IB-5 wiring question

[Paul_H]

If you've not removed the socket, are you able to provide a clear photo of your wiring? Not sure, but it sounds like something else might be involved.

[stuzl873213]

Sounds like that

[mallynoshow]

Thanks Paul. Photos attached. On a side note, just to make the day a little more frustrating, two cover plate heads sheared off while i was tightening them - by hand.

I insulated the red/white with black shrink. The rest, i followed the above diagram. Again, the guitar sounds and plays great, it's just I suspect something is a little sketchy.

Love to know your thoughts.

[Paul_H]

I confess I'm having difficulty seeing everything. Check for solder bridges between wires, terminals, etc, on all pots and the jack. Use a magnifier to see clearly, and/or use a continuity or ohm meter to confirm or exclude.

Is a green wire from a pickup twisted around the shield material? If so, check that the green insulation hasn't melted from soldering.

If you can get in closer with the shots (maybe use a tripod?) it will be easier to examine.

I feel confident that you will get this sorted. Many issues arise from bridges, shorts, or grounding issues.

Bummer about the screws, by the way.

I routed around the cavity on my IB-5 so the cover sits flush. That was a nerve-wracking job!

[mallynoshow]

I confess I'm having difficulty seeing everything. Check for solder bridges between wires, terminals, etc, on all pots and the jack. Use a magnifier to see clearly, and/or use a continuity or ohm meter to confirm or exclude.

Is a green wire from a pickup twisted around the shield material? If so, check that the green insulation hasn't melted from soldering.

If you can get in closer with the shots (maybe use a tripod?) it will be easier to examine.

I feel confident that you will get this sorted. Many issues arise from bridges, shorts, or grounding issues.

Bummer about the screws, by the way.

I routed around the cavity on my IB-5 so the cover sits flush. That was a nerve-wracking job!

I left green/white as they were out off the box. Are you referring to it possibly contacting a wire other than the sheild?

Routing? I feel nervous just thinking about it!

[Paul_H]

I didn't use the stock pickups for my IB-5, so I wasn't sure about the appearance of the pickup leads.

It is possible to melt wire insulation if the soldering is prolonged, and in paired cables (such as twisted cables) this can sometimes contribute to shorts that are not immediately evident.

Good light and a clear head are your friends for this kind of troubleshooting

[mallynoshow]

Agree. Going to let this sit until the weekend. Should have the new socket by then to cross reference whether the issue lies there. Got my magnifying glass and head lamp ready to go. I'll report back.

Thanks again Paul.

[Ben Jammin]

My son and I have just wired up his MB1 as per the diagram in this thread, and seem to have the problem with the pots described by Simon. I'm certain that we have everything properly connected etc, but I'm a little confused by the 2 terminals in the diagram that seem to be bent back. Are they supposed to be touching the body of the pot, and therefore are ground?
Cheers
Ben

[WeirdBits]

Is this the diagram you're using? The two bent lugs/tabs should indeed be soldered to the back of the pot, or you can use a short wire link to the back of the pot rather than bending them.

The volumes need that lug connected to ground, assuming your pot bodies are grounded, so that the volume controls work as voltage dividers rather than just variable resistors. Without the link to ground the volume will never turn down completely, it will go a bit quieter but there will always be sound coming through.

[Ben Jammin]

Hi Scott,
Thanks for your prompt reply, and awesome explanation. So, we have just earthed the remaining terminals on each of the volume pots, and success! I now have a loungeroom full of Thunderstruck and Smoke On the Water! Happy kid.
Great sounding guitar, thank you for your help.
Cheers
Ben