Another Lifeson mod

[Rock2112]

So, in my quest to have a reliable Lifeson LP, I had to mod it again (previous mod done may be found in this forum under the name of the "McDLT Mod"). My toggle switch died, thus making my neck pickup completely inoperable. Lovely. So why are there all these LP's floating around from the late 50s and 60s with toggle switches working wonderfully, but my two-year old Lifeson switch died (and had been on and off unreliable for months before)?

 

The answer likely lies in the thickness of the body and Gibson's choices to address that. All the old reliable LPs use USA-made Switchcraft toggle switches. They are great and very reliable. But they are also too tall to easily fit in the slimmer axcess platform LPs. Easily is the key word. Gibson chose to use less reliable import toggle switches that fit more easily in the Lifeson model.

 

After mine died, my trusty luthier recommended replacing the import switch with a Switchcraft toggle. But, to make it fit, a small amount of additional routing to the toggle switch cavity was required. It was not a significant enough amount of routing to effect the tone or structure. Even with the minor route, the switchcraft JUST made it into the cavity. There is no visual difference from the outside.

 

I know the collectors out there may cringe at these mods, but the AL LP is the best playing guitar I've ever known, and I plan to play it for many years. It will not be case candy or ebay material in waiting. Off the shelf,it is my belief that the AL is a problem waiting to happen, which is a shame for such an awesome and well-conceived model. But $100 of mods have given me comfort that I have a quiet and reliable Lifeson LP going forward. I just wanted to share this in case any of you have had or someday have similar issues with the toggle switch on your AL.

 

- Rock2112

[capmaster]

My Alex Lifeson Les Paul Axcess' toggle switch was shorted out from the factory, and they don't seem to have recognized it at Gibson Custom. The neck pickup was always switched on, and so I wasn't able to operate the bridge pickup only since turning down the neck pickup's volume control loads down the bridge pickup and finally shorts it out. The dealer knew about that the LP Axcess' toggle switches are different from the Switchcraft made, and they told me on the phone that they had none available.

 

So I disassembled the toggle switch - without unsoldering the wires attached to it! - and found out that one of the two plastic tubes around the two mounting screws was buckled and pinched. Then I tried to stretch it without tearing it apart at the spot where it was pinched since I didn't have any replacement for it. Finally it worked, and I was able to reassemble the toggle switch without a built-in short circuit, and with the wires still soldered to its contacts. Since that time short after the buy in February, 2013 it all works without problems.