Multi meter reading, on fixing a guitar.

  • Thread starter Thread starter metalj
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metalj

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Hello all you guitar guru's.

Anyone know how I can hook a multimeter up to guitar pickkups to tell if they are still good?

I found a old electric guitar that makes no sound when plugged in. I tested(to the best of my ability) all the switches and pots, they all seem good, i checked the 1/4' plug in, and that seems fine.

It seems to me that all the basics are working as far as the wireing. JUSt wondering how I would individually check the pickups with a meter? or anyother advice on checking would be just grand.

thanks
 
metalj said:
JUSt wondering how I would individually check the pickups with a meter?
Click to expand...
Simple: Unsolder one lead of the pickup coil from the pot or wherever it's attached and just measure DC resistance across it and the other lead of the coil.

Should be a few thousand Ohms, typically. A bad pickup would probably show an open circuit or a dead short.
 
bongolation said:
Simple: Unsolder one lead of the pickup coil from the pot or wherever it's attached and just measure DC resistance across it and the other lead of the coil.

Should be a few thousand Ohms, typically. A bad pickup would probably show an open circuit or a dead short.
Click to expand...


could you be a little more specific as to what setting i would put the meter on. i usually use it on the setting with the little ohm cymbol. Also when i turn it on the needle is on zero, then when i touch the leads together the needle shoots over to 1k (the highest reading, or all the way to the left).

when you have a dead short or an open circuit, what does the needle do? Its been a while since ive used one of these meters and actually know what the readings mean. I usually just use it to test cables and other wires. if the needle moves then the cable is good. that is about all i know right now.

thanks for your time.
 
you need to set it to K-Ohm (as in kilo-ohm)

a typical PUP has a resistence of 4-15 K-Ohm
cheers
alfred
 
A short is like when you touch the probes together. An open circuit is when you don't touch anything.
 
If you're going to be soldering/desoldering, just hook up the pickup directly to the jack or even to a cable directly and plug it in. The meter will only tell you so much.
 
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