Problem with my Les Paul Studio Deluxe 2010. ( Pickup stop working sometimes )

[Felipe Goffi]

Hi, first im gonna apologize for my english, im from brazil, and bought my Gibson Les Paul Studio Deluxe 2010 in October in Guitar Center Orlando. So i came back to brazil, and the customs stopped me and said that i must pay taxes. The total of the taxes was R$1.160,00 ( Reais ) , converted to dollar is $625,00. O o. The guitar stayed in custom for about 3 weeks, so i payed then they sent to my house.

 

The guitar never had problems. But in 10/12, when i was playing in a show ( i have a Pearl Jam Cover Band ), in the first song ( corduroy ), my guitar stopped working, and the sound started to come, and then go out again ( like a 2s interval this happened ), for about 15seconds, then the guitar sound came back just in time, in the solo... hahahaha.

 

I thought that was a problem with my pedal, or cable, or amplifier. But in thursday, when i changed my strings ( elixir strings ), i plugged in Pod Express, and the TREBLE pickup was not working, i could hear just a background sound ( and the controls didn't work, but i could control the volume and the tone by the RYTHYM controls. Strange ! ). I took my guitar to a store, then the seller was insane because i took my gibson to the store ( In brazil, this guitar is like a ferrari., A guitar like mine costs R$15.000,00, or $9.000,00 Dollars. And i payed $1.500.), anyway, so he openned the back screws, and told me that could be Dirt, or some thing that would interfere in the contact of the Pickup Switch. He told me to spray a contact cleaner, so i did. But in Saturday, when i grabbed my guitar when i enterred the stage, just a backuground sound was coming from my guitar, and after 10s, it came back the sound, and not gave more any problems during the entire show. ( the people didn't even noticed that the problem ocurred, neither the people of my band... ). ( because we was not playing yet, just preparing. )

 

My worry, is because we will play in a huge place in my city, the best certainly, and my guitar cannot give ANY PROBLEMS!.

 

I want to know if someone had the same problem, or someone knows wich problem is.

 

But this problem occours just sometimes, frequently when i change the strings ( don't have idea why. ).

 

I dont think that is the Pickup Switch, because and the problem occours, even if the TREBLE pickup stop working, you can hear a background sound, wich can be controled by the RYTHYM controls ( Extremely strange, because the switch turn's off the RYTHYM PICKUP )...

 

HELP ME!!!!

 

Sorry for my english.

 

And 100% that is the guitar, because when it started to did this, i tried to change the cable and plugged in my Peavey Bandit amplifier, and continued. ( after 10-30s the guitar sound comes to normal ), sometimes is BOTH PICKUPS, sometimes is just the treble one. )

 

Felipe Goffi.

[Dr. Gonzo]

The most likely cause is a bad solder joint, probably where the bridge pickup connects to the volume pot, or at the pickup switch. You don't know what conditions it was kept in at Customs, and severe weather conditions can effect the electronics. If you're confident with soldering, simply remove the old solder, then re-solder those connections. This has taken care of 90% of the problems I've ever had with electronics.

You could try the contact cleaner on the volume and tone pots as well. That may just do the trick without having to break out the soldering iron. Just remember that most of these problems have very simple fixes, so no need to panic! A little patience and basic trouble-shooting skills should get you back up and wailing in no time.

Good luck to you!

[Felipe Goffi]

The most likely cause is a bad solder joint, probably where the bridge pickup connects to the volume pot, or at the pickup switch. You don't know what conditions it was kept in at Customs, and severe weather conditions can effect the electronics. If you're confident with soldering, simply remove the old solder, then re-solder those connections. This has taken care of 90% of the problems I've ever had with electronics.

You could try the contact cleaner on the volume and tone pots as well. That may just do the trick without having to break out the soldering iron. Just remember that most of these problems have very simple fixes, so no need to panic! A little patience and basic trouble-shooting skills should get you back up and wailing in no time.

Good luck to you!

 

Thank you Dr.Gonzo. I will try to take the guitar to a Guitar luthier to see if he can solve the problem. I know how to solder, but im not gonna risky it on my gibson.

 

I appreciate your help!

[charlie brown]

Had that same problem, recently, and it was just dirt in the switch.

Had it blown out (canned air) and used contact cleaner...and it's been

flawless, ever since. Sometimes the switches themselves go bad, but

even that's an easy fix. Good luck!

 

CB

[Dr. Gonzo]

Amazing how often that happens, isn't it? Same thing was wreaking havoc with my motorcycle last summer, dirt in the starter button. Wouldn't start, or would start but then shut down suddenly. Dang near killed me! At least with guitars it's not (usually) life and death!

[Andre S]

Thank you Dr.Gonzo. I will try to take the guitar to a Guitar luthier to see if he can solve the problem. I know how to solder, but im not gonna risky it on my gibson.

 

I appreciate your help!

 

Eh I learnt how to solder on my only Gibson....