Neck pickups volume loss or just not as loud as bridge pickup?

EEF13 · 10-20-2008, 01:24 PM

i got my guitar back from my guitar tech. It is a Les Paul deluxe and i put in a Dimazrio P90 super distortion. The volume on the dimarzio is good but when i go to the neck pickup which is a mini humbucker the volume goes down. I dont know if something happened to the pickup or the dimarzio is louder considering it is a humbucker.

Nugget · 10-20-2008, 05:49 PM

It's almost certainly the DiMarzio that's more powerful than the mini humbucker.

Wuchak · 10-20-2008, 06:37 PM

Try adjusting the pickup heights to balance them out.

EEF13 · 10-20-2008, 07:52 PM

just by adjusting it cam balance out?

JasonC · 10-20-2008, 08:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by EEF13

just by adjusting it cam balance out?

Yeah, but if you move it further from the strings you're going to lose some definition/treble as well. Your best bet might be bringing the neck up a hair and the bridge down a hair.. but yea, just keep in mind it affects your tone as well as volume

Another solution would be to keep your bridge volume turned down to compensate... or look into a higher output neck pickup.

10-20-2008, 10:15 PM

Or put a stronger magnet in the neck pickup.

refin · 10-20-2008, 10:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by EEF13

just by adjusting it cam balance out?

Picture a pickup as a microphone and the strings as your voice.........the closer the mike,the louder your voice.

Fader · 10-23-2008, 12:57 PM

I had a similar issue when I was upgrading my pots. The neck wasn't even half as loud as the bridge. I thought the pot was bad and replaced it. Not it. Then I started trying other pots and no luck. Then I got nothing. Zilch. I found out that the braided ground shield from the toggle switch had shorted outon the pot side. I cut the braided wire back and reconnected and it sounds full again.

Here's my halfass theory. I work with robots and harnesses for a living and have repaired many a robot by replacing the wire harnesses. My point, if you are using braided wire that has "stranded wire" as the lead and you've maybe done some mods over time or the braided wire has been bent severely, it may cause the stranded wire to fatigue and not provide a good signal path.

Just my two cents worth. If your pickup reads the proper ohms spec then it might be worth asking your tech to upgrade your wire harness from the toggle switch. That shouldn't set you back to much.

Mike60 · 10-23-2008, 01:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wuchak

Try adjusting the pickup heights to balance them out.

+1...

overdriver · 10-23-2008, 02:25 PM

so thats! what those adjustments screws are for

10-20-2008, 01:24 PM	#1 (permalink)
EEF13 Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Posts: 615 Thanks: 39 Thanked 35 Times in 6 Posts	Neck pickups volume loss or just not as loud as bridge pickup? i got my guitar back from my guitar tech. It is a Les Paul deluxe and i put in a Dimazrio P90 super distortion. The volume on the dimarzio is good but when i go to the neck pickup which is a mini humbucker the volume goes down. I dont know if something happened to the pickup or the dimarzio is louder considering it is a humbucker.

10-20-2008, 05:49 PM	#2 (permalink)
Nugget V.I.P. Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Secret Location Posts: 620 Thanks: 0 Thanked 2 Times in 1 Post	Re: Neck pickups volume loss or just not as loud as bridge pickup? It's almost certainly the DiMarzio that's more powerful than the mini humbucker. __________________ Toning up since '66 www.shedpickups.co.uk

10-20-2008, 06:37 PM	#3 (permalink)
Wuchak Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Posts: 234 Thanks: 0 Thanked 4 Times in 2 Posts	Re: Neck pickups volume loss or just not as loud as bridge pickup? Try adjusting the pickup heights to balance them out.

10-20-2008, 07:52 PM	#4 (permalink)
EEF13 Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Posts: 615 Thanks: 39 Thanked 35 Times in 6 Posts	Re: Neck pickups volume loss or just not as loud as bridge pickup? just by adjusting it cam balance out?

10-20-2008, 10:15 PM	#6 (permalink)
SKATTERBRANE Guest Posts: n/a	Re: Neck pickups volume loss or just not as loud as bridge pickup? Or put a stronger magnet in the neck pickup.

Today
Les Paul	Sponsored Links __________________ This advertising will not be shown in this way to registered members. Register your free account today and become a member on My Les Paul Forums

10-23-2008, 12:57 PM	#8 (permalink)
Fader Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Ohio Posts: 72 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: Neck pickups volume loss or just not as loud as bridge pickup? I had a similar issue when I was upgrading my pots. The neck wasn't even half as loud as the bridge. I thought the pot was bad and replaced it. Not it. Then I started trying other pots and no luck. Then I got nothing. Zilch. I found out that the braided ground shield from the toggle switch had shorted outon the pot side. I cut the braided wire back and reconnected and it sounds full again. Here's my halfass theory. I work with robots and harnesses for a living and have repaired many a robot by replacing the wire harnesses. My point, if you are using braided wire that has "stranded wire" as the lead and you've maybe done some mods over time or the braided wire has been bent severely, it may cause the stranded wire to fatigue and not provide a good signal path. Just my two cents worth. If your pickup reads the proper ohms spec then it might be worth asking your tech to upgrade your wire harness from the toggle switch. That shouldn't set you back to much. __________________ sidewinderdayton.com It's not a hobby, it's a way of life.

10-23-2008, 02:25 PM	#10 (permalink)
overdriver V.I.P. Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: New Brunswick Canada Posts: 3,258 Thanks: 0 Thanked 2 Times in 2 Posts	Re: Neck pickups volume loss or just not as loud as bridge pickup? so thats! what those adjustments screws are for __________________ Its done

Thread Tools
Show Printable Version Email this Page
Display Modes
Linear Mode Switch to Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
Bridge/Neck pickup volume difference -quantifiable?	Angus	Pickups	11	09-25-2008 04:07 PM
lil 59er volume loss in a strat	loaded six string	Pickups	6	07-17-2008 09:28 PM
Bridge&Neck volume?!?!	Paul_Cat	Epiphone Les Pauls	9	05-29-2008 11:59 PM
Duncan Neck and Bridge pickups	citrixmeta	Online Auctions	7	05-20-2008 10:22 PM
Do you find your neck pickup to be louder than your bridge?	ArchEtech	Gibson Les Pauls	27	02-01-2008 04:07 PM