Kaiser Bill Posted May 2, 2016 Share Posted May 2, 2016 Greetings fellow Eppy owners. I've had my Joe Pass about 9 years, and I can't keep a selector switch in it. Its a Korean made guitar, but I've replaced the switch twice now with upgraded (Stew Mac) parts. I just put a new switch in it...wired it EXACTLY like it was, and I have the neck pup and the combo of the neck and bridge pup. HOWEVER the bridge pup by itself does NOTHING. I'm open for any ideas or cures to this problem. Thanks for all your help in advance. I'm about at my wits end. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kidblast Posted May 2, 2016 Share Posted May 2, 2016 I wonder if the mounting ring / washer is too tight,? what happens if you press down on the bridge position, or, flip the toggle switch back and fort about a half dozen times? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kaiser Bill Posted May 4, 2016 Author Share Posted May 4, 2016 Nothing happens at all... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SG player Posted May 6, 2016 Share Posted May 6, 2016 Remove this poor chinese switch and install a real Switchcraft : Les Paul Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kaiser Bill Posted May 7, 2016 Author Share Posted May 7, 2016 Thanks for the pic. This looks nothing like what is in the guitar...plus I wouldn't begin to know where to find one of these IF it even fit in my guitar. I appreciate your suggestion tho. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
capmaster Posted May 7, 2016 Share Posted May 7, 2016 What happens if you select the middle position with all the pots cranked up and turn back the neck pickup a bit? The bridge pickup level should remain as is until it's shorted out by turning the neck volume down to zero. Otherwise there could be a problem with either bridge pickup, its volume pot, or its wiring. Using a guitar cable connected to the guitar and an ohmmeter, with the bridge pickup selected and its volume pot fully up, the reading should be slightly lower than the pickup's DC resistance, i. e. probably around 8 kOhms. In case it reads around the pot's value, probably 300 kOhms or 500 kOhms, and decreases when the pot is turned back, the pot should be OK. The problem would be either wiring or the pickup itself. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kaiser Bill Posted May 8, 2016 Author Share Posted May 8, 2016 I don't have an Ohm meter...nor access to one, but thanks for all the info and suggestions. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johnny 6 String Posted May 8, 2016 Share Posted May 8, 2016 Greetings fellow Eppy owners. I've had my Joe Pass about 9 years, and I can't keep a selector switch in it. Its a Korean made guitar, but I've replaced the switch twice now with upgraded (Stew Mac) parts. I just put a new switch in it...wired it EXACTLY like it was, and I have the neck pup and the combo of the neck and bridge pup. HOWEVER the bridge pup by itself does NOTHING. I'm open for any ideas or cures to this problem. Thanks for all your help in advance. I'm about at my wits end. When you say you cant keep a switch in it, what do you mean? have there been previous times you've replaced the switch and it worked for awhile, died was replaced, worked for awhile, died, etc? Or is it more like it died and no matter what you do, how many switches you put in you cant get it back to life properly? Is it always the same with the bridge pup either dead or just buzz? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kaiser Bill Posted May 8, 2016 Author Share Posted May 8, 2016 They don't last long at all, and its always trouble with the rear pup. Never a buzz until now. They worked great for a short period. I would imagine a switch should last 15-20 years. I was lucky to get 5 years out of the first. less than four from the second, and now the new one doesn't work at all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johnny 6 String Posted May 8, 2016 Share Posted May 8, 2016 They don't last long at all, and its always trouble with the rear pup. Never a buzz until now. They worked great for a short period. I would imagine a switch should last 15-20 years. I was lucky to get 5 years out of the first. less than four from the second, and now the new one doesn't work at all. Ok, cool, I was just trying to do a little trouble shooting. Since it has worked properly before on multiple occasions and you dont need to touch the pup or pot to put in a switch no reason for them to have failed from this install. I would suggest making sure that the end of the switch is making contact with the little metal tab when in the bridge position (I know shouldnt be an issue with a new switch, but I did have this issue on a switch with a brand new at the time SG400). Only other things I can think to suggest is to re flow your solder and make sure the ground wire isnt some how making contact with the bridge hot some how. If these dont work only thing I can think of is a new switch (I've used the Stew Mac ones before with out issue), which is annoying since you just bought one. Hope that helps. Johnny Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dennis G Posted May 9, 2016 Share Posted May 9, 2016 I've been following this, hoping to learn something, but I think the only thing I think i've learned are two words "Guitar Tech". (And show me wft you did so I know for the future.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kaiser Bill Posted May 10, 2016 Author Share Posted May 10, 2016 I've written to StewMac explaining my problem. I doubt they will offer a solution, but at least I tried. I'll keep you all posted..if and when I get a reply or satisfaction. Again, I seriously doubt they will do anything. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LPS1976 Posted May 10, 2016 Share Posted May 10, 2016 in the meantime; why not just buy a Switchcraft like the one pictured above? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stein Posted May 10, 2016 Share Posted May 10, 2016 So is the Stew-Mac switch a Switchcraft made one or something else? Personally, while everyone may imply the switchcraft will last forever, I don't think that is always true. I have replaced plenty of Switchcraft switches. As far as quality, still the best I know of. Sometimes they do last forever, sometimes they don't, but given how often they fail, it doesn't make sense to not go for the best you can get your hands on, not when the most you could be saving is about 10 bucks. 4 or 5 years on a switch can be pretty common depending Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kaiser Bill Posted May 10, 2016 Author Share Posted May 10, 2016 I just received an email from StewMac, and they are sending a replacement switch NO CHARGE. I am impressed. Hopefully it will fix the problem. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jmendoza Posted May 10, 2016 Share Posted May 10, 2016 The Stew-Mac selector switches I have purchased for my Gibsons were Switchcraft brand. The problem you are describing is most likely not just the switch, but you have a bad connection or wire, pickup, or pot. What is most likely happening is that whenever you remove the switch to replace it, it pulls on the wiring, which either cures, or aggravates the bad connection, so it either starts working, or manifests yet another problem, exactly as you have described. You could try reaching into the f-hole and moving the wires around with the selector switch in the 'bad' position and see if that makes it work again. If so, you have a bad connection somewhere in the wiring. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guitarsnharleys Posted May 10, 2016 Share Posted May 10, 2016 I'm having a similar issue after installing a JP "drop in" harness, but I have neck and bridge independently, but only bridge in middle position. Can't check the connections on the pots because they're coated with blue plastic. Gonna try a jumper on the switch later to see what that does. Anyone here know what else could make that happen besides the switch? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guitarsnharleys Posted May 10, 2016 Share Posted May 10, 2016 Nevermind, it was the switch. Bent the inside plate closer to the neck... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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