Sheraton selector switch

[irishdazzler]

Guy my Tobacco Sherry has decided to be a bugger and now my selector switch isnt picking up the bridge pick up in the middle position.

 

so two questions:

 

how easy is it to change? (tried looking for a youtube video - no joy)

 

what should i replace it with? (gibson one is better i guess?)

 

cheers

 

D

[Guest]

Dazzler

 

Go for a switchcraft I changed out the electrics on my Joe Pass this is what came out

 

total "shoiyte"

 

this is what I replaced it with specially made for me by David at Mojotone

 

Just look at the difference

 

That experience made me always want to change the electrics on my Epi's I have two assemblies on order at the minute from a guy in Canada...... for a good price

 

I used

for the JP but I came across BCS who are a about $15 cheaper, if you are good with a soldering iron...I am not you can buy the bits yourself and do the job....but if you are going to pull that assembly to fix the switch.....do the rest man...

[Noijj]

Hey Dazzler,

I would tend to agree with Joe, but, I think you can change the switch without doing the whole lot if you want, as it's the closest part to the f-hole and you may not have to pull it all out to fix it. Switchcraft switch. Les Paul straight style, as they are listed as. It's what Gibson use anyway but a Gibson part will cost you more! Go figure?

 

Joe, did you get a real improvmement in tone from the new harness? What I mean is, you know I did the same thing recently and I'm chuffed, but I changed the pickups at the same time so have no idea exactly how much the electrics enhanced the sound with/without the pickups (if that makes sense). I'm trying to get away with it on my new project because the pots feel and sound good. I'm a big 'Don't fix what ain't broken' advocate!

 

Noijj

[Guest]

Hey Dazzler' date='

I would tend to agree with Joe, but, I think you can change the switch without doing the whole lot if you want, as it's the closest part to the f-hole and you may not have to pull it all out to fix it. Switchcraft switch. Les Paul straight style, as they are listed as. It's what Gibson use anyway but a Gibson part will cost you more! Go figure?

 

Joe, did you get a real improvement in tone from the new harness? What I mean is, you know I did the same thing recently and I'm chuffed, but I changed the pickups at the same time so have no idea exactly how much the electrics enhanced the sound with/without the pickups (if that makes sense). I'm trying to get away with it on my new project because the pots feel and sound good. I'm a big 'Don't fix what ain't broken' advocate!

 

Noijj[/quote']

 

Hi Noijj when I bought my Joe Pass my first electric guitar all I know is that I was not happy. The switch worked when it wanted to, I could not get the tone controls to do anything that significantly affected how the guitar sounded, the pups were "dull" I did change everything at the same time. Assembly and pickups I chose the pickups based on this review

 

Product: Epiphone Joe Pass

 

Features : 9

As previously described by other reviewers, the JP Emperor II has the standard "Gibson" style layout of two humbucker pickups, two volume, two tone, three-way toggle above the fingerboard, trapeze tailpiece and height-adjustable "ebonized" bridge. Standard Epi tuners. The body is maple with, I believe, a spruce top. As far as I can tell, the top is solid, not laminated; The jury seems to be divided on this among reviewers (perhaps Epi changed their specs at some point in recent history). Maple set neck, with rosewood fingerboard and "pearloidized" bold inlays. Mine is finished natural. As for modifications, I replaced the stock humbuckers with a Seymour Duncan SH-2/SH-4 combination (a must if you want the full potential of this beauty to come out). Guitar was made in Korea by Samick.

 

Sound : 10

This guitar sounded much like I expected when I bought it; big tone, great jazz box for small stack-o-scratch. But listening to CD's by some noteable jazz guitar greats made me realize that it was missing something. Thanks to some of those reviewers before me, I decided to give the pickup switch a try. The Seymour Duncans that I installed opened up the tone on her more than I could even imagine. Then stringing her up with Thomastik-Infield Jazz Swings took her right over the top! I play primarily a jazz/bop/blues variety plus contemporary Christian music on this particular guitar and, even after having her a year, she still can give me goose bumps. My main rig for this guitar is generally straight into a Fender Hot Rod Deluxe; Though she sounds great through my (noisy) Tubeworks Tube Driver Combo, too.

 

Action, Fit, & Finish : 9

Since I bought this model used, I must assume that the previous owner was responsible for the reasonably good set up that I received her in. I'm a fanatical tweaker on guitars and spent only about two minutes to get her where I wanted her. As for action, this guitar has the beefier profile Gibsonish neck. I had grown accustomed (read: spoiled) by the "fast" necks of my other guitars, so this one took a little getting used to for me. It wasn't long however before it became my favorite neck to play. Between the comfortable neck and the smooth TI strings, nothing feels as inviting to play. I'll pull a digit off the rating for the fret edges being a little catchy (only bothers me when I wipe down the fingerboard after every session with one of my beautiful daughter's old cloth diapers). The finish is gloss poly and looks fine anywhere the guitar hasn't been dinged.

 

Reliability/Durability : 10

As an archtop, she should probably be babied like any other big blonde. But she seems extremely robust. Even temp and humidity changes don't seem to affect her as much as my solid bodies! As for electronics, as long as you keep 'em clean and have good solder connections, there is not much reason to worry. Some have quibbled about the tuners on these; I've experienced no problem there. She stays in tune beautifully, though I still retune her constantly out of habit. If I'm gigging for $, I'll always have backup for any guitar. Other wise, Epi in one hand, Hot Rod in the other, and don't forget the Monster Cable.

 

Customer Support : 10

Queried them via email about replacing the pots with Gibson and they responded within 24 hrs. Otherwise haven't needed their support.

 

Overall Rating : 10

I began playing guitar around 1968, in bands around 1971, quit entirely in 1978, started again in 2000 and never looked back. I've always played rock, more recently jazz, blues, cont. Christian, but mainly love jazz variations and am constantly learning. Love to write original material. I also play a Godin Radiator (great guitar for the bucks) and a Strat copy loaded with Fender Lace pups and a Floyd. Previously played Fender Stratocaster and Electra Les Paul copy. Currently running through said Hot Rod Deluxe (through a Red Box Pro into soundboard where applicable. Get one.) or Tubeworks TD-752. Use some effects with other guitars but not with the JP. If I lost it, I would try several others and perhaps move up if finances allowed, but I think for under $500 used, I'd be hard pressed to beat it; maybe one of Samick's other models, who knows? Right now, I can sit for hours playing this guitar and never tire of it's beautiful sound feel and ever appearance. Guess that makes me a lucky guitarist.

 

The difference in the volume and tone controls is substantial before I changed the electrics nothing seem to happen with the tone controls until the last quarter of the travel of the knob, I love the SD JB Bridge pup but to truthful I have never been over impressed with the SD Jazz neck. I love blues and what I learned is that I should have chosen pups with more of a bark and bite, guttsier especially in the neck position, I am hoping the Mean 90's will deliver that. I am going to try the SD's in a Samick SG which due to the weather, I am still waiting to pick up. Extreme weather over the last few days -31C today....... I have a feeling when the Mean 90's are in the Joe Pass and the SD's are in the SG I will be content with those two guitars.The SG is mint and I landed it for £90......

 

I want my guitars to be all they can be....to "not be broken" is not good enough for me

 

here is a Gibson assembly

 

 

here is what came out of my Joe Pass

 

 

a new high quality assembly that nears that Gibson model I can buy for £50 ready to drop in. That is an essential mod for me, IMHO when I pick the guitar up I want to know it has a electrical assembly of a top quality guitar, not a budget guitar.

 

The total outlay on my JP, which I bought at a good price second hand (beautiful '97 Samick) with the new assembly and SD pups is still not the price of a new MIC JP here in Sweden.

[irishdazzler]

Thanks Guys,

 

im off to see the guitar tech today and get the work priced up....... the last thing i want i me close to my lovely guitar with a roasting hot soldering iron!

 

cheers for the advice. I quite like the idea of swapping out the complete loom

 

D

[Noijj]

You have a point Joe. There is a clear quality difference in the electrics which has to make some tonal difference or at the very least a reliability difference in the long run.

 

I may as well do the whole bang shoot. The ready made harness looks good though. Has to be easier. I'll research Mojo etc.

 

My P90's arrived this morning so here I go again!!