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Re: How do you test electric guitar electronics?

Hi everyone, My electric guitar was working several weeks ago but since I opened it and removed the pickguard and touched the toggle switch and jack it's completely dead. I get no sound from the guitar now. I didn't solder anything or remove anything or change anything at all. I bought myself a multimeter from radio shack. How do I go about troubleshooting or testing the electronics of the guitar to find out what's wrong or if any of the parts (jack, 3-way toggle switch, volume and tone pots) need to be replaced? I checked the wiring and there doesn't seem to be any loose connections or shorts.

I've never done any electronics before so I don't know how to use a multimeter. I bought one today from radio shack: This one:

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However, I have no clue how to operate it. I put a battery in it. I took the pickguard off the guitar . To test the electric guitar do I need to plug the guitar to an amp? (I plug my guitar into my computer subwoofer/speakers and effects box)

What range do I set the multimeter to ? I don't even know what the numbers mean on the multimeter? Which terminals of which components do I have to touch? Does it matter if I use the red or black needles of the multimeter when testing ? What do I look for?

I tried touching some of the terminals but I get nothing on the multimeter I tried several ranges on the multimeter and tried touching several different combinations of terminals and I get nothing on the multimeter. I know it works cause I tested a new battery: I put the multimeter range on battery test and it says the batteries good.

Any help will be greatly appreciated, Thank-You, Mark

Reply to
mark
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First read the manual that came with the meter and play around with it until you are comfortable with what it does. Then search the web for the problem you are having, you would be surprised about how many other folks have the same problem, then using the information you have start checking out the equipment.

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Reply to
Jim Douglas

You are probably going to end up testing the connections. You don't need it plugged in. On your multimeter you'll want to set it to ohms (the omega symbol) to measure resistance. Touch the probes together to see how the needle deflects to show the difference between an open circuit and a short circuit. Then use the meter to make sure that everything that should be connected is connected, and everything that should be open is open. Hope this helps get you started in the right direction.

-Scott Roper

Reply to
Scott Roper

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