Electrical problems on a MIK Vector

[albacore]

Hi folks,

guy at work turned up with MIK Vector that has been sitting around in somebody's garage for some years, and I have my eye on it for a project.

I have given it the Gorgomyte treatment and I think it has the potential to be a nice player, but I'm not sure really where to start with electrics.

It has what I think are the same Duncan Designed pickups as I have on my Indonesian SATQ sunburst - I'm getting something out of them, but at half the power of SATQ. Is this likely to be an issue with the pickups (do they deteriorate in bad conditions) or is more likely to be as a result of the connection problems elsewhere (as shown by the symptoms below)?

I was told the switch had been replaced, but no reason to think the rest isn't stock.

Here's a run down:

- Neck position sounds necky, bridge sounds bridgy

- Both pups are underpowered, but I'm getting much less from the bridge than from the neck

- Both volume controls roll off to nothing almost straight away from 10

- Tone control not changing the tone

Any educated guesses as to where I should start?

Many thanks in advance for any help you can provide.

Matt

[RichRS6]

If the P/U selector switch has been replaced make sure it's been done correctly (compare it to another guitars switch if you can or look for a wiring diagram) and that the solder joints look tidy and shiny.

Then I would get some pot lube/switch cleaner and clean all the pots and switch contact including the output jack (squirt some lube into the socket and onto a jack plug and insert into the socket a few times). Be careful, some pot lube isn't kind to shiny surfaces.

If you're going to mod it anyway forget the first part and replace all the low quality pots and switches with some quality ones then see if the low output problems go away.

AFAIK pickups don't really deteriorate over time (the magnets may age somewhat over a long time) and as this is a MIK it can't really be that old so I would look at them last, unless you have something ready to go in there.

For a quick check you could try soldering one of the P/U's straight to the output jack to check the output.

HTH.

[albacore]

Rich

It does, very helpful.

I don't have any other pups at the moment and I'm interested to see how the DDs sound on the different wood, so it's good to know its probably not them.

I am minded to replace everything else but I need to persuade the guy to sell it to me first. Lets see. He said his brother got it from a car boot sale as part of a £20 job lot so I'm hopeful.

Matt

[RichRS6]

No problem, I'm sure there will be other solutions.

Car boot sale bargains are the best !

Does "car boot sale" mean you're in the U.K. if so whereabouts are you ?

[Armitage]

Then I would get some pot lube/switch cleaner and clean all the pots and switch contact including the output jack (squirt some lube into the socket and onto a jack plug and insert into the socket a few times). Be careful, some pot lube isn't kind to shiny surfaces.

Right, if it isn't a wiring problem done when changing the switch, corrosion in the pots is the most likely problem.

[albacore]

No problem, I'm sure there will be other solutions.

Car boot sale bargains are the best !

Does "car boot sale" mean you're in the U.K. if so whereabouts are you ?

I'm in Nottingham. And you?

[albacore]

Then I would get some pot lube/switch cleaner and clean all the pots and switch contact including the output jack (squirt some lube into the socket and onto a jack plug and insert into the socket a few times). Be careful, some pot lube isn't kind to shiny surfaces.

Right, if it isn't a wiring problem done when changing the switch, corrosion in the pots is the most likely problem.

Yep, they feel pretty rough. Thanks for the info.

Any body know the standard spec of pots and caps used for Hamer 2 humbucker models?

[RichRS6]

I'm in Cornwall (via Hereford and Leeds).