Can't hear my guitar at all, help please ..

[Χάρης]

So a couple of days ago I noticed that my guitar would not be audible when I was using the bridge pickup, then I noticed that the volume knob was loose. However the sound would be normal when I switched to middle and neck position. I removed the knob and opened the cavity from behind today to tighten it, but now the sound is almost completely gone. Now there is only sound when in middle and neck position, but it is really weak, even when the distortion is all the way up. Any idea what the problem could be?

 

[NegativeEase]

Re: Can't hear my guitar at all, help please ..

broken solder joint on the casing of the potentiometer or 1/4" jack would be the most common issue IMO

 

[AlexR]

Re: Can't hear my guitar at all, help please ..

The fact that it was firstly only 1 pickup would indicate the switch in there somewhere.....but we don't know your precise electrics setup so its hard to give more precise help.

 

[SlyFoxx]

Re: Can't hear my guitar at all, help please ..

A couple of clear close up pics of the control cavity will probably reveal the problem.

 

[beaubrummels]

Re: Can't hear my guitar at all, help please ..

Bad/bent switch or bad solder joint on switch

 

[Χάρης]

Re: Can't hear my guitar at all, help please ..

sorry for not posting pics, here are a couple

 

[beaubrummels]

Re: Can't hear my guitar at all, help please ..

That looks like the tone control. That’s not where the issue would be.

 

[Χάρης]

Re: Can't hear my guitar at all, help please ..

Then I guess I will try and take pictures of the other ones. I thought it was this one because it was the one being loose, and it also looked like 2 of the 3 pins or whatever they are had something attached to it, but the other one was empty.

or should I remove the bridge pickup?

 

[Χάρης]

Re: Can't hear my guitar at all, help please ..

sorry for bad pic quality, my camera is trash :angryfire

 

[beaubrummels]

Can't hear my guitar at all, help please ..

The bits I can see the solder doesn’t look great but if it worked until now it might be ok. Can’t really see all the lugs of the switch which is one of the places I would suspect.

You just have a master volume and master tone, right?

Tone controls don’t use all 3 lugs. One lug should be empty or clipped off.

 

[Dave Locher]

Re: Can't hear my guitar at all, help please ..

Bad switch is my best guess.

 

[AlexR]

Re: Can't hear my guitar at all, help please ..

Make sure no part of an exposed wire is touching any part of the switch save where it is soldered. Some wires look close to the contacts.

 

[Obsessive Compulsive]

Re: Can't hear my guitar at all, help please ..

The same thing happened to my bridge pickup today and then I sprayed some contact cleaner all over the solder joints on the toggle switch, and it solved the problem.