Bad Switch - Affects Volume?

[Silence Kid]

I overhauled my Squier Jazzmaster and replaced the toggle switch with a Gibson style L-type (to replace the cheap ripoff three-way toggle it came with.)

The reason for the swap was dead spots in the old toggle where I got no sound in the bridge position till I wiggled it. But when it was 'on' it gave a full DC reading at the jack for the bridge pickup so I didn't suspect I was getting less than the full pickup before- Yet post-swap my bridge pickup seems quite a bit louder, even when lower than where it was before. Guitar balances much better now.

Is this even possible, or is the change I'm experiencing related to something other than the switch? Wouldn't I have had a different/bad DC reading if the switch was affecting anything before?

 

[beaubrummels]

Re: Bad Switch - Affects Volume?

I had a switch affect the volume in my LP studio when I had a bad solder joint on one of the contacts. Sounds like yours is fixed.

 

[Silence Kid]

Re: Bad Switch - Affects Volume?

The unusual thing is I've had bad solders on switches result in extremely low, tinny output- but in this case it was just a moderate but obvious increase. Nothing seemed broken before. The only other thing I did was clean up the wiring harness (eliminated a lot of slack/spaghetti.)

 

[Dave Locher]

Re: Bad Switch - Affects Volume?

It is definitely possible. Corrosion can build up over time. I had a guitar that used to do that. The drop was so gradual you didnt realize it was happening.