Neck Pickup Not Working: 9 Things You Should Try To Fix This

Neck Pickup Not Working
Neck Pickup Not Working

Want the right sounds for your guitar? Then playing the neck pickup of the instrument can give you soft and heavy beats that will mesmerize your evenings. No matter what genre you want to play, the guitar neck pickup will produce sounds that are super unique and engaging.

You will find very experienced guitarists looking to use the neck to play deeper tones, and for some, it is the most favorite way of playing their music.

However, you may be experiencing some sound issues around the neck pickup, but before you go to the depths of it, you need to understand what a guitar neck pickup is, especially if you are a newbie guitarist.

Everything to know about guitar pickup

A guitar pickup is where all the vibrations of the guitar strings turn into electrical signals. From here, these signals quickly reach the guitar’s amp, which fuels the fire; and sends off blazing sounds. Most guitars have six strings along with the pole pieces, and the overall alignment of the strings and their spacing affect the type of pickup you will produce.

Sometimes you can find issues with the guitar’s pickup, meaning there will be distorted sounds or the quality will not be up to the mark. That is when you will need to check the neck pickup; however, there are some sure-shot things you can do yourself to achieve the tunes you want.

Causes and Fixes For Neck Pickup Not Working

  1. Check The Jack

Perhaps you have started to jam, and you have invited your friends over for a casual music night, and once you start playing the music, the neck pickup is just not playing. What do you do then? Your audience is waiting for you to come up with a quick fix.

The best thing to do in this situation is that you fix the jack of the guitar. Sometimes the jack betrays you at a crucial time due to its alignment. Most guitarists have been able to fix the neck pickup issues by simply fixing the alignment of the jack and moving it backward.

However, if this does not work, it could mean the jack is completely broken, and in such an instance, it is recommended that you get it changed by the brand you purchased the guitar from. The good news is that changing a jack would not cost you an arm and a leg; hence call your nearest technician or the brand store to help you figure this one out.

Guitarist connecting guitar in recording studio

  1. Solder As Much As You Can

If you are playing the guitar in full enthusiasm, it should be able to produce sounds flawlessly; however, on some rare occasions, your guitar neck pickup can become a bit stubborn and fails to produce the tunes you want to hear.

In certain situations, this is due to broken wires, and in other cases, it could be the basis of cold solder joints. Most of the time, the issue arises because the wires in the cavity are not fixed right or become loose, which is majorly a result of bad soldering. In this case, you can start by soldering the guitar the right way.

This should fix most of your problems, and if the problem still persists, it is recommended that you contact your technician to get further assistance.

  1. Not The Right Fit

To have a smooth experience and to get the right neck pickup, you will need to install it on the guitar. Most of the time, guitarists cannot identify which neck pick-up works best for their guitars; for that, you need expert help.

Installing the wrong one will do more damage than good; this means you will not get the good jamming experience you were hoping for. What do you do then? There is only one thing to do in this instance, which is to get the right neck pickup that is compatible with your instrument.

Guitar p90 pickup in the neck position

This will fix most of your issues, and if the problem still persists, then it is recommended that you have it looked at by the brand you got the instrument from.

  1. Potentiometers Can Be Faulty

If you are using the guitar neck pickup and it is not working right, then you may be experiencing potentiometers that have gone bad or faulty, and this is a common problem since they can go bad easily or short out during a jamming session.

The reasoning is that the soldiers can become loose from the insides and break, and then they get stuck inside the potentiometers destroying the electrical wiring through a short circuit.

If that is the case, you will need to open up the guitar and check its wiring, however, we recommend that you get it checked by a technician as you may end up damaging the wires if you are a newbie at it.

  1. Intonation Problems

One of the major issues with guitars is the intonation issues; you will have to be mindful of this. Since you keep jamming and playing the guitar excessively, it is likely to suffer intonation issues, resulting in a faulty neck pickup. This could lead to frustrations, especially when you know your guitar is working perfectly fine.

Bearded hipster man hand adjusting acoustic guitar

However, the good news is that you can easily tune the guitar yourself, and you won’t need a professional to help you in this regard. The best way to tune the strings is to have them loosen up and then tune them back again. This should instantly fix the neck pickup problems that you are currently facing.

  1. Damage to The Guitar

One of the main reasons you may be experiencing bad neck pickups is because there is possible damage to the internal system of the guitar. In this situation, it is recommended that you use an ohm meter and then go on to check each and every pickup for any hidden damage to the wiring or any of the coils or solder joints.

Sometimes the issue arises when the coils are compromised due to the instrument’s strings stuck into the coil. You will need to remove and fix any of the damages in the system by involving a technician who can safely fix the problem.

  1. Installation issues

Sometimes the problem is fairly simple, and you will only face problems while installing it or by installing it the wrong way. When facing the neck pickup issues, it is recommended that you remove the pickup from the guitar, clean it properly from the inside and outside, and then reinstall it again.

Magnetic pickup with tone and volume control for acoustic guitar

This should fix the neck pickup issue; however, if this does not work, it is recommended that you get in touch with an expert to figure out the real problem or if you are unable to fix the neck pickup the right way.

  1. Now Reading

The neck pickup must always show reading; however, in some cases, it will fail to show you one, or even if it is, there will be no output. This becomes super confusing for guitarists since it is a tricky situation to fix.

In this situation, it is recommended that you first analyze the magnetism which lies in the pickup because you need to ensure that it was not demagnetized. You will need to check if the pickup reads and has the right magnetism, if so, you need to check all the lead wires, the jack, coils, switches, solder joints, and potentiometers.

  1. Bad Battery

Sometimes the reason for a bad neck pick-up is that the battery is faulty in your guitar or has run out. It is recommended that you check the instrument’s battery health. You must have that sorted if the battery is burnt out or needs a recharge. Without a battery, there will be no neck pick-up for you.

Guitar with Li-ion battery

Furthermore, we recommend you also check all your power supplies as faulty connections can hamper the neck pick-up quality.

Conclusion

There are many ways to fix the neck pick-up issues; however, if you are unsure what the real problem is, we recommend that you meet with an expert and explain the problem for the right solution.

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