How Do I Test A Jaguar Pick Up Selector Switch

[mark76]

Advice please

[alexpigment]

There should be 6 lugs on the bottom of the switch. If you're looking at it horizontally from the bottom, it should be as follows:

1a 2a 3a
1b 2b 3b

When the switch is to the 'left', 1 will be connected to 2 (both a and b). When the switch is to the right, 3 will be connected to 2 (both a and b). If you have a multimeter, you'll want to make sure that there is continuity from 1a to 2a and 1b to 2b when the switch is to the left. You'll also want to make sure there's no continuity from 2a to 3a or 2b to 3b. Assuming that works, put the switch to the 'right' and confirm that the reverse is true.

Hopefully my explanation and advice makes sense. It's actually really simple in my head, but writing it out felt a lot more difficult than I would have thought

[mark76]

Okay. The switch I'm having problems with is the one that turns the neck pickup on and off in Lead mode. I removed the switch array from it's cavity and inverted it so that the neck selector switch is on the left and the strangle switch on the right (as normal), but the tabs are all upside down. So, in for the sake of clarity the top pair will be 1a (L) and 1b (R), the middle pair 2a (L), 2b (R) and the bottom pair 3a (L) and 3b (R), because I'm looking at t from the low E string side.

So... 1a plus 2a produces an audible beep. This is the off position. 2a and 3a produce no beep. This is the on position.

Wiring is as follows. 1a is wired to ground. 2a is wired to 2a on the bridge pickup switch. All other tabs are unwired.

Here's a photo

[alexpigment]

And just to be clear, you're physically flipping the switch when do those tests right? You said "this is the off position" and "this is the on position", but your results would make sense *if* the switch tip wasn't physically moved from the off position.

[mark76]

Whoops

Okay. Switch in off position. 1a and 2a, no beep. 2a and 3a. Beep. 1b and 2b, also no beep, 2b and 3b, beep.

Switch in on position. 1a and 2a, beep. 2a and 3a, no beep. Same for 1b and 2b, and 2b and 3b

[alexpigment]

Gotcha. Sounds like it's working as intended then. Hopefully that helps, but I suspect now you're now scratching your head about the source of the issue on the guitar If it helps, the neck pickup is a bit special on a Jaguar (or Jazzmaster) because it goes to the rhythm circuit first before going to the pickup selector switch, assuming that it's using a traditional wiring scheme. So you may want to investigate the wiring on the rhythm circuit selector switch.

[mark76]

Hah, there's a wire that's somehow become detached from the tab (bottom right) it should be soldered to. In the photo below I'm pointing to it with a screwdriver head



Sorry about the potato quality image

[mark76]

Can confirm that when the exposed part of the wire touches the tab with the rhythm circuit switch in the off position the neck pickup selector switch in the lead circuit works as expected.

[alexpigment]

Awesome. Good job locating the problem! I presume you've got a soldering iron to fix it?

[mark76]

Yes, but I've only just been able to find some tin/lead mix rosin core solder (the bestest solder) and it won't be here until Monday.