Electric Guitar Dilemma

[Erockrazor]

Okay I have modded both of my Squier stratocasters. Yes yes , theyre squiers, woopdydoo. I put new pickups on and both of them work .... sort of. But thats not really the problem.

The problem is that both of them will stop picking up signal but if I wiggle and play with the volume pot or the pickup selector, it will start working again. The wiring seems right to me as I can't see anything visually incorrect and for the time it does work, it works as its supposed to. Can anyone directly identify my problem and lead me in a direction towards fixing it. Im playing a show soon and I want to have a dependable guitar for the stage and now both of my squiers are konkin out on me.

Any help is greatly appreciated. Hopefully its a problem I can take care of myself.


P.S. I didnt buy both squiers. Bought one , inherited the other.


Thanks, Erockrazor

 

[32-20-Blues]

Cold solder joints?

 

[Erockrazor]

Cold solder joints?

Dont mean to bust your chops but could you elaborate please.

(I would not be surprised if it were to less than novice soldering )

 

[Anfontan]

I suggest that you get a solder sucker or solder wick and redo all the solder connections. The fact it works intermittently shows that the solder connections are not adequate and a redo of it all will make the guitars dependable!

 

[Erockrazor]

I suggest that you get a solder sucker or solder wick and redo all the solder connections. The fact it works intermittently shows that the solder connections are not adequate and a redo of it all will make the guitars dependable!

This is the best news I've heard all day! Thanks guys. I just read up a little on solder joints and I'm gonna keep redoing them the best I can until its workin like butta.

Thanks so Much , Erockrazor

 

[Anfontan]

This is the best news I've heard all day! Thanks guys. I just read up a little on solder joints and I'm gonna keep redoing them the best I can until its workin like butta.

Thanks so Much , Erockrazor

No problem-and try to get especially good solder connections to that switch-the Squire switch is probably a lower quality one anyway.

 

[ez_willis]

You might have gotten one of the pots too hot and fried the inside.

Or it's a loose solder joint.

 

[Flangerhans]

While you've got the thing desoldered, you may well consider getting a new switch and pots. The chinese make a pretty decent body and neck, but their electronics are bargain basement. I personally like the pickups that come stock in the affinity Tele, but your mileage may vary, they are somewhat microphonic.

 

[Erockrazor]

You might have gotten one of the pots too hot and fried the inside.

I'm starting to think that may very well be the problem. Troubleshooting my guitars is so exhausting. I can be doing it for hours and get absolutely nowhere.

 

[saint_berzerker]

Yeah, I betcha it's the POT itself...not the solder joints. If you resolder and you get the same thing...change the POT.

I've had the same thing on my Jackson for 4 years (lazy ass), and I just recently resoldered the connections, but if I bump my vol knob, it goes out....so I need a new POT.

The tracks on the inside of the POT get corroded, or the brushes inside just wear down.

 

[Light]

Without seeing it, no, no one can tell you exactly what is wrong. Sorry, but that's the way it works, and that is the way it always has and always will work.


That being said, I'd probably just replace the pots, switch and ESPECIALLY the jack. (The jacks in the low end Fender brands are just the worst.) All the things mentioned so far are real possibilities, and it could possibly be a bad (or damaged) pickup (unlikely, but possible), or if you shielded it, a hot wire could be touching the shielding somewhere.


Light

"Cowards can never be moral."
M.K. Gandhi

 

[Dani Pace]

I had a Washburn with a very similar sounding problem. I cleaned the switch (almost any spray tuner cleaner will work) and this helped for a while. Eventually I had to change the switch and the problem was solved. I have to agree with Light, the jacks on low end Fenders are terrable (especialy on Squires) and the switches are pretty flimsy. The good thing is that they are easy to replace if you are at all handy with a soldering iron.