Intermittent bridge pickup problem

Have you sprayed the 3-way selector switch with contact cleaner or light oil (while protecting your paint or lacquer)? Looking for viability in the down position.

Often, this will do the trick. Otherwise, these toggles sometimes have spun around and need to be straightened, taking tension off the leads.

You can check this by removing the back or rear access cover and looking at the hook ups to the switch. Do not touch while plugged in. :?

Oh, and if the problem persists, you might want to look at the volume control for the bridge pickup, before condemning the switch. :wink:

That sounds very similar to what was happening to mine...

Mine ended up being a loose solder on one of the switches...

I figured that out by opening up the back, and one by one wiggling each of the wires while picking a string. I eventually found the wire that was causing it to cut in and out and once re-soldered, all was good again.

By the way... why do you have to keep fixing the input jack wires? I hope you aren't tightening the nut from the outside without holding the jack on the inside (and therefore twisting the wires).

it sounds like a flaky switch once again. the LP type three-ways can be very finicky. if slightly bent upon installation (v easily done) or dirty, they go intermittent. I usually ID the switch as the problem by flicking it back and forth many times, while lightly strumming or picking. of course the other thing to check the pup wires soldering integrity.

The exact same thing is happening to me. I have a Jackson JS30DKT. I just noticed tonight that the bridge pickup is putting out almost no volume. Yet I get plenty of volume with the selector switch in the middle position and neck pickup position. My input jack loosens, and I've just given it a finger twist to slightly tighten. I'm learning that's bad. :roll: I'll use the tips here.

Edit:

I took the back plates off and blew out dust. Nothing is broken off. All the connections look to be soldered solidly, including the wire to the input jack. I gave that a proper tightening. Sooo, I guess I just need a new switch too. Not an emergency, because I usually keep the switch in the middle position. It'll just be an annoyance for the time I'm without the guitar.

Edit:

OK, I went to the guitar shop. I got a can of electronics cleaner. It's called Electro- something or other. Small white can, blue lettering, red squirt extension.

I opened the back of the guitar, sprayed everything good and proper per directions. Still no sound, or at least very little sound from bridge pickup unless I crank up the volume. But then if I use the middle position, the walls shake.

The guy in the shop told me it's a very common problem with any guitar make. It could be the switch or the pickup itself. One or the other or both will have to be replaced.

So, off to the repair shop when I get a chance. I'm not savvy enough to do this.

Just an update for anyone experiencing the same problem, or who's interested...

I got my guitar back last night. It was definitely the bridge pick up. The tech called and told me the old one was a standard that Jackson uses. He asked if I wanted the same one or a better DiMarzio. I said go for the DiMarzio. He replaced the 3-way switch also. Total of $90+. He said I could replace the neck pick up later on if I wanted to, but for now it's fine.

But what a sound difference! DiMarzio gives you 30 days to play and decide if you want to keep the pick up or switch it out for another with a different sound. I don't know enough to be able to judge. I was just blown away by the volume and tone.

For testing pickups themselves, I had done an ohm reading in the past; Somewhere in the range of 7K - 18K seems to be the norm, if my memory serves me. If you google, there is info. on the web about it. I've also seen a guy take a length of zip cord & put a 1/4" jack on one end & alligator clips on the other.

Course, this will test the entire circuit, you can go through all the switch positions. I guess if the result of all is close readings, you are in good shape. I haven't done a lot of this, as I have never really had much pickup trouble. But it would be helpful in determining if the p'up has a short or very high resistance, indicating a bad one.

I wonder if one would go about measuring active pickups via. the same method...I guess the batt. would need to be connected to complete the circuit - I see the EMG 89 is listed at 10Kohms...

I think you should buy a new guitar.

You really don't need to, but right now you have an excuse. :wink: Once you fix this problem, the guitar-buying excuse goes away. So buy a new guitar, then fix this one. Simples. 8)

I think you should buy a new guitar.

...

Once you fix this problem, the guitar-buying excuse goes away. So buy a new guitar, then fix this one. Simples. 8)

I like the way you think. :mrgreen:

I wonder how CommanderFun is doing with the De Armond? Still one post only at this point. Pretty cool that some are still willing to dicuss the problem, and talk about solutions. 8)