I have a very thin problem, any suggestions?

[Btayache]

Hello all,

I have an Epiphone Sheraton II which I just finished changing the wiring on it (Rs Guitar works 335 Vintage kit) and did a pickup swap to Lollar Imperials standards.

The other pickups were warm and alright, but tended to get muddy with overdrive. I went all out on this guitar with some really good quality parts. Came back home, tried the guitar and it sounds 10 times thinner than before.

I do have new Daddario 10s on it, but even before when I changed strings it wouldnt sound as thin. I tried everything so far, played it through both of my amps(fender frontman and peavy delta blues) rolled the tone way down, and still sounds like I have a fuzz pedal on with treble at 10 and tone at 11.

"Epiphone wiring and pickups can't be better than these boutique ones" I told myself. Then I said: "But what if they were better for you".

I've already gone through too much to change the wiring and pickups, and the entire ordeal cost me well over 600$ (more than the guitar itself). What is going on here? Could it be the new strings? WHY DOES THIS THING SOUND SO THIN AND TREBLY

 

[SGeoff]

is there any chance the pups are out of phase with each other? that can be a real thin tone- also make sure the height of the pups is not real low

 

[InfiniteeZ]

Try lowering the pickups if they're really high. Also try lowering the pole pieces.

You'll get used to them trust me, you're just very used to the warm yet muddy epi pickups.

 

[houston]

No 2 humbuckers should be different from each other by a factor of 10, so probably should troubleshoot your wiring before anything.

 

[Hack]

I dont see any pictures.

 

[Tanqueray]

Thin as in sounding kinda like a single coil pickup?

I had this problem when I installed aftermarket pickups in one of my guitars. Turns out one of the wires wasn't soldered in properly which led to one of the coils being inactive. It gave my bridge pickup a very thin sound instead of the full sound that you normally get from a humbucker.

 

[SJM]

is there any chance the pups are out of phase with each other? that can be a real thin tone- also make sure the height of the pups is not real low

I think this is a real possibilty. I had a similar problem a couple of years ago after a mod. I had a rather weird thin sounding guitar myself. It turned out to be just this. P/U's wired out of phase.

 

[56GT]

If they are 4-condudtor wiring, they are most likely wired incorrectly.

4 Conductor Wire
Green—screw side inside—ground
Red—screw side outside—connect to white
White—slug outside—connect to red
Black—slug side inside—hot
Bare—shield—Ground

 

[InfiniteeZ]

I dont see any pictures.

This and clips would help greatly. Hope you get it sorted man!

 

[Btayache]

I think this is a real possibilty. I had a similar problem a couple of years ago after a mod. I had a rather weird thin sounding guitar myself. It turned out to be just this. P/U's wired out of phase.

How could I tell if they are wired out of phase? The guy I took the guitar to does that almost daily, but maybe he made a mistake. it isn't a 4 wire pickup it's a single wire

 

[Btayache]

If they are 4-condudtor wiring, they are most likely wired incorrectly.

4 Conductor Wire
Green—screw side inside—ground
Red—screw side outside—connect to white
White—slug outside—connect to red
Black—slug side inside—hot
Bare—shield—Ground

It is a single wired pickup

 

[Btayache]

Thin as in sounding kinda like a single coil pickup?

I had this problem when I installed aftermarket pickups in one of my guitars. Turns out one of the wires wasn't soldered in properly which led to one of the coils being inactive. It gave my bridge pickup a very thin sound instead of the full sound that you normally get from a humbucker.

I wouldnt say single coil, no. It sounds like I'm playing through an open wah-wah pedal in the treblist setting with tone on 100. I frickin hate treble.

 

[SJM]

I wouldnt say single coil, no. It sounds like I'm playing through an open wah-wah pedal in the treblist setting with tone on 100. I frickin hate treble.

That's pretty much what my LP sounded like. Funny thing, a very qualified tech did the wiring on mine too so when I took it back to him, he fixed it in about 5 minutes. Unfortunatley, I didn't see what he changed so I can't tell you what to look for.

 

[56GT]

We can guess all day. Post a pic of the control cavity.
What kind of tech hands you a guitar without first testing it?

 

[rem22]

We can guess all day. Post a pic of the control cavity.
What kind of tech hands you a guitar without first testing it?

it has been requested several times already but hey...we won't see this Les Paul Oooops that's not one

 

[SJM]

We can guess all day. Post a pic of the control cavity.
What kind of tech hands you a guitar without first testing it?

That is an excellent question. For me, it was my former tech. I found a new one after that incident.

 

[Btayache]

Hey guys, I think I've mentioned it before, the guitar isn't a les paul. I wish it were. It's a SHeraton II with no back cover. Semi-hollow, has F Holes, can't take picture.

I must have posted this in the wrong forum, Sorry again

 

[Hedcrash]

For sure check the wiring. I once made the mistake of wiring a DiMarzio SD up using the Seymour Duncan wiring scheme - which didn't work. The color codes are different, and I ended up with a really honky, almost single coil kind of sound.

I'd wager you'll discover something similar. Good luck.

 

[houston]

That is an excellent question. For me, it was my former tech. I found a new one after that incident.

Exactly. Was going to say, "The ones who want repeat business."

 

[Tanqueray]

Hey guys, I think I've mentioned it before, the guitar isn't a les paul. I wish it were. It's a SHeraton II with no back cover. Semi-hollow, has F Holes, can't take picture.

I must have posted this in the wrong forum, Sorry again

It's fine. You did mention it in your first post. We just have Les Pauls on the brain here and I think some people don't realize the unholy nightmare that is re-wiring semi-hollow guitars. I've never done it myself, but I've heard stories...

I would take it back to the tech who worked on it.