Gibson SG output problems

MattG

I've been a happy SG owner for quite a few years now but recently its developed a problem whereby when i change to the bridge pickup it sound like the volume pot is turned almost all of the way down.

If i flick the switch a few times it fixes it and it doesn't always happen but it makes the guitar impossible to use live which is a shame as its one of if not actually my favourite guitar, it sounds like an issue with the switch but if one of the many more knowledgable (than me) people on this forum could offer any advice in where the issue is likely to lie it would be appreciated as i don't really want to go poking around in there not knowing what i'm looking for.

badlydrawnbanjo

A blast of contact cleaner down the pickup selector switch would be my first port of call.

ICBM

Switch, volume pot or faulty pickup, in that order of probability. It is most likely to be the switch if moving it fixes it, but it could be that the vibration of flicking the switch is causing a bad contact elsewhere to fix itself, so it doesn't totally rule out anything else.

Contact cleaner might help, but only applied from inside - the contacts aren't directly below the toggle on an SG. It may need the contact point carefully cleaning with a piece of folded sandpaper if a spot of corrosion has formed there.

MattG

cheers guys i'll buy some contact cleaner and open her up

sweepy

Check that the pot hasn't come loose and one of the lugs isn't shorting in the control cavity

boogieman

Check the soldering too. On my SG, one of the wires to the bridge volume pot had never been soldered!

ICBM

boogieman said:

Check the soldering too. On my SG, one of the wires to the bridge volume pot had never been soldered!

Someone I know had an SG Custom like that.

FRockStar

My SG developed a similar problem recently. Turned out two wires were touching & shorting near one of the pots. That was my own dodgy wiring, mind. ">

GuitarMonkey

I've seen that on Gibson guitars more than once.