Jumpy P'up Selector Switch

[jazzsmith]

First of all, let me apologize for what is, I am sure, a rather stupid question. I know nothing about electronics or the mechanics of electrical components. The pick up selector switch on my '65 360/12 jumps from the bridge p'up to the neck p'up without stopping in the middle (do not pass GO, do not collect $200). I can flip it into the middle position and it stays there. Is there a weak spring in there or something? The guitar is all original, so if there isn't an easy fix, I'll just live with it. Please advise.......

[jingle_jangle]

No need to apologize, Jeffrey. I'm somewhere in the "75% ignorant" range on things electronic, too. But we all learn more each day as long as we keep our ears and minds open.

Full speed ahead:

The Switchcraft switch in your guitar is a leaf-type switch without a casing. It's quite heavy-duty, and it's also a snap to repair, because everything is hanging right out there in front of you and you can observe its operation and correct any deficiencies quite easily.

Remove the upper guard (3 screws) and lower guard (one screw at bottom). place a clean towel over the guitar and flip the lower guard over so you can see the guts of the switch.

A switch that behaves like you describe generally has one of more of its contact leaves bent from use. A mere .030" or less in the wrong direction, and the switch feels wrong, and "fails to proceed" as it should. A careful inspection should allow you to zoom in on the problem. Simply get out a pair of small needlenose pliers and bend the offending leaf slightly, to give it more resistance against the plastic baton of the toggle.

In VERY rare cases, the baton will wear. Then, and only then, will you need a new switch.

[jazzsmith]

Great! Thanks Paul. I'm going to do it. I've had the pickguard off to examine the pots for dates. But now that I know what I'm looking for, I think I can handle the switch repair.

I've been freaked out by electronics ever since I learned that you can be electrocuted by an amp that is unplugged!

[BlueAngel]

In VERY rare cases, the baton will wear. Then, and only then, will you need a new switch.

Not even then. You can do one of two things - remove the plastic tip of the baton and replace it with one from another switch (best of all, one which someone has snapped off the top of the baton, so is useless anyway), or push out the pivot pin and replace the whole baton - which you can do if yours is the unlucky one with the broken baton too.

Either of these things is actually no more work, and quite possibly less, than replacing the switch, and has the great advantage that it keeps the vast majority of the switch original and the solder joints intact, which can matter to purists and collectors - and even though I don't get too hung up about originality for the sake of it myself, I prefer to change only the bad parts where I can, even if that's a 'part of a part' . I never throw away broken vintage switches for this reason... you can replace individual spring leaves as well if you have to - very occasionally the angled tip will snap off.

These old Switchcraft switches will last almost forever with a little maintenance, and it really annoys me to see one that's been changed out for a frequently poorer-quality modern 'near equivalent', often with bad soldering, when it would have been simple to fix the old one. At least with the switches, if you must change it the modern Switchcrafts appear to be as good as the old ones - sadly with pots, even the new CTS ones are not as well-made as the older ones, but it's possible to replace parts of pots too - including the track, rotor and/or shaft while leaving the casing with its original date code and ground soldering intact. But many techs seem to have never even heard of contact cleaner, let alone learning to do this kind of thing... either that or they just like to charge for fitting unnecessary replacements.

[rick360]

This is an interesting and timely thread for me.I have a new 360/6 with a twitchy selector switch. It is a bit loose from side to side in each position and it doesn't want to stay in the treble pick up position at all. I was planning on buying a new switch and replacing the original. Having read this post, is there a chance I may be able to "tighten" up the toggle somehow? I would prefer doing that, rather than replacing it. Any opinions or advice will be appreciated.

[jingle_jangle]

Yep. As I describe above, a good inspection and a bit of fiddling, bending the leaves very carefully with a small pair of needle-nosed pliers will usually do the trick. Give it a shot.

[fatcat]

I fixed the switch on my Telecaster DeLuxe this way;the fixin' was easier than removing the guard
Kept the guitar all original.