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Post subject: Troubleshooting lace sensor hot golds
Posted: Fri Dec 18, 2009 4:08 pm
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I recently installed Lace Sensor hot golds with 13.2k bridge in my 02 Mex made strat. I decided to go with these after sound clips and and reviews, they sounded like the pickups for me. I installed them up myself using my old pots and wiring due to them being recommended. When I plugged them in I wasn't to happy. I've tried with my tone knob all the way up, and all the way down, and in between. Nothing sounds great. I've tried lowering them close to the body, midway between the two, and directly under the strings. I run through a Vox AC4TV. They sound 'ok', pretty much bareable on clean sound, once I try to overdrive them it gets so bassy or muddy. Its just noise. The videos and sound clips I've seen/heard for these are amazing. I'm not sure what I did wrong.

Anyways that's the most info I can give. If you need more let me know.
I can't put my bass at 1 on my amp, I have a volume knob and a tone knob that's it. Thanks in advance. Hope to get these babies sounding like they should.


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Posted: Fri Dec 18, 2009 5:00 pm
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The first thing I would do is simply re-flow all your solder joints to make sure that they are solid, and then check a wiring diagram to make sure everything is in the right place.

After that, this where a multimeter comes in handy... If you can buy or borrow one (basic meters can be found at many local stores for $10- $25 and up,) first check the DC resistance (ohms) of each pickup. If they measure where they should, then take similar measurements through the wiring.

If you strike out with this, then you can use the multimeter to check each of the pots to make sure they are within spec.

Even the cheapest of multimeters can be very useful at a time like this...


One question... is the problem heard through all the pickups or just one?

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Posted: Fri Dec 18, 2009 5:12 pm
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All pickups, I've been trying to get in touch with you haha, I heard you have sound clips of these pickups with clapton boost. Any chance I can get a link to that?


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Posted: Fri Dec 18, 2009 5:38 pm
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LOL. I don't have any recordings of it actually, and I just recently replaced the pickups with a set of Limited Edition Lace Copperheads. Both sets of pickups sound great with the Clapton electronics though.

The Clapton boost is quite cool, but for me personally it honestly has limited use just because I have this wild & crazy hi-gain amp that needs no help at all. Whether it be from a pedal or from the mid-boost.

I would say that your problem is likely in the wiring since all three pickups show the same problem. So try the solder re-flow first and see where that gets you.


FWIW... Here's the link to my YouTube channel...

http://www.youtube.com/user/marksmitchell

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Posted: Fri Dec 18, 2009 5:42 pm
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This gets better by the post. I've seen your channel before haha. Great playing by the way. My amp is great, but limited IMO. I plan on getting a Fender hot rod. Or another guitar. Wish I made more money, So many things I'd like to do to my setup.

Also I plan on pulling my pickgaurd off in an about 15 minutes. I got my meter I'm not quite sure about how to use it to be honest. My dad only uses it for voltage so he isn't to sure either. What exactly should I be doing/looking for? On the pickups/ and pots. Which wire to what on the meter? Not only am I hopefully going to fix this, learn something at the same time. Thanks in advance.


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Posted: Fri Dec 18, 2009 6:57 pm
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You measure the pickups, with the ohm range set to 20k or above on the meter, unless of course your meter is auto-ranging. You can check each pickup by touching one probe to the orange lead and the other probe to the white lead. The bridge pickup should be about 13.2k and the neck and bridge should be about 5.8k. If they are good, then put one probe on ground, or on the back of the volume pot where all the ground wires are soldered. Then put the other probe on the middle wiper of the volume pot, where you connected the hot wire from the output jack. Then cycle through each of the selector switch positions and make note of the DC resistance on the meter. The 1-3-5 positions should closely correspond to the DC resistance of the pickup, though it usually is slightly off. And make sure the volume and tone pots are all on 10.

I have to go to the store and buy my Christmas dinner right now. I'll check back when I return...

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Posted: Sat Dec 19, 2009 10:10 am
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Mark I'm getting 5.8k on neck and middle, but 2k on my bridge. What could be wrong here?


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Posted: Sat Dec 19, 2009 10:24 am
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It could be the pickup or the wiring. I would unsolder it from the wiring harness and check it again all by itself. If it still reads 2k then you likely just have a bad pickup, and I would either talk to your dealer or email Lace.

Did you buy them new or used?

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Posted: Sat Dec 19, 2009 10:29 am
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Ignore that all. I found the setting I believe on it. Its getting exactly 6.0k on neck and mid. and 13.2k on bridge. Without bouncing at all.


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Posted: Sat Dec 19, 2009 11:21 am
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Okay good. So the pickups then seem to be fine. So if they are still wired-up, go ahead and check the DC resistance through the wiring like I explained above and see if you get the same readings.

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