sudden loss of bridge pickup

[lpplayer]

I have a Epi 59 Les Paul Standard.

 

Just after I was trying out a guitar processor, I switched to playing direct into the amp. I noticed then that my bridge pickup has almost no output/volume at all. Checked another cord and another guitar, and everything worked fine. The switch works for neck and middle, but in the bridge position there is almost no output.

 

Had the guitar since the beginning of November and no problems. Can anyone give some advice or venture a guess to what happened?

[Dave]

Since the switch works for the neck and the middle (both on), the switch is probably OK, since the middle position contacts both outside lugs and turns on both pickups. That said, if the bridge pickup works in the middle position, the wiring to the bridge pickup would seem OK. I wonder, though, if the middle position is not exactly up to snuff anyway. You might be hearing the single coil bridge sound combined with the neck pickup. Both pickups are wired with in series with the center taps connected together. A thin sound might mean that the common leads on the bridge pickup are not connected, which gives you a single coil, very weak sound. There's also a chance that a connection has become grounded.

 

Here's a standard 2 humbucker 2 volume 2 tone and 3 way switch diagram to go by.

 

http://www.seymourduncan.com/support/wiring-diagrams/schematics.php?schematic=2h_2v_2t_3w

[carverman]

I have a Epi 59 Les Paul Standard.

 

Just after I was trying out a guitar processor' date=' I switched to playing direct into the amp. I noticed then that my bridge pickup has almost no output/volume at all. Checked another cord and another guitar, and everything worked fine. The switch works for neck and middle, but in the bridge position there is almost no output.

 

Had the guitar since the beginning of November and no problems. Can anyone give some advice or venture a guess to what happened? [/quote']

 

Here's a simple test. Put the switch in the middle positon and tap both pickups with

the volume open. If both pickups respond in equally in volume..it's not the switch.

If the only the neck p_up responds and the bridge is weak..it's the switch.

 

Highly unlikely it is the wiring or the pots unless the pot has managed to come

loose and twisted itself around. Magnetic pickups don't die like that...it's usually

a connection problem.

[jcwillow777]

If you bought it new take it back where you bought it and let them fix it for you, free. It's got a warrantee. That is, if you bought it new. If you bought it new online, take the receipt to an authorized Epi dealer and have their tech fix it.

[lpplayer]

Thanks all for the replies.

 

I'm not sure its the switch- it seems a pickup wiring issue- at any rate, I am taking it back to the dealer. Thanks again.

[Guest icantbuyafender]

Chances are the wire isnt making good contact with the volume pot leg. I usually just smack my knee into the back of the guitar while playing and that causes the wiring to jolt around, oddly enough. So maybe it got a good jolting and the wire moved.

 

Doing the tap test is a good way to check.

 

when switch is in the middle you hear volume, but chances are its not as loud as the neck position.

 

put the switch in the middle and see if you can hear anything with the bridge volume closed at 0. If the wiring is fine, it should silence the guitar.