The Electra Forums

Does anyone know where I can find a Wiring Diagram for the X-155 Guitar.. I'm having some issues w/ my Newest member of my Electra Family. She Works but only on the Neck P/up and (sometimes) Half on Bridge.. and Sometimes None at all... I know there's a short somewhere.....duH ! I got a Diagram for my X-189 from here but that Model has only the V/T/T configure. Also I Cleaned out the Pots and Switch. The Switch seems fine but I tried playing it on the neck p/up last night and it was working for a couple minutes then it just started cutting out. When I tried switching it to the Bridge pup I got Nothing. Man I'm Bummed out.. I love this Guitar and After taking the whole bridge apart yesterday and Cleaning/polishing it all by hand to make 'er look Pretty again.. well after about two or three hours worth...well Short story made long. Everything (pots/switch/ Jack/ wiring) looks Stock and in Good Shape... But something is Shorting out Bridge P-up and sometimes the Neck... Also the Bridge p/up only seems like half the output of Neck.. I haven't tried to Ohm it yet but i'll try that this evening when a Friend of mine comes home.. He's a got a Meter and I don't. Thank You in Advance for any info/ Help. Scott ps: pic is of Found broken Green wire short on switch, Looks like it is connected but it isn't.

It may be like a Les Paul, but to be safe post pictures of the electronics.

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Well an Update... I found the little Green wire off at the toggle switch and soldered it back on. one down.. Now it works perfect except when I have the Toggle on just the Bridge P-up. Very Low output. If I put toggle in Middle position with Full Vol on Bridge P-up and just barely crack the neck Volume the Bridge p-up Works at Full Volume and if I turn up the neck vol it stays working. Or if I put the toggle in Neck Position only it works Perfect w/ All tone / push/pull switching. Just seems to be very low output on bridge p-up only when toggle is on just the Bridge Pick-up... Maybe that's the way these were Originally..? The pots all work and are Clean w/ No Crackling. Second thing down. Now to My Utter Amazement.. when I went to Intonate it after cleaning the brass bridge & parts by hand for hours and putting it all back together. It needed No Intonation adjustment at All... I'm totally amazed.. I used a Boss Tuner w/ Harmonic tuning and its all on the $$ .. No way... it Never happens to Me.. So If I can still find a wiring Diagram I'd really Appreciate it.. just so I know if I ever have to change anything out ... Also from what I can see the Switch and Jack are both Switchcraft and Original.. Sweet ! Thanx o_-) back together again.

Probably a broken lead or a break in the coil on the pickup kicking it down.
I hate to say it but it'd probably better to buy another pickup, unless it really matters that you have the original repaired, possibly re-wound.
There are a few MMK45s on E-bay, priced real well, so no harm done if you choose to do so.
Just keep the original!

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Addicted to Matsumoku.

Not sure if there is a wiring diagram for a X935 available anywhere, but it looks like the wiring should be identical to your X155 (or a Futura) 2 humbuckers, 4 knobs, 2 push pulls. On mine, the neck pickup tone push/pull is the coil tap for both pickups, the bridge pickup tone push/pull is for phase (usually wired to the bridge pickup).

On most 2 vol /2 tone setups of any make (that I've come across..) if either volume knob is all the way down (in 'both' position) it will kill the guitar output, and this seems pretty standard, I'm assuming that because of the way they're wired when one potentiometer is fully shorted (all the way down) it effectively shorts the entire signal. The only guitar I've owned that didn't do this is my Rickenbacker, but they have that weird 'blend' knob which probably has something to do with that.

You say that the bridge pickup output is noticeably weak, does the sound change when you flick the coiltap? It should be thinner (read as more trebly) and less output when in single coil mode.

Have you taken your soldering iron to all the solder connections? I've repaired many a circuit board by heating up the solder connections, this remedies what are known as 'cold solder joints', which are hairline cracks that develop in the solder after years and years, basically remelting the solder gets rid of the cracks.

Have you tried 'wiggling' the wiring while plugged into an amp to see if the signal cuts out or gets louder? Again, this could be a substandard connection or wire somewhere.

Most of these suggestions are based on the assumption that the pickup is still good, obviously pickups do fail, usually totally, but I have seen pickups with weak output as well, probably caused by a short somewhere so that not all of the windings are being used on the coil (which incidentally is what a true coiltap would do, using part of the coil, unlike a coil-cut, which as the name indicates eliminates one of the two coils on a humbucking pickup... unfortunately coiltap has become the preferred term, even if most guitars have a coil-cut switch like Electra was found of using)

Anyway, I would heat up the solder joints (wait until you see it change states and get 'liquidy') on all the switches and pots and see if she acts any better, and in the meantime I'll look for a X935 wiring diagram. Cheers, Mike.

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Electra Guitar Videos ===> http://www.youtube.com/user/mjm33mjm?feature=watch

Like Proendorser says, it works more often than you would think. Also, be aware that you can not accuratly test the resitance of a pickup when it is attached to the curcuit. Good luck.

Hello Mike, Thank You for Your time and info.. I'll have to get back to You soon w/ more.. I just found another wire off from Somewhere ... it's a Blue one. I Really Appreciate the Time You
Take to Explain it All.. I'm not much Good at Explaining wiring issues.. I'm going to need the Wiring diagram before I can get to the Bottom of the Issues it has.. Thanx again for the Kind Words and Help/Info. Cheers, Scott

Thank You.. I'll Check it out Soon.. Cheers, Scott

By the way........ Those are sexy together

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Well.....
Austin lp Copy w/ emgs
custom made fender strat
epiphone lp with emg
81 electra phoenix x130b
76 electra omega x210
takamine acoustic
westbrook nylon

That's a really nice guitar!

Thx, They Do look Real Nice there Together.. Ebony & Ivory o_-)

Thanx X-189 This Guitar is a Tone Monster..awesome player..

Yes, and we aren't surprised a bit.... it's an ELECTRA!!!