Gareth Magennis wrote in message
...


"N_Cook" wrote in message
...
Output from guitar noticeably dropped in level , owner had a spare one
to
complete the set. When I received it , setting both vol pots to minimum
then
ohmage across output was 30 ohm. Now I'm inside, it is 3 to 5 ohms
according
to switch setting. Pickup ohmages measure 7.82,3.80, 7.39K at the 3
switch
settings, which seems right, and consistent with wire tugs.
Now the bottom ohmage of the pots was not going to be 60 and 60 ohm or
so
to
give 30, one poor pot perhaps. I will remove the output screened lead
although nothing seems wrong with it, but the output socket was loose
and
turning to an extentm requiting the screened lead to resist the turning.
Just leaves wear /plating problem at the tip contact of the switchcraft
1/4
in socket but it looks perfectly normal, contact point axial to jack
until
deflected to the tip groove , etc. Pots measure consistent across
tracks.
Switch seems ok but how to test other than by replacement




Oh, and sometimes the guitar pickup coils become damaged either by the
pick
hitting it, or by sweat ingress, and intermittently or permanently lose
one
winding.


Gareth.


Tugging on the screen leads to the pickups did not change the DC ohmages so
I left them be and all those adjustments . From the 8 figure serial number
this was probably mid 2003 but I doubt Gibson would use computer data cable
to the switch, presumably someone replaced it. The foil sheathing of that,
at the end, was floating in space and could have touched the signal out
line, The "cloth" core of the sig out wire was disrupted where the earthing
braid is soldered to the switchcraft socket and being loose, turned.
As turning a jack in there, there was a poor-conductive point to the contact
so perhaps a build up of sprayed in WD40 leading to that and a bit of
conduction at the core fraying.
If I owned one of these I'd ditch that silly plastic output escutchion and
replace with a brass plate and 4 larger screws. Hairline stress cracks to
each of the 4 mounting holes in that plastic and will fail soon - all the
guitar lead yanking having to be restrained by that plastic square along
with the bush nut localised stress.