3-way switch issue

[jimmychuck]

I have a new SG Faded and pulled the board and 490's out and put in pots and 57/57+. I bought a set of pots and 3-way pre-wired that were pulled out of a 2007 SG. I had the technician at my local Guitar center do the soldering and add a new output jack. Seems to work well. There is sound and seems to change with the switch settings moved. There is a problem with the middle setting. I realized that there is only sound coming through the 57 in the Neck. I click on the pickups with a pick and can hear a tap from the Neck, but not the Bridge 57+. It does sound a click in the Bridge when the switch is down to the bridge only. Also, With the switch in the center... if you turn either of the volumes to 0 (zero), there will be now sound. Example: Lower on 0 and upper on 5, no sound. Lower on 5 and upper on 0, no sound. Both on 5 there is sound. As I said with switch in middle, there is only sound coming from the Neck. If I flip switch up to top from center while a string is sustaining, the sound is the same, except it is louder.

 

I have checked the wiring to diagrams I have seen. One difference is there is a ground coming from the output jack to the lower tone pot. The wiring for the output from the 3-way to the Output jack is sheathed in rubber and not soldered to the tone pots.

 

Any ideas here?

[Twiz]

...I had the technician at my local Guitar center do the soldering and add a new output jack.

 

Not trying to sound like a jerk here, but I bet this was the cause of the problem. I'd definitely take it to a luthier/qualified tech outside of Guitar Center and have them check it out. If GC is your only option where you live, take it back and have the tech try again. Something is not wired right.

[cjsinla]

I have a new SG Faded and pulled the board and 490's out and put in pots and 57/57+. I bought a set of pots and 3-way pre-wired that were pulled out of a 2007 SG. I had the technician at my local Guitar center do the soldering and add a new output jack. Seems to work well. There is sound and seems to change with the switch settings moved. There is a problem with the middle setting. I realized that there is only sound coming through the 57 in the Neck. I click on the pickups with a pick and can hear a tap from the Neck, but not the Bridge 57+. It does sound a click in the Bridge when the switch is down to the bridge only. Also, With the switch in the center... if you turn either of the volumes to 0 (zero), there will be now sound. Example: Lower on 0 and upper on 5, no sound. Lower on 5 and upper on 0, no sound. Both on 5 there is sound. As I said with switch in middle, there is only sound coming from the Neck. If I flip switch up to top from center while a string is sustaining, the sound is the same, except it is louder.

 

I have checked the wiring to diagrams I have seen. One difference is there is a ground coming from the output jack to the lower tone pot. The wiring for the output from the 3-way to the Output jack is sheathed in rubber and not soldered to the tone pots.

 

Any ideas here?

 

In the middle position on a stock SG or Les Paul, if you turn one of the volumes to "0", you will not hear anything. As to your original problem, it sounds as if your switch was not wired right or is defective. You might look at the switch and see that it looks like it's making the right contact in the middle position.

 

I don't believe that the ground to the output is the problem as it is possible to do that many ways. Look at this picture, everything is grounded to that metal plate including the pots and the ground to the output.