Bridge pickups faulty on humbucker guitars - a just a weird coincidence?

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BlueingreenBlueingreen Frets: 2582
I currently have 3 twin humbucker guitars with faulty bridge pickups. Two Gibsons, one PRS.  I have 4 twin humbucker guitars so that's basically 75% of them.  I don't attempt this sort of repair myself and need to get them to a luthier.  I imagine just loose wiring or similar.

I'm assuming this is just a weird coincidence.  What makes it even weirder is that none of the guitars has been getting a lot of use:  mainly I use Strat types or my 339, the only HH guitar that doesn't have this issue.

I'm not hard on guitars physically.

Have I just been unlucky or is there something I'm missing, eg that guitars sitting relatively unused on a stand in a centrally heated environment are liable to develop these issues?
“To a man with a hammer every problem looks like a nail.”
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Comments

  • ICBMICBM Frets: 71960
    Do you normally leave the pickup selector switch in the neck position?

    "Take these three items, some WD-40, a vise grip, and a roll of duct tape. Any man worth his salt can fix almost any problem with this stuff alone." - Walt Kowalski

    "Just because I don't care, doesn't mean I don't understand." - Homer Simpson

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  • BlueingreenBlueingreen Frets: 2582
    Yes I think so, although it's not a conscious decision.  For various reasons I use the neck pickup more when playing in the house and the guitar would be left with the pickup selector switch on the pickup I was using last.
    “To a man with a hammer every problem looks like a nail.”
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  • ICBMICBM Frets: 71960
    Yes I think so, although it's not a conscious decision.  For various reasons I use the neck pickup more when playing in the house and the guitar would be left with the pickup selector switch on the pickup I was using last.
    That will be it. Leaving the switch on one position strains the contacts for the other one over time so it doesn't make as positive a contact, and also allows dust to get into the gap. You should always leave the switch in the middle position.

    Try some contact cleaner in the switches first. If that doesn't fix it you may need the switches re-tensioned or replaced.

    "Take these three items, some WD-40, a vise grip, and a roll of duct tape. Any man worth his salt can fix almost any problem with this stuff alone." - Walt Kowalski

    "Just because I don't care, doesn't mean I don't understand." - Homer Simpson

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  • BlueingreenBlueingreen Frets: 2582
    Well you live and learn.  I had no idea that it was a bad thing leaving the pickup selector in the same position.
    “To a man with a hammer every problem looks like a nail.”
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  • HenrytwangHenrytwang Frets: 470
    As I very rarely use the volume and tone controls. I always have to clean the pots on my guitars prior to selling them in order to get rid of cracking.
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