NYC_Dweller Posted September 12, 2017 Share Posted September 12, 2017 I recently bought my first electric guitar. I have played an acoustic fender dread for about a year and a half. I have no experience with the electronics of guitars but I am trying to learn. I want to fix this problem myself, and hence learn enough about my guitar to set it up/mod it/fix it properly myself but need some help doing so. I am a graduate student so cost is a factor (I’d like to do this all on the cheap) I bought the guitar off craigslist for $150. I believe it is a 2007 Epiphone Les Paul Custom, Black Beauty Edition. I do not know if the electronics are stock but the prior owner said they were. TLDR: The guitar has 3 pickups. The rhythm switch of the 3 way switch does not have any output. I do not know which pickup is turned on from each position on the switch-whether the middle is wired to be all 3 pickups or the middle is incorporated in the up or down switch (I know the neck pickup is the rhythm switch on a traditional 2 pickup setup). I want to fix this and am willing to buy new pickups but don’t want to invest that type of money if this is an easier fix. How do i diagnose whether this is an issue with the pickup, or wiring or switch? Also any opinion as to upgrading the pickups? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flyingarmadillo Posted September 12, 2017 Share Posted September 12, 2017 I recently bought my first electric guitar. I have played an acoustic fender dread for about a year and a half. I have no experience with the electronics of guitars but I am trying to learn. I want to fix this problem myself, and hence learn enough about my guitar to set it up/mod it/fix it properly myself but need some help doing so. I am a graduate student so cost is a factor (I'd like to do this all on the cheap) I bought the guitar off craigslist for $150. I believe it is a 2007 Epiphone Les Paul Custom, Black Beauty Edition. I do not know if the electronics are stock but the prior owner said they were. TLDR: The guitar has 3 pickups. The rhythm switch of the 3 way switch does not have any output. I do not know which pickup is turned on from each position on the switch-whether the middle is wired to be all 3 pickups or the middle is incorporated in the up or down switch (I know the neck pickup is the rhythm switch on a traditional 2 pickup setup). I want to fix this and am willing to buy new pickups but don't want to invest that type of money if this is an easier fix. How do i diagnose whether this is an issue with the pickup, or wiring or switch? Also any opinion as to upgrading the pickups? Flip the guitar over, take the switch cover off of the back and shoot some contact cleaner into the switch while cycling it. Look for lose wires while you're doing this. I had constant problems with the switch in my Casino until I replaced it with a Switchcraft switch. You can usually find CRC contact cleaner at WalMart. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sparquelito Posted September 12, 2017 Share Posted September 12, 2017 Flip the guitar over, take the switch cover off of the back and shoot some contact cleaner into the switch while cycling it. Look for lose wires while you're doing this. I had constant problems with the switch in my Casino until I replaced it with a Switchcraft switch. You can usually find CRC contact cleaner at WalMart. Exactly the advice that I would have given. Spot-on! PS I'm a fan of the contact cleaner/lubricant known as DeOxit. It's at Lowes and Walmart, usually. Good stuff!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parabar Posted September 12, 2017 Share Posted September 12, 2017 Most Gibson/Epiphone 3 pickup guitars --- Firebirds, Lesters, SG Customs --- are wired such that the pickup selector gives you a choice of 1) neck and middle, 2) all three, or 3) middle and bridge. Each pickup has its own volume control, with the fourth knob as a master tone. This configuration allows you to blend the three pickups in virtually any combination. If you want neck only, use the first selector position and dial the middle pickup volume down to zero, etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parabar Posted September 12, 2017 Share Posted September 12, 2017 !#$%*$%^ stupid double post Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johnny 6 String Posted September 12, 2017 Share Posted September 12, 2017 I recently bought my first electric guitar. I have played an acoustic fender dread for about a year and a half. I have no experience with the electronics of guitars but I am trying to learn. I want to fix this problem myself, and hence learn enough about my guitar to set it up/mod it/fix it properly myself but need some help doing so. I am a graduate student so cost is a factor (I’d like to do this all on the cheap) I bought the guitar off craigslist for $150. I believe it is a 2007 Epiphone Les Paul Custom, Black Beauty Edition. I do not know if the electronics are stock but the prior owner said they were. TLDR: The guitar has 3 pickups. The rhythm switch of the 3 way switch does not have any output. I do not know which pickup is turned on from each position on the switch-whether the middle is wired to be all 3 pickups or the middle is incorporated in the up or down switch (I know the neck pickup is the rhythm switch on a traditional 2 pickup setup). I want to fix this and am willing to buy new pickups but don’t want to invest that type of money if this is an easier fix. How do i diagnose whether this is an issue with the pickup, or wiring or switch? Also any opinion as to upgrading the pickups? I have the same LPC, rhythm is neck only (make sure neck volume is up), middle is middle and bridge and treble is bridge only. I have a 3 pup SG which is wired differently, rhythm is neck and mid, middle is all three and treble is mid and bridge. Not sure which way you LPC is wired (mine are both factory wired). IF it's wired same as the SG and one of the pick up volumes (3 volumes master tone) is at 0 you may get no sound. If all this is good, like the others have mentioned contact cleaner in the back of the switch while working it should clean it up. Lastly the metal contact maybe bend out of position slightly and the switch may not be making contact in that position (I've had to bend one in before on one of my Epi's). If all this fails time for a new switch ( I doubt the pick up is dead ). Before you go replacing the pups I'd recommend just getting it working and playing with the different volume levels and tone between the pups. As mentioned I have 2, 3 pup Customs and find that there is a ton of different sounds available as is. I LOVE these guitars. Hope that helps. Johnny Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dennis G Posted September 12, 2017 Share Posted September 12, 2017 All good advice above. I would add, and don't ask how I know this, but when leaving your guitar for whatever length of time, leave the p/u selector switch in the "neutral" position. Otherwise it may/may not develop a tendencey to "lean" if you will, to one side or the other, resulting in some maybe not so good of a connection on the "other" side. That, or I'm full of, well, you know... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johnny 6 String Posted September 13, 2017 Share Posted September 13, 2017 All good advice above. I would add, and don't ask how I know this, but when leaving your guitar for whatever length of time, leave the p/u selector switch in the "neutral" position. Otherwise it may/may not develop a tendencey to "lean" if you will, to one side or the other, resulting in some maybe not so good of a connection on the "other" side. That, or I'm full of, well, you know... Ha! Yup, pretty certain that's why I needed to bend the contact in my switch. All Gibson type switches stay in the middle when not being played at my house now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.