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Thread: No resistance reading in Tele bridge pu

  1. #1
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    No resistance reading in Tele bridge pu

    I recently got a multimeter, and figured I'd measure the resistance of my guitar pu's. 6 guitars, appropriate readings for everything EXCEPT the bridge pu of my '88 Tele. It sounds thin and ice picky, any ideas of what could be wrong ? It doesn't measure any resistance.

    I bought this Tele used from a friend who passed away. It's supposedly not the orginal pu, but seems to be much older than the guitar.

    Thanks.

  2. #2
    Forum Member melody's Avatar
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    Re: No resistance reading in Tele bridge pu

    It may have a broken winding or just went south for one reason or another. Did you take the reading with the pup still in the guitar?

  3. #3
    Forum Member Kap'n's Avatar
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    Re: No resistance reading in Tele bridge pu

    No (zero) resistance, or infinite resistance?
    Several guitars in different colors
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    Forum Member Offshore Angler's Avatar
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    Re: No resistance reading in Tele bridge pu

    No resistance and it works? It's a magic pickup.

    Chicken Pickis Teliamis!
    "No harmonic knowledge, no sense of time, a ghastly tone, unskilled vibrato, and so on. Chuck is one of the worst guitar players I know" -Gravity Jim

  5. #5
    Forum Member Kap'n's Avatar
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    Re: No resistance reading in Tele bridge pu

    Quote Originally Posted by Offshore Angler View Post
    No resistance and it works? It's a magic pickup.

    Chicken Pickis Teliamis!
    Sometimes you can get a little output even with a broken winding.
    Several guitars in different colors
    Things to make them fuzzy
    Things to make them louder
    orange picks

  6. #6
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    Re: No resistance reading in Tele bridge pu

    Melody: Still in guitar, tried measuring both at the output jack cable end and directly at pu leads inside the guitar
    Kap'n: I guess it's zero, the meter doesn't move from zero. How do you differentiate. ? If it's a broken winding, is it repairable or junk ?
    Chuck: LOL - though the 2nd sentence is Greek? to me

    Thanks for the replies, guys.

  7. #7
    Forum Member Kap'n's Avatar
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    Re: No resistance reading in Tele bridge pu

    An infinite resistance is the same reading you get if the probes are not touching each other. That means there's an 'open' or no connection.

    A zero resistance is the same reading as if the probes are touching each other or a short.

    If you're testing with the pickups mounted, you should have your volume and tone controls on 10, and obviously the selector switch set to the pickup you're testing. The absolute numbers will be different, but it should give you an idea of what's happening.

    Both, in theory should give you no output.
    Several guitars in different colors
    Things to make them fuzzy
    Things to make them louder
    orange picks

  8. #8
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    Re: No resistance reading in Tele bridge pu

    Infinite resistance. "same reading you get if the probes are not touching each other".

    Is it a broken winding, or what else could it be, can it be repaired ?

    Thanks again.

  9. #9
    Forum Member Kap'n's Avatar
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    Re: No resistance reading in Tele bridge pu

    Could be a broken winding, or a cold solder joint. I'd reflow the connections from the pickup and see what happens.
    Several guitars in different colors
    Things to make them fuzzy
    Things to make them louder
    orange picks

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    Re: No resistance reading in Tele bridge pu

    Kap'n:

    Reflowed solder joints, same result. I read somewhere that some older pickups have a cap wired to it that results in infinite resistance.
    SO maybe not a problem at all ?

    More disassembly required (I guess). Wish I hadn't put those new strings on.

  11. #11
    Forum Member Kap'n's Avatar
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    Re: No resistance reading in Tele bridge pu

    A few oddball guitars (like Japanese and Italian 'veg-a-matic' guitars and some old Ricks) have series capacitors in them, but a Telecaster shouldn't.

    I'm guessing there's a break in the winding, which happens typically in the outer wraps. Lollar, I think, does pickup peels to fix those. You could try it yourself, but the wire is pretty fine.
    Several guitars in different colors
    Things to make them fuzzy
    Things to make them louder
    orange picks

  12. #12
    Forum Member melody's Avatar
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    Re: No resistance reading in Tele bridge pu

    I have done it not easy but it can be done. Just go slow you can do it if my can..

  13. #13
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    Re: No resistance reading in Tele bridge pu

    Thanks guys. Will let you know what happens when I open her up.

  14. #14
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    Re: No resistance reading in Tele bridge pu

    No cap Kap'n. Off to be rewound.

    Thanks again for everybody's help.

    Will report back when redone.

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