pickup output

[piper19]

Seems like my Epi LP is getting at the end of its life. The neck pickup still has its output like normal, but the bridge pickup has very low volume. You can hear it very weak through the amp, but even at volume 10 it is very quiet.

I raised the pickup with no results; any solutions? (without changing pickups as this is my home exercise guitar)

[animl]

Originally posted by piper19 Seems like my Epi LP is getting at the end of its life. The neck pickup still has its output like normal, but the bridge pickup has very low volume. You can hear it very weak through the amp, but even at volume 10 it is very quiet. I raised the pickup with no results; any solutions? (without changing pickups as this is my home exercise guitar)

 

 

Check the pickup connections and the toggle contacts. Unless the pickup windings were damaged or cut pickups don't "wear out". Essentially, they are just magnets and wires.

[Wyatt]

animl is right.

Worse-case scenario is that a winding is broken in the PU, that usually results in no sound, but it depends. However, it would be very unlikely if the PU has never been removed from the guitar.

It is more likely a problem in the wiring. Perhaps your toggle switch is faulty. Or your bridge PU's Volume pot is dirty or worn out. Epiphone electronics aren't super-rugged and the switch and pot are parts that have direct human contact (on any device, appliance, etc. the parts that have human contact usually fail first), so this seems more likely.

Another wiring problem may be a "cold solder" joint somewhere in the wiring (possibly a ground). To properly solder something, you get the part hot with the iron and let the solder melt down onto it. A cold solder joint is when someone uses the iron melt the solder into place, but the piece was not hot enough for the solder to flow right and make a real connection. But this usually results in intermittent or no sound.

Find a reputible guitar tech, or just a frienbd who knows electronics. The pot and switch can be disconnected and checked with a multimeter. And all the rest of the wiring can be checked.

[piper19]

thanks:thu:
Maybe anyone with a picture on how the wiring has to be in a Epi LP? Could be the toggle switch, as this one was replaced a week after I bought it. Maybe some solder fault there.

[SirMike1983]

Check all your connections. If the pickup itself is indeed the problem replacing should be fairly simple if it's just a regular Les Paul.

[Sonnilon]

Originally posted by piper19 Seems like my Epi LP is getting at the end of its life. The neck pickup still has its output like normal, but the bridge pickup has very low volume. You can hear it very weak through the amp, but even at volume 10 it is very quiet. I raised the pickup with no results; any solutions? (without changing pickups as this is my home exercise guitar)

 

 

I've heard of people replacing the magnets in pickups, if that helps at all.