What to expect

[Glacies]

So my frankenstrat is giving me issues in the neck pickup and in the selector switch.

I get a little crazy with my strumming and coming from only playing a Les Paul for a while, I hit the switch a lot (I'm working on it) - when I hit it, I get a bunch of static and it seems to drop the contact. I have to wiggle it a bit to get it to pick it back up. Without having opened it up yet, seems to me like the switch is just bad if it's not a solder joint. The position that it's giving me problems in is the Neck pickup.

Also with the neck pickup - and this is new, just started today - it will phase in and out. No static. And for a while now, when I give a big bad bend to my high E, it will loose it at the top.

Now, I know the previous owner put in DiMarzio's and did a crap job of putting it all back together (rusted screws, different heads) - but I liked the way it looked and sounded so it wasn't broke and I didn't fix it. Unfortunately now it's just annoying to play. I'm not intimidated by the electrical work, I just hate opening up guitars.

Do you guys think I'm just looking at some bad solder and maybe a switch replacement? The high E bend kind of concerns me.

[Bookkeeper's Son]

Is it possible that your high E bend is fretting out?

[Glacies]

No, I hear it on the guitar just fine.

[mrmudcat]

Desolder resolder all tabs on switch if still having probs replace with a good quality switch.Personally I would replace switch strip wire ends new and tin the ends before resolder! Also you can tin the tabs to fill in the holes giving you a better connection to solder to! While the pups are out test them to make sure they are within spec range.

[duhvoodooman***]

Sounds to me like the switch is shot, but it could be a bum solder joint. If the latter, usually just reflowing each joint on the switch with a hot solder iron is sufficient to re-establish a good connection.

[mrmudcat]

That is correct like ya didnt know oh great voodoo one