretty sure it was a Schecter pickup. Maybe I should just scrap the idea. I'll load-up one of them tonight and see what I think of the tapped tone. I guess I had the idea that the 2/4 position tones would at least benefit from the 7k tap.

Thanx.