5-way switches & the Clicking

[Hank-]

I must have the worst luck with these or is that a 5way switch can only be soldered once in its lifetime before it develops the click noise when switching from 1 to 5?


I have had brand new alpha, fender/CRL/Dimarzio, stock cort & cheap chinese. Each one of them worked perfectly when soldered in for the first time, the moment I try to resolder on even a single contact terminal & they develop the "click" sound.

Today I installed a CRL switch, it doesnt have a separate tab for ground so i installed it without grounding. Everthing was working great except being ungrounded caused the screws holding the switch to buzz when touched. So I ground at the side & had to remove the middle pickup hot from the switch to have everything organised nicely. So after having completed everything, the switch now has developed a click sound when a string is ringing out loud & i toggle quickly through 1 to 5 or go back & forth between any two given positions. So then I try ungrounding the switch, figure might as well heat the solder connection again for the middle pickup & i think its gotten more clicky than before. I have had same issues with the alpha switches too. I'm always careful not to overheat the tabs either, 30w iron & 1-2secs is as long as it takes for me to get it joined.

Is it just my luck or are these 5 way switches way to delicate to reuse/rewire again?

 

[PFDarkside]

Re: 5-way switches & the Clicking

I had an issue with mine where sloppy solder work fell into the contact area. Confirm the contacts are clean...

 

[Jacew]

Re: 5-way switches & the Clicking

I must have the worst luck with these or is that a 5way switch can only be soldered once in its lifetime before it develops the click noise when switching from 1 to 5?


I have had brand new alpha, fender/CRL/Dimarzio, stock cort & cheap chinese. Each one of them worked perfectly when soldered in for the first time, the moment I try to resolder on even a single contact terminal & they develop the "click" sound.

Today I installed a CRL switch, it doesnt have a separate tab for ground so i installed it without grounding. Everthing was working great except being ungrounded caused the screws holding the switch to buzz when touched. So I ground at the side & had to remove the middle pickup hot from the switch to have everything organised nicely. So after having completed everything, the switch now has developed a click sound when a string is ringing out loud & i toggle quickly through 1 to 5 or go back & forth between any two given positions. So then I try ungrounding the switch, figure might as well heat the solder connection again for the middle pickup & i think its gotten more clicky than before. I have had same issues with the alpha switches too. I'm always careful not to overheat the tabs either, 30w iron & 1-2secs is as long as it takes for me to get it joined.

Is it just my luck or are these 5 way switches way to delicate to reuse/rewire again?

Is it like Oak Grigsby, that there is that roller jumping over notches for positioning. It should have grease on it (just a little).

You should also try to clean up the slider and connection points with electrical cleaner, I think that's more likely to be the problem. If it's gathered dust or other dirt, heat may have burned it on, causing the "clicking".

 

[beaubrummels]

Re: 5-way switches & the Clicking

I wouldn't reuse a blade switch more than once. Reusing it once is pushing it. They are hard to work with due to shape/construction and get dirty each time and difficult to clean up. It's what a $5-10 part, no? I'd just use a new one each time if I could.

 

[Hank-]

Re: 5-way switches & the Clicking

I had an issue with mine where sloppy solder work fell into the contact area. Confirm the contacts are clean...

I'm gonna remove it out & see if there is any thing odd in there. I was very carefully tinning the contact & then just a touch of heat, rather than the gobs of solder that fill up the holes.

Is it like Oak Grigsby, that there is that roller jumping over notches for positioning. It should have grease on it (just a little).

You should also try to clean up the slider and connection points with electrical cleaner, I think that's more likely to be the problem. If it's gathered dust or other dirt, heat may have burned it on, causing the "clicking".

Yeah its contructed like you said, it a CRL switch made for dimarzio, it doesn't have the spring thingy.I dont have electronic contact cleaner but I'll try with a piece of paper or tissue to ckean the sliding contact area(not the grease area).

I wouldn't reuse a blade switch more than once. Reusing it once is pushing it. They are hard to work with due to shape/construction and get dirty each time and difficult to clean up. It's what a $5-10 part, no? I'd just use a new one each time if I could.

I wish they were more reusable. It was about $12.5 but hard to get stuff like these in my parts of the world, good thing I picked up four of these to keep on hand.





One important thing I forgot to mention. I seem to have trouble with static electricity, its a godin session model, the pickguard doesn't spread across the whole front face; just the two single coils & the humbucker is held by a pickup ring. The controls are housed in the cavity & accessible through the back.

In playing position, the lower side that rests on the leg, that area if I move my hand over tends to pop/crackle, even with the control cover removed. I dont get why it does it, also the shielding paint used in the cavity, if I rub my finger on it. i get this static issue.
Anyone know what is causing this? The body is satin finished too.

Could it be that this static has now attached itself to the switch? :dunno:

 

[PFDarkside]

Re: 5-way switches & the Clicking

For the static, try rubbing a dryer sheet on the plastic areas. That was killing me on one of my Strats!

 

[Mincer]

Re: 5-way switches & the Clicking

I have had to re-use 5 way switches many times. The trick is solder braid, to clean it all up (a magnifying glass helps) before you start wiring it in again- or better yet, when you take it out the first time. There isn't much to 5 way switches, but they aren't the most robust things out there. The tabs are pretty fragile, and I've had them break off before (doh).

 

[Jacew]

Re: 5-way switches & the Clicking

I wouldn't reuse a blade switch more than once. Reusing it once is pushing it. They are hard to work with due to shape/construction and get dirty each time and difficult to clean up. It's what a $5-10 part, no? I'd just use a new one each time if I could.

Really? I tend to be quite ruff with components and never broken one.

I reused the Alpha switch of my squier about 10 times, still works fine (though it's not in use right know). And I've done numerous rewirings on some Oak Grigsbys without problem.

 

[beaubrummels]

Re: 5-way switches & the Clicking

Really? I tend to be quite ruff with components and never broken one.

I reused the Alpha switch of my squier about 10 times, still works fine (though it's not in use right know). And I've done numerous rewirings on some Oak Grigsbys without problem.

I didn't say they broke. Trying to reflow the solder or de-solder can get solder running down the lugs into the works, even when trying to de-solder with a braid. Also reheating that many times eventually affects the non-metal/wafer parts negatively, IME. Just trying to save $10 to install a $100 pickup? Why not just do it right once with all new parts and it will last a lifetime?

 

[Hank-]

Re: 5-way switches & the Clicking

The solder braid/wick is definitely the way to go with these, adding some flux to the braid makes it almost effortless. A desolder pen pump thingy isnt great to work with the traditional 5way designs, unless gobs of solder was used on the tabs. The modern/inline contacts type alpha switches have been hit or miss, ones with dark blue pcb lasted longer & without problems creeping in during second use. The light blue pcb ones have been terrible for me even new , infact I just installed one & took it out since it made the clicking noise with the strings muted, atleast with the CRL it does it only when the string is ringing out loud, so I'm​ gonna use that till it starts to get annoying.

I'm gonna look up on dryer sheets, I don't know what it is lol I've never had static issues with anything else​, except old tv sets but that was fun to play around as a kid. This is just plain annoying though with the guitar :firing:

 

[Teleplayer]

Re: 5-way switches & the Clicking

I don't really understand having problems with de-soldering of these switches. I changed my guitar wiring probably more than 15 times in one guitar when testing pickups and I've never had any issues.

If your iron is adequately hot and you work quickly it shouldn't place much stress on the component. I also use a solder wick to remove the old solder from the terminals.

 

[Jacew]

Re: 5-way switches & the Clicking

I didn't say they broke. Trying to reflow the solder or de-solder can get solder running down the lugs into the works, even when trying to de-solder with a braid. Also reheating that many times eventually affects the non-metal/wafer parts negatively,

Oh, that. I tend to use as little of tin as possible to prevent that, but it can be problematic. Often its enough to just "reuse" what tin there is on a lug.

IME. Just trying to save $10 to install a $100 pickup? Why not just do it right once with all new parts and it will last a lifetime?

I don't think I'll ever manage to do that. After an hour of playing, if I'm not 100 % satisfied, I have to open it up again for a wiring changes. It's impossible to plan ahead, because you never how it will really sound and work.