First Build: Red and Black Wilko Johnson Telecaster

[Mark Gill]

Finally got a chance to get back to this build.
Wiring question: Pretty much finished, but I've messed up the wiring somehow.

Here's the problem: When I set the switch and tap the bridge pickup I get nothing; when I flick the switch and tap the neck pickup it's the same—nothing. But when I set the switch in the middle, I get a signal from both pickups when I tap them in turn.

The middle knob seems broken and spins without stopping when turned—maybe I should see Pitbull about that—but is this connected with the lack of signal problem..?

[wazkelly]

Not a wiring expert but would suggest swapping the way you connected pickup wires as you may have connected ground to hot position on the 3 way switch and hot to ground as that might explain why only sound is in middle (both on) and not for each PUP on their own.

As for the spinning pot, sounds dodgy and being the middle one it is probably the volume knob? The one with a small green tab already pre-wired is the tone control.

[Mark Gill]

Thanks for the suggestion Waz, but I wired it exactly like Adam and his mate did in the YouTube video (and the earth wires were bare, making them difficult to confuse)

[wazkelly]

No idea what the problem is then. Photos may help.
I usually upgrade switches, pots & caps and that makes things more reliable.

Sent from my SM-A520F using Tapatalk

[WeirdBits]

Yep, some photos will help us get you sorted.

[Mark Gill]

Neck pup wire to right side of switch (live wire to switch, bare earth to middle pot)
Bridge pup wire to left side of switch (live wire to switch, bare earth to middle pot)
Middle pot black wire to center of jack (second black free to earth under bridge later); Middle pot white wire to tip of jack

[WeirdBits]

This should solve your switching issue:


The 'dots' indicate solder connections. The Pit Bull diagram is for a 7 lug switch, but the factory also uses 8 lug switches sometimes where there are two output lugs instead of just one. Your switch is an 8 lug so you need to solder the two centre output lugs together, and each pickup needs to connect across the two lugs indicated. That should give you bridge, bridge + neck, neck in positions 1, 2 & 3.

Regarding the pot issue, once you've re-wired the switch you can check to see what's happening with the pot. Make sure the knob isn't slipping on the shaft, see if there are any volume changes when it's turned etc. and then let us know. It may be a damaged/broken pot, but best to do some testing to be sure.

[Mark Gill]

WeirdBits, I rewired it according to your instruction, but now I don't have anything at all (just a scratch of static when I plug the amp cable into the jack...)

[Sonic Mountain]

Well that volume pot could potentially be toast which wouldn't help. That black earth wire that passes over the vol pot in the photo looks like it might be damaged, like there is a crimp in the middle of it?

Otherwise to my amateur eye - it looks like it should at least make sound...

[king casey]

I'd also check to see that nothing is earthing against your copper foil at the jack plug.
Caught me out more than once.
cheers, Mark.