Contact cleaner on new pickup switch

[Deek]

Epi Les Paul Plus Top Pro. Love the thing, but from day one the pickup switch was acting up. A year later I finally got around to squirting it with contact cleaner and whalla, problem solved.

Maybe I need a hobby, but can anyone tell me why a brand new switch would need to be cleaned? I'm serious, I want to know. It is a great mystery to me.

P.S. Does an upgrade in switch have any impact on tone? The reason I ask? Embarrassed to say I bought one BEFORE trying the contact cleaner. So incredibly dumb...

 

[Zarg]

It won't change the tone in a matter that you will perceive. It could be a QC issue or there could be dirt/corrosion on the contacts.... but yeah, a new switch will run you under a 10 shipped, you just need to solder it

 

[purpledc]

Well its a new switch because its installed on a new guitar but you have to understand they didn't take the switch out of a shrink wrapped package like you or I would buy. They have bins of switches and they bang up against each other and can get dirty from the installation alone. I opened up my epi control cavity to find quite a bit of saw dust in there and I would imagine it would be pretty easy for some of this debris to migrate its way to the open structure of an LP switch and cause some issues. It could have even got dirty just sitting in the bin waiting for a new home. The important thing is it was easily fixed and now you have a backup switch for when your old one fails. And if you use it enough it will eventually fail.

 

[ScottMarlowe]

Exactly. All it takes is one piece dust or shmutz etc between the contacts for the switch to act up. All it takes is one squirt to fix it.

 

[pbekkerh]

If it was fixed with contact cleaner, it could have been oil or grease from a too well oiled machine, that made the contact.

 

[SWeAT hOg]

It was hanging on the hook at the shoppe and got dusty?

 

[chasenblues]

It was the left over pixy dust from the mojo tonez fairy..

 

[ricksepilp]

Mine needed to be sprayed after a month and has not acted up since.

 

[ScottMarlowe]

Note that I am in the habit of leaving my three way switches in the middle position so dust doesn't get in between the contacts.

 

[KelvinS1965]

I upgraded the electrics on my 20 YO Epiphone LP Standard as the pots were getting a bit crackly. I also replaced the pickup switch with a Switchgear one (as used on Gibsons). Ironically this switch started to play up whereas the original had been fine, but I thought I may as well replace everything.

I sprayed it with Deoxit and it's been perfect since. Probably just a bit of dirt got on the contacts while in storage. I'm going to try it on a stick relay in a power amp I have for my home theatre.

 

[Otto tune]

... can anyone tell me why a brand new switch would need to be cleaned?

Best answer: Stuff punishes you for ignoring it. Cars, boats, instruments, etc. The more you ignore them, the madder they get.

Seriously, it's because switches that don't move develop corrosion in places. Exercise helps keep them clean.

 

[ricksepilp]

Note that I am in the habit of leaving my three way switches in the middle position so dust doesn't get in between the contacts.

I started doing this as well which could be why the problem did come back.

 

[Have FUN]

Upgrade the chinese switch with a SWITCHCRAFT.

 

[purpledc]

Upgrade the chinese switch with a SWITCHCRAFT.

sure. I replace perfectly good parts all the time when they just needed a cleaning.

 

[Sparky6string]

I used too think I needed to replace these things but I saw Joe B in a video not long ago where he suggests keeping the original stuff and just work it in (exercise it), maybe some contact cleaner too. Of course he was holding a 50's Paul at the time but I still listened.

 

[purpledc]

I used too think I needed to replace these things but I saw Joe B in a video not long ago where he suggests keeping the original stuff and just work it in (exercise it), maybe some contact cleaner too. Of course he was holding a 50's Paul at the time but I still listened.

I used to be a real snob when it came to parts. I would get a guitar it would sound and play great but I would still be judging it based on what I saw they used that I didn't agree with. But many times I would buy all these high end parts and swap everything usually to be disappointed because the tone would change yet I would prefer its old sound as that's what I fell in love with. I wanted to change the parts to something more reliable. Sometimes I would save those parts as spares or I would use them in lesser guitars. And most of the times the parts never failed. I dont think there is anything wrong with buying spare parts like pots and keeping them around in case of a problem. But I really dont think it is necessary to replace everything just because. Especially if you are happy with the sound. Eventually parts will break. And these days that's when I'm gonna replace stuff.

 

[ricksepilp]

That's kind of where I am with my Special II. Everybody keeps saying the electronics are junk but to my ears they sound really good. Tuning was another story and I did replace the tuners and nut. Sound is so subjective that I've gotten to the point where I think if you think it sounds good then it is.