Question for Epiphone Ultra II / III owners

[Jonsi]

Hi, I just plugged in my new (barely used) Epiphone Ultra III.

My question is this...
When I plug into the Mono jack, I hear the Nanomag pick-up but not the humbuckers... no matter which "A/B" switch setting.

When I plug into the stereo jack, I can hear the Humbuckers, so they are definitely working.

The way I understand it is that I should be able to switch between the Nano-mag, and the Humbucker, when I am plugged into the mono jack. By using the A/B push-button switch.

Is this correct?
I am using a mono cable, am I supposed to use a stereo cable? (I am sure mono is OK)

Any thoughts ?

Thank you very much.

 

[paruwi]

Hi

and welcome here at MLP



First, you don't need a 'stereo' cable...

Mono output means you get both signals, the humbuckers and the NanoMag,
just make sure none of the volume knobs is at zero...
and make sure the NanoMag volume isn't at zero, too

if you use two cables, you'll get just the humbucker signal with the 'magnetic' output and the NanoMag signal with the 'NanoMag' output,
this is useful if you go to two different amps...

for further informations...

http://www2.epiphone.com/press/WEB_UltraIIIControls.pdf

Epiphone Les Paul Ultra-III

 

[Jonsi]

Thanks for the welcome.

I was spinning volume knobs, making sure... they seemed fine.

The problem is, I know I should be getting both the Nano-mag and the humbucker signals through the 1/4" "mono" output.

For some reason, when I switch to Humbucker with the A/B switch, I get nothing.

But the humbuckers do work through the stereo jack.

I don't necessarily want to use two amps, I just want it to work as it should.

I suspect maybe there is a problem, but I was hoping someone with experience with these guitars might have an idea of something else I might be missing.

Thanks for your response.

 

[Cardinalcomb]

Maybe the intent is that you use the volume nobs to blend humbuckers with the nano?

 

[Jonsi]

It seemed no matter what I did, no matter where I had the knobs, in any combination...I could not get anything from the humbuckers.
And, there is a separate knob for the Nano on the back of the guitar.

 

[cybermgk]

One thing is the Nanomag actually has two volume controls, sort of. The gain on the back, and also the push/push knob/pot.

First the push push pot cycles through three settings, HB, NanoMag and both. There is also the A/B lights on the bridge pup ring. When both are on, which should be both HB and Nanomag. What happens when you hit the push push pot, as far as lights AND sound?and the

Just red light is on (should be nanomag)
Just blue (should be HB only)
Both on, both.

If it isn't working like that, when plugged into the mono jack, then yes you have a problem.

 

[Jonsi]

One thing is the Nanomag actually has two volume controls, sort of. The gain on the back, and also the push/push knob/pot.

First the push push pot cycles through three settings, HB, NanoMag and both. There is also the A/B lights on the bridge pup ring. When both are on, which should be both HB and Nanomag. What happens when you hit the push push pot, as far as lights AND sound?and the

Just red light is on (should be nanomag)
Just blue (should be HB only)
Both on, both.

If it isn't working like that, when plugged into the mono jack, then yes you have a problem.

The lights seem to be working fine. They change with each push.
Red, Blue, Red & blue.

You can hear the Nano-mag when red only, or when red & blue... but when only blue, there is no signal at all.

Yeah, I am assuming I have a problem, I was just hoping someone more familiar could say "oh, it's just (this)".

Thank you for the help... I appreciate it.
I guess I'll have to have someone look at it.
Ugh.

 

[jedgington]

I know this thread is a few years old, but was there a fix for the problem? I just acquired a used Ultra III with this same issue. Nanomag works in the mono jack with A or A/B selected, but buckers don’t work on A/B or B. Buckers work on the magnetic output jack.
Appreciate your help. Thanks.

 

[jedgington]

Saw on a Gibson forum where the OP found some loose wires. https://forum.gibson.com/topic/122877-wiring-diagram-ultra-iii/?tab=comments#comment-1671118

I had the same issue. Two wires to the stereo jack were broken off. Found another post listing the wire connections to the jack.

https://www.thegearpage.net/board/index.php?threads/reference-post-epiphone-ultra-wiring-and-controls-339-les-paul-335

.

Reconnected the red and white wires and now the mono jack seems to function properly.

Hopefully this helps others who might come across this issue.