What does a "quack" mean?

[moro]

I just switched out the pickups in a two humbucker guitar. Apparently, I messed up because in what should be the bridge pickup only position, I'm getting a quacky sound like in Money for Nothing.

I'm thinking of keeping it like this because it's kind of cool, but I was wondering how you get this sound.

Thanks. [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

[jgcable]

Re: What does a \"quack\" mean?

You wired it incorrectly. 1 of 2 things happened. Either you wired it out of phase or it is wired to the neck pickup too. Maybe you coil tapped it too. Post the color code and I will tell you what you did wrong. JG

[Newc]

Re: What does a \"quack\" mean?

Also check your amp - something coulda went coincidentally wrong in it.
Does the guitar have active electronics?
Do you have a Wah in the chain?

Other than those scenarios, I'm inclined to agree with JG in that you've got both pickups split/tapped at the one connection and both active coils are out of phase with each other (I wired up a gutar that way once with a Jackson Special 5-way switch - sounded pretty cool)

[moro]

Re: What does a \"quack\" mean?

It's not the amp--I've tried another guitar.
No active electronics.
No wah.

Sorry, I thought it was clear in my original post--I realize that the wiring is the problem. [img]/images/graemlins/tongue.gif[/img] I was just wondering what combination of coils typically gets you this sound.

I'm using one of these switches. It's driving me nuts because I've checked the wiring a million times and it seems to be correct. I don't have a multimeter, so I'm going to pick one up today, just to make sure that none of the leads is invisibly broken.

[Newc]

Re: What does a \"quack\" mean?

Ah, now I get it, but I still can't figure out which coil does what (which wire is for the inner and which is for the outer coils).
I'd say they were running in parallel (inner or outer coils though?) since series would be closer to a humbucking tone (darker/warmer).

[jgcable]

Re: What does a \"quack\" mean?

You have the wiring messed up going to the switch for sure.
The quack you are hearing when you have only the bridge humbucker on is WRONG. If there is to be any "QUACK", it should be in the second or 4th positions when you are using 2 pickups but just one coil from each one.

[moro]

Re: What does a \"quack\" mean?

Well, it looks like my wiring was correct--the switch is defective. [img]/images/graemlins/tongue.gif[/img] I've sent mail to Stewmac and hopefully, they'll send me a replacement.