Epi Les Paul Pickup Selector Problem

[das234]

I know there are a lot of bright and experienced people here so I'm hoping you can help me figure out why my pickups aren't acting right.

I have an Epi Les Paul Custom with the coil tap pickups.  In the "Treble" selector position, the pickup sounds nice and full as I expect. In the "Rhythm" position AND the middle position, I have a huge drop off in volume.  I've tried adjusting pickup height but they are SO different, that doesn't do much.  Also, I would think that I should at least hear my nice, full sounding bridge pickup in the middle position.  I'm willing to replace the selector switch or wiring or whatever but I'm not sure where I should start.  Has anyone had experience with something like this?

[gordo]

Sounds like a ground problem.  Check for continuity around the switch and be aware that usually the black paint in cavities is conductive so if a stray wire or lug on a switch touches the sides of a cavity it can short.  Also make sure that you don't have a pickup wire crushed as it passes thru the bridge pickup cavity.  Fire a few photos and lets take a look.

[das234]

Will do.  Thanks for the place to start.

[timbo_93631]

I know there are a lot of bright and experienced people here so I'm hoping you can help me figure out why my pickups aren't acting right.

I have an Epi Les Paul Custom with the coil tap pickups.  In the "Treble" selector position, the pickup sounds nice and full as I expect. In the "Rhythm" position AND the middle position, I have a huge drop off in volume.  I've tried adjusting pickup height but they are SO different, that doesn't do much.  Also, I would think that I should at least hear my nice, full sounding bridge pickup in the middle position.  I'm willing to replace the selector switch or wiring or whatever but I'm not sure where I should start.  Has anyone had experience with something like this?

Is there any difference with the push pull pot up for the coil tap?  I'd suspect that you are only getting one coil of the humbucker, the coil tap will have a noticeable volume drop compared to the full HB.  It could be the pickup itself, but I'd guess more likely either the switch is wired backwards (if you pull it and the pickup gets louder and fuller this is the case) or the switch could be defective or wired wrong so one coil is always getting shunted to ground.  What I am saying is the pickup selector toggle is probably not the culprit.  It's going to be miswired, bad push/pull pot switch, or a defective pickup.

[das234]

More things to look at.  I bought this guitar new, it has worked for years and I haven't modded or replaced anything on it so I would expect the wiring to be correct.  I may have to check the pickups against each other to see if one "died" on me somehow.

[timbo_93631]

I'd strongly suspect the push/pull pot switch then.  Most likely it has quit switching and is stuck in the coil split position internally

[das234]

I'd strongly suspect the push/pull pot switch then.  Most likely it has quit switching and is stuck in the coil split position internally

There doesn't seem to be any difference from one position to the other so I guess that supports what you're suspecting.