https://guitarnoise.forum/guitar-repair-and-maintenance/les-paul-question/ Guitar Noise Discussion Board en-US Thu, 04 Jun 2026 08:40:15 +0000 wpForo 60 https://guitarnoise.forum/guitar-repair-and-maintenance/les-paul-question/paged/2/#post-74167 Fri, 29 Oct 2004 23:13:27 +0000
The selector switch oxidises, which makes the pickups do strange things.
Just use a little switch cleaner, or WD40 or something like that, it works a treat. 9 times out of ten this is the problem.

If that fails, you have a more serious problem on your hands, but it's never particualrly serious with guitars because the electrics are usually relatively simple]]> Guitar Repair and Maintenance English one https://guitarnoise.forum/guitar-repair-and-maintenance/les-paul-question/paged/2/#post-74167 https://guitarnoise.forum/guitar-repair-and-maintenance/les-paul-question/paged/2/#post-74093 Fri, 29 Oct 2004 03:40:15 +0000 Guitar Repair and Maintenance Taso https://guitarnoise.forum/guitar-repair-and-maintenance/les-paul-question/paged/2/#post-74093 https://guitarnoise.forum/guitar-repair-and-maintenance/les-paul-question/#post-66043 Mon, 23 Aug 2004 14:06:40 +0000 Guitar Repair and Maintenance Taso https://guitarnoise.forum/guitar-repair-and-maintenance/les-paul-question/#post-66043 https://guitarnoise.forum/guitar-repair-and-maintenance/les-paul-question/#post-64848 Tue, 10 Aug 2004 16:43:49 +0000 very small amount of WD40 or Silicone lube into the underside of the switch.
You may just need a new switch. This has probably come up in the GN forums somewhere before, as it is the topic of endless debate/discussion elsewhere: WD40 is primarily a solvent, whose purpose is to free stuck parts. It should not be used on electrical parts unless one intends to clean it away completely and immediately. It's better not to use it at all. The correct thing to use is electrical contact cleaner. A relay burnishing tool (sort of a very fine, tiny file) for the Gibson-type leaf switches is even better, but requires a bit of skill.

As far as the whole lead issue goes, one should look for common points of failure: if one pups/switch position works correctly and another doesn't, it is NOT the lead, or the jack, but something that changed when you flicked the switch: that is something in the neck pup circuit that is not in the bridge circuit as well. The only place this gets tricky is that the switch has essentially independent electrical sides, and can fail in one position, and not the other.

As Sloth and Paul have indicated, it's probably the switch. Gibson usually uses good quality (Switchcraft) leaf switches, so it should be cleanable -- just use the right stuff.

Good luck -- Greg]]> Guitar Repair and Maintenance gnease https://guitarnoise.forum/guitar-repair-and-maintenance/les-paul-question/#post-64848 https://guitarnoise.forum/guitar-repair-and-maintenance/les-paul-question/#post-64835 Tue, 10 Aug 2004 11:01:05 +0000
I'll get a bottle of that compressed air.. (keyboard cleaner works right?) and try that I guess.]]> Guitar Repair and Maintenance Taso https://guitarnoise.forum/guitar-repair-and-maintenance/les-paul-question/#post-64835 https://guitarnoise.forum/guitar-repair-and-maintenance/les-paul-question/#post-64782 Mon, 09 Aug 2004 07:48:35 +0000 Guitar Repair and Maintenance Taso https://guitarnoise.forum/guitar-repair-and-maintenance/les-paul-question/#post-64782 https://guitarnoise.forum/guitar-repair-and-maintenance/les-paul-question/#post-64776 Mon, 09 Aug 2004 04:07:39 +0000 Guitar Repair and Maintenance slothrob https://guitarnoise.forum/guitar-repair-and-maintenance/les-paul-question/#post-64776 https://guitarnoise.forum/guitar-repair-and-maintenance/les-paul-question/#post-64775 Mon, 09 Aug 2004 03:40:04 +0000 Guitar Repair and Maintenance paul donnelly https://guitarnoise.forum/guitar-repair-and-maintenance/les-paul-question/#post-64775 https://guitarnoise.forum/guitar-repair-and-maintenance/les-paul-question/#post-64761 Sun, 08 Aug 2004 23:17:24 +0000 If you are lucky it will dislodge a piece of grit and everything will work like new.
Maybe a very small amount of WD40 or Silicone lube into the underside of the switch.
You may just need a new switch.
If you get a wiring diagram and a multimeter, you could test to see if the switch is doing what it is supposed to. You might want to do this before you start spraying lubricant everywhere.]]> Guitar Repair and Maintenance slothrob https://guitarnoise.forum/guitar-repair-and-maintenance/les-paul-question/#post-64761 https://guitarnoise.forum/guitar-repair-and-maintenance/les-paul-question/#post-64759 Sun, 08 Aug 2004 22:38:06 +0000
What did you mean by compressed air around the switch?

thanks again for your help.]]> Guitar Repair and Maintenance Taso https://guitarnoise.forum/guitar-repair-and-maintenance/les-paul-question/#post-64759