Bizarre 3 way toggle switch behavior

[Inflames626]

Hi all,
I'm building a Japanese Jackson RR3 based on a late 90s-early 00s mid priced import production model (the ones that had the chrome pickguard).

It has:
PATB neck/PATB-1 bridge with Triple Shots
3 way import toggle switch
Phase switch in neck
Shadow killpot in bridge
Schaller Floyd Rose

All parts must be metric/import because I cannot enlarge the holes in the chrome metal pickguard.

The problem is I can't get it to work because the switch is displaying some odd behavior.

I am using the following diagram:



The only differences between my build and the diagram is I have everything star grounded to the switch ground, then run to the grounding tab in the electronics cavity, then run to the jack ground. The bridge and pickup cavity grounds also connect to the grounding tab.

As a precaution, I have also run a ground wire from the tone knob casing to the switch ground.

I am also running this as independent volume knobs, so the switch wire is going to the outer lug and the Triple Shot hot wire is going to the center lug of each pot. The black and bare wires from the Triple Shots are going to the ground terminal of each pot.

Using the screwdriver test (the guitar doesn't have strings yet), in the toggle switch bridge position the neck is sometimes audible. In the center position sometimes the neck pickup will drop out and the bridge will be extremely loud. The neck pickup is either very quiet or inaudible when the switch is in the neck position while the bridge pickup is very loud. The killpot works as it is supposed to, although it does not ground out when turned down.

Basically, the switch does not isolate the pickups as it is supposed to.

I have tried about 3 different switches: the one that came with the guitar body, and 2-3 of this variety:

https://www.amazon.com/Musiclily-Pl...pd_rd_i=B00IEXXUKM&psc=1&ref_=pd_bap_d_rp_7_t

The DPDT pots are this variety:

https://www.amazon.com/Musiclily-Sp...pd_rd_i=B00G9AZD1Q&psc=1&ref_=pd_bap_d_rp_4_i

I have cleaned the switch with contact cleaner and no improvement.

I am inclined to think the signal routing within the 3 way toggle is off.

I have ordered some relatively expensive replacements from StewMac in the hope that a different brand of pot/switch will work. The new pots will be long shaft variety but metric diameter because they were all I could find. WD Music and Proline, available through Musicians Friend, also sell import switches, so I may try those. AllParts and GuitarElectronics have the same switch, but I am not sure if they are metric diameter.

I am not trying a Switchcraft because, to my knowledge, they will not fit through metric sized holes (this being a short, open style switch). Ordinarily, I use a taper reamer with my wooden import guitars and then use better quality parts, but here because of the metric metal pickguard I am forced to use import parts.

I have tried everything I can think of to fix the problem. I have pulled the prongs apart on the bridge and neck positions of the switch to make sure there is no cross talk between connections. I have checked all solder joints on the Triple Shots to make sure there is no overflow to other positions. All connections were reheated and appear to be shiny.

I have completely rewired the guitar perhaps 3 times. I have swapped out the jack, run completely new wires from the jack to the grounding tab and switch, and I have tested conductivity from each part to each part, so I think the ground should be working among all connections. The pickups work, only not in the toggle positions desired.

Aside from perhaps replacing the jack signal wire with a shielded wire to reduce noise and to keep trying different switches, I think I'm stuck.

I know I can do this job, because I have a Japanese Jackson KV3 hooked up in exactly the same manner, only with a Full Shred set with Triple Shots instead of PATBs.

I would appreciate any ideas anyone can offer. Sorry about the long links.

 

[GuitarDoc]

If you have already tried several different switches and still get the same results, obviously the problem is not with the switch.
When people have a problem similar to this, 99% of the time the problem is with the wiring (poor soldering or stray strands of wire causing a short)...especially when the wiring scheme is somewhat complicated (Triple Shots, push/pull pots, wiring out of phase, etc.).
Check your wiring.
Check your wire strands.
Check your soldering. Make sure there are no cold solder joints (which can give intermittent loss of signal).

It would also be helpful if you could include several clear pictures of your actual wiring, showing all the connections.

 

[Chistopher]

Just to clarify, when you say "star grounded to the switch ground" you don't mean you ever every single ground wire soldered the the back of the toggle switch? That seems like a problem waiting to happen

 

[Inflames626]

Problem solved. Bad switch. I have never seen a switch defective to that extent.

There are four grounds going to the switch. Bridge pot, neck pot, tone pot, and wire from ground lug. Real estate does get a little cramped on the switch, but the line from the lug gets the main connection through the ground hole and then everything else is connected around that wire and soldered to it and the switch lug.

If the wires shift a bit, such as when moving the control plate back into the cavity to close everything up, it can shift everything around a bit. I may rethink the grounds, but running things in a C seems to be more of a pain in terms of making sure things don't shift off the pot ground terminals along with everything else connected there.

 

[GuitarDoc]

Problem solved. Bad switch. I have never seen a switch defective to that extent..

You say it was the switch, but in changing the switch out you had to resolder all of the connections to it. I still believe that was your problem. But you can easily check your switch, now that it is disconnected, with a multi tester. Chances are it will test fine.

If the wires shift a bit, such as when moving the control plate back into the cavity to close everything up, it can shift everything around a bit. I may rethink the grounds, but running things in a C seems to be more of a pain in terms of making sure things don't shift off the pot ground terminals along with everything else connected there.

Like I said previously, this is one reason why it is so important to have done your soldering correctly...to prevent shorts or loss of connections/continuity from cold solder joints.