trouble-shooting help on lp

daniel · Post by **daniel** » Mon Dec 13, 2004 4:40 pm

The neck pickup on les paul crapped out in the middle of my set last night. Some signal still comes thru but it is very fuzzy and faint. The pickups are brand new seth lovers(two weeks old). I checked all the solder joints and they are good. Could the problem be the volume pot?

Billy Batz · Post by **Billy Batz** » Mon Dec 13, 2004 4:53 pm

Theres 2 things it will most likely be. One is the output jack. They always seem to go bad eventually and make bad contact with the plug. But in my experience with LPs thats almost always the toggle switch. Im forever replacing them. I cant get a solid year with one under a normal working schedule without it starting to crap out. It does seem to be the neck pickup contact of the switch that always seems to go first on my guitars as well.

I use the best ones I can buy but I guess Im a bit hard on them. When you flick the switch the other end of the bat/shaft is a plastic end that pushes on a metal tab that seperates it from making contact with the opposite pickup of what your on. If you have the neck pickup engaged the end of the bat is pointing the otherway underneath and pushing the tab that the hot side of the bridge is attached to out of the way to kill the bridge pup. In the middle position the bat just kinda hangs in between allowing both to make contact. If you were to screw the switch out you can physically push on the metal tab the neck pickup hot lead is going to and see if you get a signal (us a pencil.) I guess they get bent over time. Ive seen many Epiphones come brand new with this problem.

It may be a bad connection or solder joint but Ive owned many Pauls and Ive had this problem with all of them new or old.

Flames1950 · Post by **Flames1950** » Mon Dec 13, 2004 8:52 pm

I'm with Billy on the switch. I have a new one for my Paul that I keep meaning to put in, but I'm forever cleaning contacts and banging on the switch to get the neck slot to make contact.
Try using a business card or dollar bill to clean the contact pads on the switch (a dollar is hard to stuff in there, a card you can at least cut in strips.) See if it improves the situation and maybe you'll know for sure what's wrong then!

Country Boy Shane · Post by **Country Boy Shane** » Mon Dec 13, 2004 9:53 pm

Hmm i must be very lucky. I use my pickup switch like a madman and i've had my LP for over 2 years. I'll be sure to look out for this problem if it arrises.

Flames1950 · Post by **Flames1950** » Tue Dec 14, 2004 8:49 am

Using the switch a lot may actually HELP the problem. Since I spend too much time playing my Strats, I don't use mine that often so the contacts get a little oxidation on them.

Country Boy Shane · Post by **Country Boy Shane** » Tue Dec 14, 2004 8:51 am

Well that makes perfect sense then. I'm just pounding the hell out of mine to keep away those oxidation bunnies!

daniel · Post by **daniel** » Wed Dec 15, 2004 3:30 pm

I solved the problem. The switch was actually fine. I discovered that ground on the pickup was not making good contact with the pot and the pickup would only work if the wire was sitting a certain way. I resoldered the connection and now all is fine.

Country Boy Shane · Post by **Country Boy Shane** » Tue Dec 21, 2004 12:15 pm

Nothing like working your ass of to find a problem when all it really was, was a solder connection... ha ha ha!