Went deeaa-style on my Epi Strat. Put some P90s in, not working right.

[Commodore 64***]

Backstory
I got this old Epi Strat clone last year for $45 on Craig's List. I hadn't done much with it besides replace the pots, switch and install a GFS Pro Tube PUP in the neck. It was the first time I ever swapped a PUP or replaced pots..that sort of thing. The guitar has just sat around since then, having sharp frets and an annoying tendency for the pickguard to resonate on lower notes (many of the screws are stripped). I kept it at work for a beater, and even then it didn't get much attention.

So I took it home this weekend, to bastardize, and hopefully make more compelling to play. Because even though the neck is made of 4(!) pieces (scarf joint at the headstock, headstock is 2 pieces, and the fretboard is maple veneer), I really like the headstock. It's the explorer droop type. The headstock is pretty much the only thing I like about it. Inexplicably, this is the only pic I have of it, and you can't even see the whole headstock.



Finally, to the Problem.

The Epi is HSH routed. I have two P90s from a Samick Jazzmaster, plus that Pro TUbe. So I got out the dremel and modified the pickguard. I stuck the P90s in the neck and bridge, and the ProTube in the middle. I think I read somewhere that the ProTUbes are Alnico II, so I figured it might match up OK. PLus it looks cool.

So I wired it up like conventional strat. Here's the issue(s) per positions.

1. Neck P90 is incredibly microphonic, but sounds good.
2. Mixing Neck P90 and Protube results in less volume, but sounds OK.
3. Pro-Tube sounds great alone, volume about = to neck P90 (I have it raised more).
4. Only the Pro-tube is heard, same volume as position 3.
5. Very, Very faint sound. The P90 is working, but it's very very faint.

As far as I can tell, I have it wired up properly, the P90s have a bare wire and a white wire, that's it. I assumed the white wire was the one to be wired to the switch and the bare braided wire to ground.

Any ideas?

PS: It looks freakin' awesome (from a distance) IMHO, and I promise to get pics tonight.

[Commodore 64***]

OK I know the reason nobody helped. I didn't post pics. Or perhaps I've annoyed you all to death.

Well I fixed it last night, and took some pics. I still need to tweak the nut and set it up properly. I probably should burnish the frets too ( they are pretty rough right now, fresh out of a level and crowning).

[Eric***]

So you got it working? What was the problem? I didn't help because I'm helpless when it comes to wiring stuff, but I did subscribe to this thread, so there's that.

[Commodore 64***]

I don't know exactly what the problem was. I took it apart, and measured the resistance on the PUPs.

Neck: ~8.1k
Middle: ~5.1k
Bridge: ~8.4k

I moves some wires around, reflowed the solder blob on my volume pot, and everything worked. My guess is that some of the bare braid was shorting somewhere, once everythign got smooshed into the control cavity. I wrapped some silicon tape around the exposed braid. By sheer dumb luck, the PUPs are actually pretty balanced with each other, which is a feat since the P90s just screw directly into the wood. I put some foam underneath them to get them a bit above the PG, but there's no other adjustment after that.

I noodled around for a bit, but the guitar still needs a set up and I need to do more tweaking on the nut. This is the 3rd nut I've cut from a blank, and I desperately need a few more files and a lot more practice. At this point, it's just OK. There's no compelling reason to play it. Setting it up will help, I'm sure, but as usual I ended up practicing with my black '94 Tele after about 10 minutes with the Epi.

[Eric***]

Hmm. Well, at least it's functioning now. Cool deal.

[deeaa*]

Something in the title caught my eye... :-) looks sweet! Now just maybe some relicking with a grinder? ;->

[Commodore 64***]

Before I took the Dremel to the pickguard, I had some trepidation, but then I though of deeaa's awesome guitar with nails as bridge pins. So I figured, What the Hell, I'll give the Dremel a shot. If I hose it really bad, I'll just go sans pickguard.

[deeaa*]

LOL yeah :-) it's surprisingly hard to dremel away at that pickguard plastic, though, isn't it? Very hard to get straight cuts without proper guides, it kinda draws the whirling blade into cutting too much real easy.