How often do JB's "go out"?

[GreatOz]

I have a weird problem with a set of JB's (at least 10 years old). Specifically, I got a guitar with the bridge JB that almost cuts the output completely, but randomly comes back every now and then. I've re-soldered them to the switch like a year ago, but still have the issue; before that, I had it before, but it was several years earlier. Is the JB known for this? I doubt it, but wanted to make sure. Also, on this particular JB, the poles have started to rust. The other one has this issue, but it is not as pronounced. Does rust also cause issues like that? I can't think of a reason it would, but again, wanted to double-check.

What I was going to try next was a completely new set of wires, which I have not done yet.

Any thoughts?

Thanks,

 

[Rex_Rocker]

Re: How often do JB's "go out"?

I'd be willing to bet it's the switch that's not good anymore, but if not, it may be a bad solder joint somewhere else or a bad pot or jack. I don't think pickups do that whatsoever.

 

[Chistopher]

Re: How often do JB's "go out"?

If it's a Gibson style toggle, they tend to have corrosion issues if you leave them in the same position for too long. Flick it back and forth for 30 seconds or so and it should be good for a while. This issue isn't as common with Fender switches though.

 

[Clint 55]

Re: How often do JB's "go out"?

I've had that happen when something was wrong with the leads that connect between the hookup leads and the coil that you pull the tape off to reach. Also check there, let me know if you don't understand what I mean.

 

[Demanic]

Re: How often do JB's "go out"?

I've had that happen when something was wrong with the leads that connect between the hookup leads and the coil that you pull the tape off to reach. Also check there, let me know if you don't understand what I mean.

That's not fun to try and repair.

Sent from my Alcatel_5044C using Tapatalk

 

[shadowfire90]

Re: How often do JB's "go out"?

Since there is no moving parts I'd check the switch for sure like another person suggested.

Start off with testing the pickup with a multimeter and aligator clips and see if you can get it to have a reading to stay on. If you've never done it before set your multimeter to 20k, strip and twist the ends of the 4 colored wires. If there is any exposed or burnt parts of the wire put electric tape over them too. I had someone bring in an Andy Timmons Dimarzio and it's like someone got mad and went over the entire black wire with a lighter. If the guy dropped it off and came back the next day when I used to work on guitars I'm sure the images would have eventually ended up on here.

Here's some suggestions
Cutting in and out I know for example if the green and bare wire are soldered together and grounded if they are not insulated (tape or heat shrink over them) there is the potentiality of another part of the bare wire touching the pot and it would explain the cutting in and out.

Also check and make sure the pots aren't touching the walls of the guitar, if this is an ongoing issue and there is no grip washers on the pots put some electric tape over parts it can touch.

hope I could help give some ideas

 

[GreatOz]

Re: How often do JB's "go out"?

For clarity, the neck pickup works fine and the bridge pickup does not completely cut out, just gets it's volume at least halved.

Thanks for advice guys, I'll check out the switch and the leads.

 

[Mincer]

Re: How often do JB's "go out"?

Pickups generally work or they don't, and I've never heard of issues with specific pickups. I've had switch issues before though.

 

[nexion218]

Re: How often do JB's "go out"?

I had something similar, it was either the JB or the 59, but it really doesn't matter as it wasn't the pickups fault... What you hear as "going out and getting halved" is that due to two wires aren't taped off/isolated properly and when they touch, you split the coil, thus the diminished output and volume. Don't ask me which wires though, I'm not that smart with this stuff, I asked for professional help. Initially I was changing my old pots to SD branded ones, but needed some woodwork as the original ones were metric, so I took it to a shop. So everything went fine, we plug in the guitar at the store and it's just noisy AF and barely audible compared to the other PU. So off same the control cavity cover and after we couldn't find anything wrong with soldering, the guy took off the factory electrical tapes used for taping together I believe the red and white wires and it turned out that the factory did a poor work, didn't separate the wires properly and taped them off. It wass all good until the wires got moved around during the pot change, as due to the movement, two wires touched and one of the coils got silenced.

Now that I've written all of this down, would someone please educate me which wires were touching in my guitar? :jester::jester:

 

[Clint 55]

Re: How often do JB's "go out"?

The red and white could have been contacting the grounded baseplate.

 

[GuitarDoc]

Re: How often do JB's "go out"?

The red and white could have been contacting the grounded baseplate.

Or any grounded part.

Yes, like was said, first check the red and white wires making sure they are soldered and taped off so they cannot touch anything else (if they touch ANY grounded pert, that would effectively split the pup to just one of the two coils making it sound at half volume). If that doesn't fix the problem, then check/clean/replace the pot. I seriously doubt that your symptom of cutting half way out (or to a reduced volume) would be a switch issue.

 

[Dave Locher]

Re: How often do JB's "go out"?

Volume pot can also do that. Wire the pickup straight to the output Jack and see what you get. Or just attach a jumper wire from the switch input to the volume put output, which effectively bypasses the switch and the volume pot.
I had both problems at different times with the same guitar.