YB-4 Wiring Issue

[pharms]

Greetings All;

Been working on my YB-4 for a few months. Not 100% happy about the finish on the body of the guitar, but the neck looks great. Just completed installing the pick ups.

I am running into a wiring issue. I have checked the pots and pick ups, no problems. I even wired up the output jack to each pick up, no issues, however when I complete the wiring per the diagram, the volume pots do not work, but the tone pot does.

Please excuse the wiring mess, just a bit frustrated on what the issue could be. Let me know where I might have gone wrong. Thanks!

[Woltz]

When you say the volume pots don't work. I assume based off your comment about the tone pot that you have full volume all the time and can't turn them down?

I would start by checking that the grounds for the two volume pots have a good solder joint. Do you have a multimeter?

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[JimC]

Have you got a little multimeter that does resistance? Superficially it looks as if the right connections are there, so I'd check continuity. Earths especially. A bit more detail on the symptoms would be good too.

[pharms]

When you say the volume pots don't work. I assume based off your comment about the tone pot that you have full volume all the time and can't turn them down?

I would start by checking that the grounds for the two volume pots have a good solder joint. Do you have a multimeter?

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Thanks for the note. Before I install the bridge and string up the guitar, I check to see if the wiring is correct by plugging in the guitar and just lightly tapping the pick ups to make sure I can hear it through the amp.

For the individual tests of each pick up, as I turned the volume pot up to max, I could hear the tapping clearly through the amp. However, when I completed the full wiring per the diagram, and tried the tapping test, even with adjusting each volume pot to max, I could not hear any tapping coming through the amp.

As I adjust the tone pot, I can hear the change in frequency so I know that, that pot is working. I have tested the pick ups and each pot with a multi meter and the appropriate resistance amount is shown on the meter.

Hope this makes sense.

[pharms]

Have you got a little multimeter that does resistance? Superficially it looks as if the right connections are there, so I'd check continuity. Earths especially. A bit more detail on the symptoms would be good too.

Thanks for the note. Before I install the bridge and string up the guitar, I check to see if the wiring is correct by plugging in the guitar and just lightly tapping the pick ups to make sure I can hear it through the amp.

For the individual tests of each pick up, as I turned the volume pot up to max, I could hear the tapping clearly through the amp. However, when I completed the full wiring per the diagram, and tried the tapping test, even with adjusting each volume pot to max, I could not hear any tapping coming through the amp.

As I adjust the tone pot, I can hear the change in frequency so I know that, that pot is working. I have tested the pick ups and each pot with a multi meter and the appropriate resistance amount is shown on the meter.

Hope this makes sense.

[Woltz]

What I mean is testing the ground connection on the volume pots. I'd probably start with the ground wire between the tone pot and the volume pot considering that both volume pots are not working. If that connection is ok then I'd be checking that the tab on each volume pot has a solid connection to the ground via the back of the pot.

Here is an isolated kit pot where I'm testing that the tab is properly connected to the back of the pot. The tab is soldered directly instead of using a wire but that doesn't matter.



Without a ground connected properly, the volume pots won't bleed off the signal to ground. This explains how a volume pots works.

https://www.stewmac.com/How-To/Onlin..._I-4000_4.html

[Woltz]

Thanks for the note. Before I install the bridge and string up the guitar, I check to see if the wiring is correct by plugging in the guitar and just lightly tapping the pick ups to make sure I can hear it through the amp.

For the individual tests of each pick up, as I turned the volume pot up to max, I could hear the tapping clearly through the amp. However, when I completed the full wiring per the diagram, and tried the tapping test, even with adjusting each volume pot to max, I could not hear any tapping coming through the amp.

As I adjust the tone pot, I can hear the change in frequency so I know that, that pot is working. I have tested the pick ups and each pot with a multi meter and the appropriate resistance amount is shown on the meter.

Hope this makes sense.

I just read this again and realised I may have misinterpreted. So you don't have any volume at all now?

[jugglindan]

I have had problems getting a good earth solder on pots in the past. The soldering iron I had at the time was great for fine electronics work but didn't have enough heat to get a good join on the pot. The pot body was too good a heat sink. A hotter iron and a small dab of general purpose flux gave me a much better join.

[Woltz]

I have had problems getting a good earth solder on pots in the past. The soldering iron I had at the time was great for fine electronics work but didn't have enough heat to get a good join on the pot. The pot body was too good a heat sink. A hotter iron and a small dab of general purpose flux gave me a much better join.

I also rough up the back of my pots where I'm going to solder with some fine sandpaper.

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[jugglindan]

I also rough up the back of my pots where I'm going to solder with some fine sandpaper.

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Good idea. That would likely reduce the usefulness of flux, but both wouldn't hurt.

Of course, these tips assume the OP's fault is with the earth solder ...