Schecter KM-7 (Keith Merrow) Signature Thread

[Albake21]

The Not-So-Easy/Nice/Cheap-Method
Okay, the easiest solution I know based on this diagram here, would be adding 2 mini switches, one for each pickup. My SLS C-7 proves you can activate the voicings separately per pickup. You would split up the voice 2 and voice 3 wire pairs that you see in that diagram going to the single mini switch. Have each neck voice wire going to its own pole on one toggle and each of the bridge voice wires going to their own poles on the other toggle and ground wires come from the middle pole from each toggle connecting to the main grounding area (just like the diagram). This actually allows for the BEST customization because you could have neck Voice 3 / bridge Voice 1 pair active or etc. I may actually look into doing this on my KM-set-equipped KM7-MKII.

BUT

I'm still curious if there is a wire switching method to do the V1n/V2b and V2n/V1b setup. So I contacted Fishman. I will post the reply here when I get it. If your guitar only has one knob (if any) and a pickup toggle , then this is the only option (if it even exists) for anyone who DOESN'T want to add switches or knobs to their guitar. (AFAIK of course)

So we shall see...

Well shit at that point I'm better off doing what I originally wanted to do which was to add a mini toggle to switch between all three voices lol. I appreciate the info!

 

[TedintheShed]

It happened...

After almost two years the volume pot in my KM-7 mk II got spoungey and the neck pickup sounds very faint.

What did you guys use to replace it?

Thanks,
Ted

 

[LeviathanKiller]

I'm not too sure I get what you mean. Voice 2 for both the bridge and neck go to my push/pull and then the other wires go to my 3 way. I don't believe there is a Voice 1 wire as that's just the default when Voice 2 isn't enable with the push/pull. My setup is just 1 push/pull and a 3 way switch. I used the Kieth Merrow set for reference but removed the tone knob/Voice 3.

Are you talking about switching the white wire and the green/blue wire from the 3 way switch and the volume knob?

The Not-So-Easy/Nice/Cheap-Method
Okay, the easiest solution I know based on this diagram here, would be adding 2 mini switches, one for each pickup. My SLS C-7 proves you can activate the voicings separately per pickup. You would split up the voice 2 and voice 3 wire pairs that you see in that diagram going to the single mini switch. Have each neck voice wire going to its own pole on one toggle and each of the bridge voice wires going to their own poles on the other toggle and ground wires come from the middle pole from each toggle connecting to the main grounding area (just like the diagram). This actually allows for the BEST customization because you could have neck Voice 3 / bridge Voice 1 pair active or etc. I may actually look into doing this on my KM-set-equipped KM7-MKII.

BUT

I'm still curious if there is a wire switching method to do the V1n/V2b and V2n/V1b setup. So I contacted Fishman. I will post the reply here when I get it. If your guitar only has one knob (if any) and a pickup toggle , then this is the only option (if it even exists) for anyone who DOESN'T want to add switches or knobs to their guitar. (AFAIK of course)

So we shall see...

Well shit at that point I'm better off doing what I originally wanted to do which was to add a mini toggle to switch between all three voices lol. I appreciate the info!

Fishman replied today and said the two switches is the only way since the voices are activated by grounding and you would therefore need to ground the pickups individually to accomplish that.

 

[Albake21]

Fishman replied today and said the two switches is the only way since the voices are activated by grounding and you would therefore need to ground the pickups individually to accomplish that.

Yup that's what I figured they were going to say. Thanks for reaching out to them for us!

 

[cardinal]

Pretty sure you just wire it so that the Voice 2 wire is grounded when the pot is pushed in.

 

[Albake21]

Pretty sure you just wire it so that the Voice 2 wire is grounded when the pot is pushed in.

That would make both the bridge and neck be voice 2 when pushed in though. We want to be able to have a Voice 1 bridge and a Voice 2 neck going at the same time.

 

[cardinal]

That would make both the bridge and neck be voice 2 when pushed in though. We want to be able to have a Voice 1 bridge and a Voice 2 neck going at the same time.

Doesn’t the push/pull switch have two sides? On one side, wire the bridge voice wire to be grounded when pulled. On the other side, wire the neck voice wire to be grounded when pushed?

I’m looking at this:
https://www.fishman.com/wp-content/...errow_Custom_Wiring_Diagram_1Volume_1Tone.pdf

Couldn’t you just put the green wire to the top on that side (and leave the orange wire where it is)?

 

[Flick]

KM7 MKII 2018. Bridge pickup screws kept backing out resulting in the bridge pickup ending up resting on the strings. Contacted Schecter’s tech dept about a warranty repair. Their tech dept advised me to super glue an insert(that holds the screw) into the guitar. After I declined to repair to avoid nullifying my warranty, they were willing to set up a return repair. I did not know that their warranty states that the customer must pay for shipping on repairs. I confirmed this on their warranty policy on their site. The tech I spoke to gave me a shipping quote of over $100. The store I bought it from has a 14 day return policy which I am now no longer under. Void the warranty with some superglue or spend $100 and get the guitar repaired in an unknown amount of time?

 

[cardinal]

KM7 MKII 2018. Bridge pickup screws kept backing out resulting in the bridge pickup ending up resting on the strings. Contacted Schecter’s tech dept about a warranty repair. Their tech dept advised me to super glue an insert(that holds the screw) into the guitar. After I declined to repair to avoid nullifying my warranty, they were willing to set up a return repair. I did not know that their warranty states that the customer must pay for shipping on repairs. I confirmed this on their warranty policy on their site. The tech I spoke to gave me a shipping quote of over $100. The store I bought it from has a 14 day return policy which I am now no longer under. Void the warranty with some superglue or spend $100 and get the guitar repaired in an unknown amount of time?

Are the screws just stripped and the foam/springs are pushing the pickup upwards over time? If so, just cut the tip off a toothpick, dab it with Elmer’s glue, and put it into the screw hole. Then screw the pickup in while the glue is wet. That will fix the stripped screw holes and no one would have any idea that there was a repair.

 

[Wolfos]

Are the screws just stripped and the foam/springs are pushing the pickup upwards over time? If so, just cut the tip off a toothpick, dab it with Elmer’s glue, and put it into the screw hole. Then screw the pickup in while the glue is wet. That will fix the stripped screw holes and no one would have any idea that there was a repair.

I've been playing guitar for nearly 20 years and I've never heard of or had a guitar where a screw backed out of a pickup. I'm not saying it couldn't happen it just surprised me when I read it about a new guitar.

And I agree with your solution, but really if you pay that much money you'd expect the screws to stay in a guitar.

 

[Albake21]

Doesn’t the push/pull switch have two sides? On one side, wire the bridge voice wire to be grounded when pulled. On the other side, wire the neck voice wire to be grounded when pushed?

I’m looking at this:
https://www.fishman.com/wp-content/...errow_Custom_Wiring_Diagram_1Volume_1Tone.pdf

Couldn’t you just put the green wire to the top on that side (and leave the orange wire where it is)?

Hmm you might be right, but at the same time, wouldn't that just turn off the neck pick up when it's pushed in? Since there is no wire for Voice 1, it would equal nothing, right? I think the problem I'm having is that I have no idea how a push pull works as I just followed the diagram.

 

[Albake21]

Doesn’t the push/pull switch have two sides? On one side, wire the bridge voice wire to be grounded when pulled. On the other side, wire the neck voice wire to be grounded when pushed?

I’m looking at this:
https://www.fishman.com/wp-content/...errow_Custom_Wiring_Diagram_1Volume_1Tone.pdf

Couldn’t you just put the green wire to the top on that side (and leave the orange wire where it is)?

I can confirm this does work! Just put the green wire up top and it works like a charm!

Although I feel like my bridge isn't the same... hmmm I'm just going to put it back because I feel like something is wrong. I just don't have a well enough trained ear to tell.

 

[Flick]

Are the screws just stripped and the foam/springs are pushing the pickup upwards over time? If so, just cut the tip off a toothpick, dab it with Elmer’s glue, and put it into the screw hole. Then screw the pickup in while the glue is wet. That will fix the stripped screw holes and no one would have any idea that there was a repair.

Repairing myself voids the warranty. For nearly $1500, the guitar shouldn’t have defects. If I superglue the pickup in, that will eliminate the possibility of pickup height adjustment/replacement.

 

[cardinal]

Repairing myself voids the warranty. For nearly $1500, the guitar shouldn’t have defects. If I superglue the pickup in, that will eliminate the possibility of pickup height adjustment/replacement.

The toothpick/Elmer’s glue trick just fixes the threads and allows future adjustment. It’ll probably make the wood so hard there that you could snap off the screw if you wanted.

But I agree that this shouldn’t be an issue, and Schecter’s response is pretty shameful. I would think a better solution is to just let you take it to any local repair guy, who might even fix this no charge because it’s so simple (particularly if you come without strings on it so he can get to the pickup) and make some internal note that your warranty is still good.

But really, and this assumes the issue is just stripped out screw holes, the best solution is just for you to plug the holes yourself with Elmer’s and a toothpick and just neve mention it if you otherwise need the warranty. Unless you really messed it up someone, I don’t see how anyone could know that the screw holes were repaired, and this is the legitimate repair to be done anyway.

 

[Flick]

The toothpick/Elmer’s glue trick just fixes the threads and allows future adjustment. It’ll probably make the wood so hard there that you could snap off the screw if you wanted.

But I agree that this shouldn’t be an issue, and Schecter’s response is pretty shameful. I would think a better solution is to just let you take it to any local repair guy, who might even fix this no charge because it’s so simple (particularly if you come without strings on it so he can get to the pickup) and make some internal note that your warranty is still good.

But really, and this assumes the issue is just stripped out screw holes, the best solution is just for you to plug the holes yourself with Elmer’s and a toothpick and just neve mention it if you otherwise need the warranty. Unless you really messed it up someone, I don’t see how anyone could know that the screw holes were repaired, and this is the legitimate repair to be done anyway.

I did propose to Schecter that I have the dealer I bought from do the repair, as this is a few minutes from home. This local dealer also does guitar repairs and has already agreed to fix it. Schecter replied that they will not cover the cost of the repair at this local shop.

 

[toolsound]

It happened...

After almost two years the volume pot in my KM-7 mk II got spoungey and the neck pickup sounds very faint.

What did you guys use to replace it?

Thanks,
Ted

I've had some scratchy noises/volume dropouts with my knob recently, which is a bummer because I've been babying this guitar.

 

[TedintheShed]

Yes!

"KM-7 mIII ‘STUDIO ‘ neck-thru blanks getting sandwiched"

 

[TedintheShed]

Schecter confirmed that one of them is mine today. I'm hyped!

 

[LeviathanKiller]

I've had some scratchy noises/volume dropouts with my knob recently, which is a bummer because I've been babying this guitar.

Does this mean the pot needs to be replaced or is it wiring and/or pot scrubbing that will fix it?

 

[HeHasTheJazzHands]

That's why I always keep DeOxit with me. Like if I'm working with old crackly pots on anything like guitars, amps, pedals, etc etc, I just spritz it a few times and it's good as new.