anyone else knock their strat pickup switch all the time? EDIT:problem solved!

Voxman

imalrightjack said:

I constantly roll down the volume unintentionally.

As above, I used to as well - you might like this little fix that works beautifully, from 7mins:

ICBM

thegummy said:

I've heard that before about the connection breaking but I always use superswitches and have never noticed anything with it.

Is it at gig volume that it's problematic?

Yes, especially if you do knock it and it sticks in between the positions... instant silence. Rare, but it can happen. Even if it doesn't there's usually a more noticeable click.

Move it slowly while the sound is sustaining and you'll hear it.

merciful-evans

I used a Strat exclusively for 25 years. I never had that problem. But I did when I first got a Les Paul. I was hitting that switch all the time.

I liked Phil's foam solution for knobs. Not much help for the switch though...

fastonebaz

I think that's one of the improvements on Steve vai JEm guitars,  moving the knobs and switches to the right position.

stevrossthepipe

https://i.imgur.com/9nic2uP.jpg

I had this problem constantly and was  always turning down the volume. I have no real technique and especially when I play live my hands shoot everywhere. 

That’s why I got these mods done. Loved the sound, neck and weight. Didn’t want another to get another guitar so that’s the reasoning. Also didn’t like the plastic feel when feeling about down there.  Same with Velcro, don’t love it .

tone1

Very strange....I used to do this a lot along with turning myself down by knocking the volume pot.... but I haven’t done it for years 

axisus

OK, so I have solved my problem! I took the small spring off of the switch, clipped off about 1.5mm of the coil, bent the end out again and reattached. It is a fair bit stiffer now due to the increased tension and it would take a hefty knock to get casually moved. I guess that not everyone would be happy with the trade-off of a stiffer switch but it works for me. 

jaymenon

Jeff Skunk Baxter put his 'Strat' selector switch in a different location - possibly to combat this problem...?

Philly_Q

jaymenon said:

Jeff Skunk Baxter put his 'Strat' selector switch in a different location - possibly to combat this problem...?

Looks like it has the scratchplate and electronics from a Roland synth guitar, that was their standard layout.

stickyfiddle

I can honestly say in almost 19 years and 11 months of playing guitar I don't think I've ever knocked my strat's volume or pickup switch accidentally. I do wonder if there's some obvious technique or ergonomic thing at play with those that find it a problem - maybe strap height or something?

@Philly_Q - Now THAT is a guitar I'd hit the pickup switch by accident...

munckee

I have on occasion knocked from neck to neck/middle but not very frequently. 

Have just got into Jaguars though and can see why Johnny marr changed switch as I have turned off the pickup on a fair few occasions!

Philly_Q

I've always thought the Strat's controls are really well laid out.  I've certainly done the accidentally turning down the volume thing, but I still like where it's placed - and I've developed a habit of regularly "checking" it's on 10 with my little finger.  Never had any problem with the switch location.

I once had a Washburn guitar (WM-200) with a Strat-style layout - volume, two tones and a 5-way switch - but they somehow managed to place all the controls really badly.  Everything was too close together and the switch was placed such that the knobs always got in the way.  It was so bad that I was going to make a new scratchplate with relocated controls, but in the end I just sold the guitar.

axisus

stickyfiddle said:

I can honestly say in almost 19 years and 11 months of playing guitar I don't think I've ever knocked my strat's volume or pickup switch accidentally. I do wonder if there's some obvious technique or ergonomic thing at play with those that find it a problem - maybe strap height or something?

@Philly_Q - Now THAT is a guitar I'd hit the pickup switch by accident...

I'll tell you where it comes from for me: Needless to say it's my hand position when I strum/play the strings when I get a bit more aggressive in my playing, but also it is my sitting position. I only ever play at home, and I sit down on my amp in a tiny room 99% of the time. When I play like this I have noticed that I have the guitar at a different angle, the headstock is a bit higher in the air. This moves the position of the switch a bit as well, to slightly more underneath my right hand. Enough to make a difference!

axisus

jaymenon said:

Jeff Skunk Baxter put his 'Strat' selector switch in a different location - possibly to combat this problem...?

That placement looks extremely unaesthetic to me! My eye is twitching just looking at it.

Grangousier

Maybe if you had five strats, one for each selector position, and glued the switches in place. A good excuse to have five strats, if you need an excuse.

digitalkettle

stevrossthepipe said:

https://i.imgur.com/9nic2uP.jpg

Damn...how well can you play that mastic gun?

ICBM

stickyfiddle said:

I can honestly say in almost 19 years and 11 months of playing guitar I don't think I've ever knocked my strat's volume or pickup switch accidentally. I do wonder if there's some obvious technique or ergonomic thing at play with those that find it a problem - maybe strap height or something?

It's called thrashing around like a demented chimpanzee.

I do, anyway...

munckee said:

Have just got into Jaguars though and can see why Johnny marr changed switch as I have turned off the pickup on a fair few occasions!

I modded mine by rewiring it so the both-down setting was both pickups on, in series - that needs DPDTs which the USA models don't have as stock, although the MIJ ones do. Or you can do it much more simply by reversing the switches so that down is on (and up off) for both pickups.

stickyfiddle

ICBM said:

stickyfiddle said:

I can honestly say in almost 19 years and 11 months of playing guitar I don't think I've ever knocked my strat's volume or pickup switch accidentally. I do wonder if there's some obvious technique or ergonomic thing at play with those that find it a problem - maybe strap height or something?

It's called thrashing around like a demented chimpanzee.

I do, anyway...

See, I can get behind @Axisus suggestion, but for that I don't think you can blame Mr Fender...