Strange pickup problem

  • Thread starter Thread starter ido1957
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ido1957

ido1957

9K Gold Member
MIA Strat with 5 way switch....
Haven't taken the Strat pickguard off yet to see how the wires look but thought I'd post this to see if anyone ever had a similar issue.
Neck pickup cut out with the switch in neck position. But you could hear the neck pickup in the neck + middle position. Now the weird part. I tapped the metal part of a Bic lighter on the pole piece of the neck pickup and it came back on in the neck position. It cuts out still intermittently but I can get it to work if I tap the pole piece. So is it the switch or is it the pickup?
 
ido1957 said:
I'm pretty sure you're right - it's just weird how I can make it come back on by tapping the pole.
Click to expand...

It's not really that weird when you consider how much a guitar resonates if you tap on it.
 
Hey Gerry, I would start checking out this switch problem by getting some contact cleaner and spraying in through the switch slot in the pickguard. Be very careful and put towels or clean rags down so that the contact cleaner doesn't damage the pickguard or the finish on the guitar. Work the 5 position switch and if you are lucky, it will clean out whatever was causing the intermittent connection and you will be rocking in the neck position again.

If not it will be time for a switch replacement, mark the wires and draw a diagram of the wires and try to change them slowly and be thorough and it will work out fine.
--Tony
 
It's my friend's Strat so I'll pass along the suggestion. He's an electronic tech journeyman but he may feel better taking it to a luthier. We have a good one at the local guitar shop. :-)
 
The bad place in electronics is the connection. Check wire connections first and then the switch itself
 
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