Problems with bridge-on switch

[Diamond Geezer]

I recently installed a bridge-on switch in my stratocaster as per the instructions on the main page. I'm having a problem which is kind of difficult to describe. It's basically like this:

-The push-pull operates as it's supposed to.
-All the other pickups and electronics and functioning perfectly.

Here's the problem: With the bridge pickup selected and the push-pull in the off position, I get virtually no output from the pickup. However, the pickup will start to respond normally if jarred slightly. I've checked all the connections and everything seems to be fine. I'm not quite sure what to do next. Is this a commonly reported problem?

[flateric]

Strange one, that sounds like a loose connection somewhere. I would advise disconnecting the wiring and resoldering as the first step.

[JohnH]

With the push-pull to 'on', then you get the bridge sounding right? If so thats good, at least the pup is OK.

As flateric says, probably a loose connection (ie something not connecting that should be) , or else something intermitently shorting out (eg, conecting to ground when it shouldn't).

Do you have a multimeter that can measure resistance? If so, set the guitar to have the 'problem', volume to full, and measure resistance across the guitar cord sleeve to tip. A few k is right (say 5k to10k), very low is a short circuit somewhere, very high (several hundred k ) is a disconnection somewhere.

cheers

John

[UnklMickey]

i'm thinking, if something is shorting, then there won't be any sound when the bridge pickup is selected, regardless of if it's selected by the main switch, or the bridge-on switch.

if it works without problems, with the bridge-on switch,
but works only after being jarred, when the bridge-on is OFF, and the main selector is on bridge, suspect either the wiring OR the main switch itself.



unk

[jimijunior]

Hmm, hi lads.

Currently have a thread running here guitarnuts2.proboards45.com/index.cgi?board=wiring&action=display&thread=1161869178

and like I said I was going to try on my copy strat first but that turned out to be a disaster.
All worked before trying the bridge-on switch wiring but now I have lost my neck pickup. I measured with my Multimeter and the Middle n Bridge shows about 5k but the Neck seems to be dead, no readings.
I have an image here of what I did and what I think I can make out of it.
users.pandora.be/snowy/Bridge-ON%20switch/Bridge%20On%20Switch.jpg
Notice burned area on the 5-way switch, this was already there but me and my solder capabilities enhanced it a bit further though.
I checked the 5-way switch but it doesnt seem there is any damage done to the insides.
All the positions work except the neck (the out of phase seems of too since it also uses the neck)
There must have been a short somewhere but I havent gone near the neck pickup wires (on pickup and 5-way switch)
First I used a DPDT on/none/on but since that didnt work either I tried with a SPDT on/off switch (displayed in image)
Thank god I used my copy strat to try first!!!
So for now I will only do the shielding job (and ground to foil) with the copper tape wich im waiting for to arrive on my Cal Strat.
I'm too friggin scared to try the switch now.
Any ideas lads? I would like to know what I have done wrong here.

Thx in advance

[borsanova]

Nice photo and it seems to me you did a really clean job. I wish my guitars would look thus accurate after I sodomized them

That's why I'd guess the wiring is wrong. I have a Fender Strat with a stock bridge-on switch and my wiring looks quite different. I also notice that you got a different selector switch and therefore I can't tell if it's done right. But I notice that your bridge-on switch uses the pickups-side of the selector switch and that seems wrong to me. On my wiring both the connections to the pickups and to the tone pots are put on one side of the switch and the other side is reserved for the bridge-on wiring alone.
I have posted a wiring schematic in one of the latest threads ("Strat with bridge-on switch, simple mod for HB"). The HB mod won't do for your case, since you got a one-pole switch only, but you can use my schematic to compare the wiring on the pu-selector.

Did you write you got out-of-phase, too? I can't find that on your photo.

Good luck!