software

Putting all of the Strats back to true single coil pups. This means one of them gets the stock pups back. Wired it all up nice and clean and damn it if the middle pup is pretty much dead. It worked enough to pass the screwdriver test before closing her up but almost no output at all while playing it. Shame too cause with the shielding the other pups actually sounded good.

I guess its just a sign I should get the Suhr V60 set my local hut just got in.........

I'm having the same damn problem with one of my strats right now. The middle is dead. I inspected the 5 way switch, and even bent the little tap to make it work, but it's useless. I think your problem may not be the pickup, but a bad 5 way, or an accidental short to ground.

Yeah, I'd wire the neck or bridge pickup to that contact...then see if you still get the muted output. I've blown lots of 5 ways by letting a little drop of solder drop down into the contacts, or just holding the iron there a little too long.

Mark


Originally Posted by GearjoneserI'm having the same damn problem with one of my strats right now. The middle is dead. I inspected the 5 way switch, and even bent the little tap to make it work, but it's useless. I think your problem may not be the pickup, but a bad 5 way, or an accidental short to ground.

Actually I was thinking about this last night and I may have something touching the shielding and partially grounding out that pup. Its without a doubt the cleanest wiring I have ever done or seen in a strat but the tabs on the switch sit very close to the wall of the cavity and could easlily be making contact somewhere. Considering that that I am gettting a different sounding hum from positions including the middle pup actually suggests a grounding issue as well since I am certain the wiring is correct.

I messed up the 5 way on my Ibz by overheating it, still haven't got a new one yet!


Originally Posted by rinse_masterI messed up the 5 way on my Ibz by overheating it, still haven't got a new one yet!

This is the old style switch. It would take a lot to damage it by overheating it. Those newer switches Ibanez and others use can be pretty touchy


Originally Posted by TheArchitectThis is the old style switch. It would take a lot to damage it by overheating it. Those newer switches Ibanez and others use can be pretty touchy

I usually put in new selector switches because the contacts on the old ones will get bent from soldering and desoldering... you might want to inspect the contacts with a magnifying glass to see what is going on, or just buy a new selector switch.

When I read this post last night, I didn't realize that there was an actual problem with the guitar- I thought that the middle pickup just sounded kinda dead...

gah, i hate 5 way switches when i have to wire them-its hard enough getting the connections right without trying not to toast the goddamn thing..

i think it's much easier when the switch is enclosed, there's no chance of dropping solder in by accident..