Why my single coil sized humbuckers keep cutting out?

[Tito83]

I have a chopper and a little 59 and for whatever reason they keep cutting out from time to time. I have to wiggle them and they usually come back. I've tried a lot of things. Redone every solder, check to see if anything is shorting out underneath, I've tried tapping the back with insulation tape, nothing works. From time to time the issue keeps coming back. It can be an issue with the pickups themselves, just seems like way too much of a coincidence.

Has anyone seen this? What am I missing?

 

[DrewJD82]

You certain it’s not the output jack?

 

[Chocol8]

Something is shorting the signal to ground or there is something causing an open circuit. Is the guitar shielded? Something intermittently touching shielding would be on my short list.

 

[FuzzyAce]

Yeah, could be the selector switch or output jack if both pickups are intermittent.

 

[Deleted member 1726]

 

[Tito83]

Sorry for not making it clear, but they are not in the same guitar. I've changed pickups many times, the only time I've had issues are with those, and in this very specific way. While my soldering skills aren't really that great, I don't think its the issue in this case. I've tried adding insulation tape to avoid anything fun the pickup to touch the shielding, but the problem persisted. I might have overlooked since specific spot, I don't find it likely though.

 

[Eagle]

Something is shorting the signal to ground or there is something causing an open circuit. Is the guitar shielded? Something intermittently touching shielding would be on my short list.

Extremely likely to be this.

 

[Deleted member 1726]

I've been told by several luthiers that shielding is overrated, ineffective & adds capacitance to the circuit.

There are better solutions if you're having "issues", but so far I haven't needed them

 

[Eagle]

I've been told by several luthiers that shielding is overrated, ineffective & adds capacitance to the circuit.

There are better solutions if you're having "issues", but so far I haven't needed them

I would strongly agree with that.
If you have quality components and run a screened wire to the jack you are 99.9 % physically screened by the wire and the components . If you’re running a vintage single coil setup screening interferes with the sound. If you need silence you should look to silent setups not trying to stick foil to the inside of your guitar.

 

[Tito83]

I've really tried looking into it, but let's assume it's something touching the shielding. Any reason, maybe something about the way they are built, why it's happening only to the single coil sized humbucker and not regular or noiseless single coils (I understand they are actually humbucker but hope everyone gets the differentiation in making) ?

 

[Deleted member 1726]

Back in 78-83 my first luthier was Dale Fortune, who was partners with Jim Kelley.

I used to drop by Dales' shop regularly (great times), often there was a old guy hangin' around named Leo, who was always very nice to me...

At the time I knew next to nothing about gear, having just begun playing electric, asked the dumbest questions of Leo & with a twinkle in his eye he would kindly try to help me (it was hopeless back then, I was young, arrogant & thought I magically knew everything).

Wish I could go back in time & ask Mr. Fender a few *real* questions

His thoughts on shielding would be at the top of my list...

 

[Chocol8]

His thoughts on shielding would be at the top of my list...

Well, he used partial shielding on some models, but the fully shielded cavities didn't appear until after his time.