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OK I have an Agile Strat Clone, I put in Fender Vintage Noiseless pickups, and have been playing that guitar for about 10 years every third practice day. So several years ago I was playing along and the volume on the guitar/amp started to diminish a little bit. Of course I thought it was tubes, so I bought some new ones. Everything was Ok for a year or so. So it happened briefly several times after that year or so. Playing different amps. So I thought it was in my house pedal board. I checked all the connections everything seemed Ok.

 

So after I started using my road board in the house a week or so ago. it happened again. (I was always using the front pickup as I recall when this happened every time). Only this time the sound crapped out fully, before this time it only diminished a bit, then would come back. So I figured it had to be that front pup because I switched the pups and it popped back on, when I switched back on the front pup it had that deep hum like there was no ground, I switched it back and forth a few times to clean the switch up a bit and it returned to normal. So I got out my contact cleaner and sprayed the 5 position switch with the contact cleaner. Of course this is the first day I played it after the fully crap out scene a few days back, but it seemed to work OK so far. Only time will tell if it stays OK. But if I have to pull the pick-guard, I also have to remove the neck. If I do that I am putting some Duncan Little 59'ers and a new high quality 5 position switch. $269 for the three pups and a new 5 position switch. I may also take that 5 position switch option off the table and use 3 mini off and on switches which gives the option of having all pups on all at once, which gives a pretty decent mildly thinner sound that you can't get with the 5 position switch.

:idk:

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I have had an intermittent problem with a 3-way switch and had a hard time getting the techs to swap it out for me under warranty as they couldn't duplicate the problem while it was in the shop. So I had them swap it out at my expense as I knew what I was experiencing and what I was talking about. The new switch solved the problem. I advised the manufacture of the issue and they refunded half the bill and thanked me for bringing the problem to their attention. I am having a similar issue now many years later, on different guitar and this time I'm just going to have my tech put in a quality switch. I have read reviews by others using a quality replacement switch to solve their same issues due to some of the cheap switches guitar makers use these days coming out of China and Korea. Good luck with your 5-way DBM and keep us posted! :cool:
Take care, Larryz
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I think 3 toggles for a Strat is the best option, as it gives you flexibility for 'all on' as well as 'neck+bridge'. 'All on' is my favorite single coil 3 pickup sound, just a bit more fullness & depth than any 2 can provide. But why would you have to take the neck off to get at the pickguard? And I'd only replace the Fender Noiseless pickups if you're not happy with them, since it really sounds like your problem has been with a bad 5 way switch.
Scott Fraser
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Very unlikely to be the pickup. If you are unhappy with them then change them.

50 years of guitar tech-ing and an pickups usually work or don't. Alnico magnet get weaker as they age but Vintage Noiseless have some modern hi-tech magnets.

The leads off the pickups. that can be another story.

Make sure your ground wire is at least an inch long and only apply solder to the very end. Don't keep heat on there too long either.

A short ground lead when heated can melt into the insulation of the hot lead and cause an intermittent or total failure.

 

Switches can certainly be intermittent and/or fail.

Consider replacing the switch with a quality switch first.

 

Another way to get all three pickups without drilling holes in your pickguard is to use a three way switch for the neck and bridge pickups - just like a Tele. Wiire from that switch to the volume pot with input in the center and output on the outside, the opposite of what is usually done. Wire the second pot the same way but just hook up the middle pickup to the center lug and use an outside lug for output. Just run a single lead across the two outside lugs, this is like a Jazz Bass circuit, where you can turn one volume all the way down without affecting the other one. Add a lead from either of the output lugs to the tone control.

 

Now you can turn up or down either the output from the 3 way switch or the middle pickup. All combinations are now possible with no new holes.

It took a chunk of my life to get here and I am still not sure where "here" is.
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I destroy Switchcraft jacks every couple of years somehow, so that would be my place to start...

 

That is an amazing talent!!! I've seen Switchcraft jacks in guitars that are well over 50 years old and all they need is a good cleaning.

I only use Switchcraft jacks and have a decent stash of them, more than enough to last me forever.

 

It took a chunk of my life to get here and I am still not sure where "here" is.
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I have had an intermittent problem with a 3-way switch and had a hard time getting the techs to swap it out for me under warranty as they couldn't duplicate the problem while it was in the shop. So I had them swap it out at my expense as I knew what I was experiencing and what I was talking about. The new switch solved the problem. I advised the manufacture of the issue and they refunded half the bill and thanked me for bringing the problem to their attention. I am having a similar issue now many years later, on different guitar and this time I'm just going to have my tech put in a quality switch. I have read reviews by others using a quality replacement switch to solve their same issues due to some of the cheap switches guitar makers use these days coming out of China and Korea. Good luck with your 5-way DBM and keep us posted! :cool:

I think it is the 5 way switch meeself, we shall see, I can remove the neck and pick-guard (it has a 22 fret neck so I have to remove the neck as well as the pick-guard won't come out unless I remove the neck, so far with the tuner cleaner so good. Maybe I got lucky

 

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Switches can certainly be intermittent and/or fail.

Consider replacing the switch with a quality switch first.

 

So far so good, when it was new I put the Noiseless pups in myself. It was only a $300 Guitar. At the same time when the guitar was new, I took out the middle tone pot, and wired all three pups to the one tone control I moved the volume pot between where it was originally and the middle tone pot hole. I covered the holes with dimes ~). If I have to remove the pick-guard (and the 22 fret neck to get the pick-guard out.) money is not the problem. I never liked single coils anyways so I am thinking if I got to put in a new switch, I will put in the Duncan Little 59'rs, new pots and a new switch, I have Little 59'rs in my homemade parts caster and they rock. The guitar is beautiful as is, so I can afford the pups. I haven't had any new gear in about 5 years so it won't kill me financially.

 

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I have a couple of old 70s Strats. The one I play most is 1971 setup with a 3 way switch and Memphis wiring. I like all 3 pups on a lot for slide. The other I gutted and made a EMG loaded hss super Strat. Back in they day they were just old used guitars. No one told us they were going to be valuable vintage collectibles. LOL.

"It doesn't have to be difficult to be cool" - Mitch Towne

 

"A great musician can bring tears to your eyes!!!

So can a auto Mechanic." - Stokes Hunt

 

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Switches can certainly be intermittent and/or fail.

Consider replacing the switch with a quality switch first.

 

So far so good, when it was new I put the Noiseless pups in myself. It was only a $300 Guitar. At the same time when the guitar was new, I took out the middle tone pot, and wired all three pups to the one tone control I moved the volume pot between where it was originally and the middle tone pot hole. I covered the holes with dimes ~). If I have to remove the pick-guard (and the 22 fret neck to get the pick-guard out.) money is not the problem. I never liked single coils anyways so I am thinking if I got to put in a new switch, I will put in the Duncan Little 59'rs, new pots and a new switch, I have Little 59'rs in my homemade parts caster and they rock. The guitar is beautiful as is, so I can afford the pups. I haven't had any new gear in about 5 years so it won't kill me financially.

 

Sounds good to me!

 

I put EMGs in my guitars but I am not fond of single coils either so I use the SPC control to boost the mids and the volume. Then they sound nice.

 

That's just me, you gotta do you. Duncan has always made great pickups, I've installed over a hundred of them easily. Would be a choice for passive for me. Still gotta figure out what guitar gets the set of TV Jones Filtertron + I have laying around...

 

It took a chunk of my life to get here and I am still not sure where "here" is.
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Still gotta figure out what guitar gets the set of TV Jones Filtertron + I have laying around..

 

Squeeeeeeee! :w00t:

 

What guitars are under consideration?

Sturgeon's 2nd Law, a.k.a. Sturgeon's Revelation: âNinety percent of everything is crapâ

 

My FLMS- Murphy's Music in Irving, Tx

 

http://murphysmusictx.com/

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I destroy Switchcraft jacks every couple of years somehow, so that would be my place to start...

 

That is an amazing talent!!! I've seen Switchcraft jacks in guitars that are well over 50 years old and all they need is a good cleaning.

I only use Switchcraft jacks and have a decent stash of them, more than enough to last me forever.

 

@ Kuru and P90, I have read good reviews on Switchcraft 3-way switches, thanks for the info on the jacks... :cool:

 

 

I think it is the 5 way switch meeself, we shall see, I can remove the neck and pick-guard (it has a 22 fret neck so I have to remove the neck as well as the pick-guard won't come out unless I remove the neck, so far with the tuner cleaner so good. Maybe I got lucky

 

@ DBM, That cleaner may have just done the trick. I have also got pots working with just a little blast of computer air. Dust is one of the reasons I keep my guitars in their cases when not in use... :cool:

 

Take care, Larryz
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@ DBM, That cleaner may have just done the trick. I have also got pots working with just a little blast of computer air. Dust is one of the reasons I keep my guitars in their cases when not in use... :cool:

 

Thanks @Larryz, I also keep my guitars in their cases. I hope the cleaner did the trick, Otherwise new gear day for pups and switches etc.

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@ DBM, I think you may want to get that new gear put in even if the cleaner works LOL! I know you too keep your guitars in their cases...I also know you have talked about this guitar for many years and I totally agree with you moving that volume knob away from the 1st string and filling the hole with a dime! I think you love that guitar and would love to make it even better! Keep us posted if you do the upgrades! :thu:
Take care, Larryz
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DBM and Larryz,

 

Too messy to quote both of you, my tiny brain might collapse!

 

One thing I do whenever I go into a guitar control cavity is clean it out completely. It is not at all uncommon to see polishing compound in there and other bits and dabs of fugitive material.

If everything is clean inside what is more or less a sealed chamber then the main reason pots will get scratchy is from lack of use.

 

I am guilty of this as I rarely use my pots. Once in a while I will do a volume fade-in effect and that's it. So, every so often I just work the pots a bit at home, I like to plug the guitar in and listen for scratchy noises, when they go away I can stop working the knob. If you do clean a pot, compressed air is fine and so is a dedicated pot cleaner with a lubricant. Do NOT use contact cleaner, you'll turn the lube into fluid and it will get everywhere.

 

And DBM, I am 100% with you about the position of the volume pot on a Strat. I filled that hole in mine with a short black carriage bolt (round top from our fantastic hardware store). I've actually got the mid boost in the center position and the volume down near the output jack. That way I don't accidently turn my guitar down while playing!

 

It took a chunk of my life to get here and I am still not sure where "here" is.
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Still gotta figure out what guitar gets the set of TV Jones Filtertron + I have laying around..

 

Squeeeeeeee! :w00t:

 

What guitars are under consideration?

 

There are two candidates at this point. I have a one of a kind archtop. A friend takes old Harmony guitars, puts a new neck on, a cutaway and other custom features. The one I own has a crushed mirror candy apple red finish in nitro lacquer, gorgeous. I am upgrading it, he put Fender Telecaster Elite pickups in it and a Bigsby but the main feature is that he made a solid brass copy of the Floating Sound Unit bridge that was on some Gretsch White Falcon and Viking guitars. It even has the E pitchfork going down into the body. I've got the parts to refurbish it to my liking, time has been a factor but I intend to start on it soon. It will probably get the TV Jones pickups as that would make it more Gretsch-like. Sadly, he didn't copy the Tempered Treble Zone, Gretsch intonated those guitars by slanting the frets from the 12th fret upwards. Weird but super cool. I have a Hoyer copy of a Bigsby that is much easier to restring and much smoother to use. Sold the Bigsby, not a fan of the way the string are mounted by a pin through the ball end, too fiddly.

 

The other candidate is an early Gibson Melody Maker D single cut. Craigslist score, boogered beyond restoration to original so now I can just do what I want with it. It had a hideous gold backed plexiglass pickguard and a set of 3 Dimarzio strat pickups in it when I got it. The 5 way switch required cutting all the way through the body and the middle pickup required excavation as well. It appears this work was done using a butterknife as a chisel A beautiful disaster with a GREAT fat neck and one piece body, one piece neck - both old growth Honduras Mahogany. The fingerboard is Brazilian rosewood. I know it would sound great with the TV Jones pickps too and I would probably play it more than the converted Harmony. Still, part of me says put the pre-Fender Gretsch Filtertron (overwound to 8k) in the center position and wire it straight to the output jack with no knobs at all. That would be fun too!

It took a chunk of my life to get here and I am still not sure where "here" is.
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And DBM, I am 100% with you about the position of the volume pot on a Strat. I filled that hole in mine with a short black carriage bolt (round top from our fantastic hardware store). I've actually got the mid boost in the center position and the volume down near the output jack. That way I don't accidently turn my guitar down while playing!

 

I moved the volume control down between it's old position and where the middle tone pot was, and eliminated that tone pot altogether, I wired all pups to that one tone pot although I never move the tone control any. I put dimes on both holes (see white Strat Clone in the middle), I sold the other two guitars long ago.

418.thumb.jpg.ec2e0a4512f5337df7634072f2af03f2.jpg

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And DBM, I am 100% with you about the position of the volume pot on a Strat. I filled that hole in mine with a short black carriage bolt (round top from our fantastic hardware store). I've actually got the mid boost in the center position and the volume down near the output jack. That way I don't accidently turn my guitar down while playing!

 

I moved the volume control down between it's old position and where the middle tone pot was, and eliminated that tone pot altogether, I wired all pups to that one tone pot although I never move the tone control any. I put dimes on both holes (see white Strat Clone in the middle), I sold the other two guitars long ago.

 

 

Looks good, I could go with that. Too many times I've been playing a Strat and the volume drops and I realize I've accidently knudged it lower.

It took a chunk of my life to get here and I am still not sure where "here" is.
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+1 K & D, on knocking that volume knob and lowering the volume while playing, especially when I get carried away with the rhythm. I have one Strat with a master tone and volume and they are set further down from the 1st string than a stock Strat. I have never had a problem with that one.

 

K, As for dust in the cavity, I agree it's hard to get it in there. It can also get in other areas on electrics and in the EQ sliders and controls on acoustic guitars. It's a small hole under the hole for the knob through the Strat pick guard that if you leave a guitar hanging on the wall or on a stand, it can find a way after awhile. Not bloody likely LOL! The 5-way selector switch is a whole other matter with that long slot cut exposing the way for dust to get into the innards of that somewhat sealed cavity when it's stored out of the case. My cases even get dusty on the outside when I have neglected to play my guitars for awhile. :cool:

 

D, I can see in the picture that you drilled a new hole for the volume knob and used two dimes to fill the stock holes. For some reason I thought you just used the 2nd hole for the volume and the 3rd hole for your tone pot. And just used a dime on the 1st hole at the top until I looked closer. Anyway, it still looks good! I'm guessing you could avoid both tone controls and use a one hole pickguard with just a volume control like the Delonge Strat. You could let the pickups adjust your bass and treble with your 3 on/off toggle switches and using your picking hand position(s) bypassing both tone control pots? Have fun with it! :cool:

Take care, Larryz
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KuruPrionz

 

I"d say Gibson Melody Maker D single cut all day. You said it yourself- you"re more likely to play IT than the other one. As I know 'Tron style pickups can absolutely scream in a solid body guitar like that.

Sturgeon's 2nd Law, a.k.a. Sturgeon's Revelation: âNinety percent of everything is crapâ

 

My FLMS- Murphy's Music in Irving, Tx

 

http://murphysmusictx.com/

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I think 3 toggles for a Strat is the best option, as it gives you flexibility for 'all on' as well as 'neck+bridge'. 'All on' is my favorite single coil 3 pickup sound, just a bit more fullness & depth than any 2 can provide. But why would you have to take the neck off to get at the pickguard? And I'd only replace the Fender Noiseless pickups if you're not happy with them, since it really sounds like your problem has been with a bad 5 way switch.

 

The reason the neck must come off is that Fender copied the way Warmoth and other 3rd party neck builders have extended the fretboard with a small ledge for a 22nd fret.

So the pickguard is partly covered up by the fretboard and with the neck pickup in place it cannot be removed without breaking it.

 

On my Parts-O-Caster I drew the shape of the fretboard extension on the pickguard and cut off with a jigsaw. Now I can remove and reinstall the pickguard without removing the neck.

 

It took a chunk of my life to get here and I am still not sure where "here" is.
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KuruPrionz

 

I"d say Gibson Melody Maker D single cut all day. You said it yourself- you"re more likely to play IT than the other one. As I know 'Tron style pickups can absolutely scream in a solid body guitar like that.

 

Bearing in mind that "playing it more" is somewhat conditional since neither guitar has the potential to become my main gigger.

 

I've gravitated towards Fender designs, have always played them but I've got what I want pretty much dialed.

In the process, I've become an irredeemable convert to scalloped fretboards. The total lack of fretboard friction has freed up new expression for my left hand technique and I cannot envision going back.

 

I don't want to scallop the Melody Maker fretboard. I also own and love a 1986 Gibson ES-335 Studio model - second owner, got it in 1988 and hot rodded it extensively. It's seen a thousand gigs or so but I can't bring myself to scallop it either so it stays home now. If we played a fancy gig like a wedding I might play it - Ferrari Red with all gold parts including the pickguard - a pretty one for certain and a great all around guitar. It's a keeper, guitars come and go but that one stays...

 

It took a chunk of my life to get here and I am still not sure where "here" is.
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The reason the neck must come off is that Fender copied the way Warmoth and other 3rd party neck builders have extended the fretboard with a small ledge for a 22nd fret.

So the pickguard is partly covered up by the fretboard and with the neck pickup in place it cannot be removed without breaking it.

On my Parts-O-Caster I drew the shape of the fretboard extension on the pickguard and cut off with a jigsaw. Now I can remove and reinstall the pickguard without removing the neck.

 

I see. Not an issue on my old '56. And lifting the bridge end & sliding it all bridge-ward doesn't clear the pickup cutouts probably.

 

Scott Fraser
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The reason the neck must come off is that Fender copied the way Warmoth and other 3rd party neck builders have extended the fretboard with a small ledge for a 22nd fret.

So the pickguard is partly covered up by the fretboard and with the neck pickup in place it cannot be removed without breaking it.

On my Parts-O-Caster I drew the shape of the fretboard extension on the pickguard and cut off with a jigsaw. Now I can remove and reinstall the pickguard without removing the neck.

 

I see. Not an issue on my old '56. And lifting the bridge end & sliding it all bridge-ward doesn't clear the pickup cutouts probably.

 

Correct, the 21 fret models are not affected. It is the neck pickup that prevents removal. One could unscrew it, push it down into the cavity and with the strings off you could probably get the pickguard off in one piece. If you don't change things often it really is easiest to loosen the string, put a piece of masking tape firmly over the nut to keep the strings under control and just pop the neck off.

 

I can take a strat completely apart with a Phillips screw driver and a soldering iron (3 connections) in under 10 minutes, they are "screwdriver guitars" by design. That is part of their briliiance as a mainstay of modern music.

 

It took a chunk of my life to get here and I am still not sure where "here" is.
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