JB Jr., Shielding, Grounding, or...?

[Hecubus]

A long time ago, a friend borrowed my guitar (Charvel Fusion Special) and returned it w/o the little plastic cap on the blade switch. I was a little upset, but didn't think too much of it. I tried to replace it, but I can't find a switch cap that will fit.

So, last year I put in a JB Jr. in the bridge position and it sounded great. However, on occasion it starts to hum, the signal gets really thin and it starts to break up. If I touch (pinch) the switch (still capless) the hum goes away and the sound returns to normal. This has become really annoying since I have started recording with this guitar and it will happen intermitantly in the middle of a song. This only happens when I have the JB selected (other pickups are jackson/Charvel's try at Cool Rails).

So, my trouble shooting has led me to think one of the following has occured:
1) I screwed up in my wiring and the pickup is not properly ground.
2) My guitar needs shielding in the control cavity,
3) the lack of the switch cap is causing a grounding problem
4)OR something else that I haven't considered...help me out guys!

 

[Zerberus]

Re: JB Jr., Shielding, Grounding, or...?

Sounds like a wiring issue... first thing id´do is check all solder joints for continuity and /or redo them....

Shielding in the control cavity is never a bad idea, but most Fusion Specials and Fusio Deluxes were internally shielded with metal paint much like the USA Jacksons... there should be a tab on the side of the cavity. But I´ve seen some w/o as well..

The switch tip is definitely not the issue... the switch itself may be gunked up, though

 

[Hecubus]

Re: JB Jr., Shielding, Grounding, or...?

Thanks. The JB Jr. was my first soldering job so I kind of figured my sloppiness was the culprit (although I didn't want to admit it). I am planning on putting in a STK-S4 in the neck position once I can find it in black. I figure that will be a good time to unsolder and resolder all the joints and shield the cavity. It was unshielded when I got it. However, it did have this white chalky coating in the control and bridge cavity (was my Charvel a drug mule:11: !!)

Anyway, I have been toying with the idea of replacing the volume pot with a push/pull to split the JB and the Classic Stack (when I can get one). Will I lose control of the volume in the "pull" mode (I suspect the answer is yes)? I guess I might as well repalce the switch, to be safe. What is a good aftermarket switch?

 

[david kornblatt]

Re: JB Jr., Shielding, Grounding, or...?

:fingersx: