floFC Posted February 9, 2014 Share Posted February 9, 2014 Hi, I have just picked up an Ibanez ATK300 made in Japan in 1994. It is cosmeticaly superb but a couple of issues sound wise: crackling at the jack and a hum when the switch is in the middle position. I had a look at the wiring, and sure enough there are a couple of disconnected wires: the ground cable from the bridge is not connected to the jack, and there is a mysterious cable (thin, black) coming out of the pickup cavity which is not connected to anything. I have checked the wiring diagram at Ibanez (http://www.ibanez.com/support/wiringdiagrams) and they do not show such a wire! Only a big fat cable with red, green, white, black + shield wires. I have this + the extra mysterious black wire. Does anyone know where the extra black cable coming out of the pickup cavity should be connected? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ahpook Posted February 9, 2014 Share Posted February 9, 2014 (edited) I can't see a diagram for a 94 ATK - would it be a 95 ? My first guess would be that he wire coming from the pickup is an earth for some shielding in the cavity. Lovely basses btw. Edited February 9, 2014 by ahpook Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
floFC Posted February 9, 2014 Author Share Posted February 9, 2014 Thanks ahpook, yes it is a really nice bass, and it makes good sound as it is . The serial number suggests it was made in 94, but I was looking at the diagram for 95, I assume that is what I have. I have found a picture of someone else's control cavity, and the wire seems to connect somewhere on the PCB for the switch selector in the top right corner, but the layout of that bit on my bass is different. That's the picture I found: http://s413.photobucket.com/user/rude_mechanical/media/Ibanez%20ATK300/PB170097.jpg.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AngelLaHash Posted February 10, 2014 Share Posted February 10, 2014 I think ahpook is correct it is a Ground, but to find out where it lives on the PCB board's I would guess that it would be a Black wire that goes to the Switch Board. Pickup Cable (Gray) and Ground (Black) coming from the Pickups Area.. then all go to the Switch, Look at the soilder joins and see if some thing is attach, if some thing is missing then that MIGHT be it but keep looking, with hope only one thing would be missing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ahpook Posted February 10, 2014 Share Posted February 10, 2014 First thing I'd try with the cavity open is to strip the end of the spare wire and touch it to one of the pot casings - hopefully your hum will disappear. [i]hopefully[/i] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
floFC Posted February 10, 2014 Author Share Posted February 10, 2014 Thanks guys. I can't have a go tonight but I'll try those tomorrow. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
floFC Posted February 11, 2014 Author Share Posted February 11, 2014 So, I did as you guys suggested, and the hum goes away when I connect the ground wire from the bridge to the ground on the jack (as per the Ibanez diagram). yay! And there seems to be the remnants of a wire soldered to the switch PCB, where the other 2 grounds from the pickup are connected (black+shield). So I'll solder the mysterious back wire to that. All sorted, thanks a lot ahpook and AngelLaHash Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ahpook Posted February 13, 2014 Share Posted February 13, 2014 Excellent ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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