Help - intermittent loss of output.

[richard parker]

Hi Folks, I have a humbucker set (not SD's) installed in a PRS Bernie Marsden. I don't do any electrical work myself. A while back I started having problems with the neck pickup. It would lose power, cut in and out and make a crackling noise. I thought it might be the selector switch. I took it to a tech (not my normal guy - he wasn't available) who couldn't find a problem, cleaned the switch and it appeared to be okay.

A couple of months later the problem re-appeared sort of. I wasn't getting the cutting in and out but the pickup was obviously sometimes losing output. I opened up the back of the volume/tone controls waggled a few wires about and it started working okay. I held the wires in place with gaffer tape. This would last for a while but then the problem would re-appear.

I took it to the tech who fitted the pickups. He checked his wiring and said it was okay. He thought it could be the back of one of the pots touching the insulating paint in the cavity and causing a short. He fitted a washer to keep them from touching and this appeared to do the trick but not for long. It's still occasionally losing power - sometimes a little, sometimes a lot.

Any ideas ? I will be very grateful for any help in solving this.

 

[Mincer]

Re: Help - intermittent loss of output.

If only the back of the pots toch the paint, that would be ok...they both are a ground point. But my guess is a cold solder joint that is just making a connection sometimes. If it has been isolated to one pickup, it is easier to figure out which one. My guess is that it is the one going to the neck volume, but it could also be the switch, too.
It is a good time to learn to work on your guitar, though, as these sorts of problems are usually easy to fix. Posting pics here might help us diagnose what's up.

 

[blueman335]

Re: Help - intermittent loss of output.

Loose connection or some wire strands sticking out where they shouldn't be. I'd take off the control panel and wiggle the wires while it's plugged into an amp, so I can trace to it a specific lug. You'll need to re-solder the offending connection to have a permanent fix.

 

[richard parker]

Re: Help - intermittent loss of output.

Thanks guys. I've just opened the control cavity again to spray some compressed air around and noticed this. The tone pot (guitar has only one tone control) has two little thingies that stick out of it at around the 8 and 10 o'clock position. If I touch the 10 o'clock one with my screwdriver I get a loud buzz. Nothing happens when I touch the other one. Could this be significant ?

 

[Mincer]

Re: Help - intermittent loss of output.

Can you post some pics of this?

 

[Hank-]

Re: Help - intermittent loss of output.

icture:

^^^????

 

[NotCardio]

Re: Help - intermittent loss of output.

You know, I've had the same thing (sort of) happen to a couple of guitars I've had. One I still have does this, but sometimes when the pickup cuts out, it fades out really quickly.

Capacitor?

 

[Mincer]

Re: Help - intermittent loss of output.

icture:

^^^????

Of the wiring. Maybe someone here can spot something strange.

 

[Hank-]

Re: Help - intermittent loss of output.

Of the wiring. Maybe someone here can spot something strange.

Yeah I know, it wasn't directed to ya, although the ^ seemed to point towards it lol

But for the thread, what is a tone pot that has two thingies sticking out supposed to look like :scratchch

Gremlin??

 

[richard parker]

Re: Help - intermittent loss of output.

Can't do photos. The compressed air seems to have worked for now.