# Pickup Switch Stiff on 335



## Tarbender (Apr 7, 2006)

Hey guys my pickup selector switch is kinda stiff on my ES-335. Anybody ever try putting a drop or two of contact cleaner in the toggle bowl, or even a lubricant? I really don't want to change out the switch it's a pain in the a$$ to work inside the "F" hole.


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## Taylor (Oct 31, 2014)

I'd try blasting it out with a canned air duster before adding any lubricants or cleaners. I've found with the little 3-ways, stiffness is usually thanks to a buildup of dust and debris rather than any corrosion or mechanical resistance. Failing that, there's a WD-40 Specialist-Electrical Contact Cleaner Spray that works well. (I've also used it to clean my strings.) DeoxIT also is a miracle worker IF you can track it down.


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## Milkman (Feb 2, 2006)

Contact cleaner will work fine, but get the good stuff. The cheap stuff leaves deposits or so was told.


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## Tarbender (Apr 7, 2006)

Thanks guys. I'll see if I can find some around town somewhere.


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## Milkman (Feb 2, 2006)

No problem. I'd spray it, wait a minite or two and then spray it again.

You can use lots and not hurt the guitar (as long as you use good quality stuff).


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## greco (Jul 15, 2007)

As you didn't state the manufacturer of your guitar, I don't want to assume anything.

If you look inside the guitar body and see that you have a "box" style switch like the one in the pic, I would replace it with a better quality switch. This style of switch quite often fails after time.









If you have a Gibson (or similar quality) ES 335, you likely already have a good quality switch...similar to/the same as this:








Good Luck with it...let us know the results. 

In addition, sincere apologies if you are very aware of this info.

*Has anyone else ever had this problem of a "stiff toggle switch" happen to them? 
It is new to me.*

Cheers

Dave


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## Taylor (Oct 31, 2014)

greco said:


> Has anyone else ever had this problem of a "stiff toggle switch" happen to them?
> It is new to me.


The toggle switch on my old SG almost completely seized up a couple years ago--it was STUFFED with compacted pick dust and dead skin. Similar thing happened to my Japanese hollowbody, but in that case it was just corroded to hell and back.


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## High/Deaf (Aug 19, 2009)

greco said:


> *Has anyone else ever had this problem of a "stiff toggle switch" happen to them?
> It is new to me.*
> 
> Cheers
> ...


If your stiff toggle switch lasts for more than 7 hours, please consult a physician.


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## mhammer (Nov 30, 2007)

Heh, heh....

The stiffness of the "leaf-style" switch would rarely, if ever, be attributable to corrosion. Possible causes would be similar to what Taylor noted above, or to a rotation of the switch in the cavity, such that the "bat" on the switch is prevented from moving by being shoved up against a surface.

That is not to say that the "leaves" of such a switch _can't _become tarnished and imperfectly conductive, over time. But such electrical issues would not be reflected in physical stiffness of the mechanism.


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## Tarbender (Apr 7, 2006)

OK guys, here is the culprit, a Gibson ES-335. And this switch has the longest legs I've ever seen on a stiff switch, (yeah I can hear the jokes already). I tried a blast or two with canned air but no joy, so I tried to remove the switch to see if I could access it better, but the legs were too long and I didn't want to take off the tip.















So what I did was using a pipette, dropped a tiny droplet of baby oil in the switch bowl and worked the switch back and forth a couple of times and presto, works like a new switch. So at the end of the day it was the physical pin that the toggle tip rotates on and nothing to do with the contacts. I am very happy I don't have to replace this switch. Thanks again to all the contributors.


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## gtone (Nov 1, 2009)

If the stiffness lasts more than 4 hours, call your doctor...


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## greco (Jul 15, 2007)

Tarbender said:


> View attachment 14893
> 
> 
> So what I did was using a pipette, dropped a tiny droplet of baby oil in the switch bowl and worked the switch back and forth a couple of times and presto, works like a new switch. So at the end of the day it was the physical pin that the toggle tip rotates on and nothing to do with the contacts.


Thanks...This is good for others to know if they experience the same in the future.

Beautiful ES-335! 

Cheers

Dave


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## Tarbender (Apr 7, 2006)

Ooo... can't believe how smooth it switches now. Going to do this on my LP... nothing to loose.


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## greco (Jul 15, 2007)

Tarbender said:


> Ooo... can't believe how smooth it switches now. Going to do this on my LP... nothing to loose.


Smooth as a *baby*'s *oil*ed bottom...


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## Dorian2 (Jun 9, 2015)

Would a pot cleaner cap work for this situation?

StuMac and ebay have them.

http://www.ebay.ca/sch/i.html?_odkw...cap.TRS0&_nkw=guitar+pot+cleaner+cap&_sacat=0


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## greco (Jul 15, 2007)

Dorian2 said:


> Would a pot cleaner cap work for this situation?
> 
> StuMac and ebay have them.
> 
> http://www.ebay.ca/sch/i.html?_odkw...cap.TRS0&_nkw=guitar+pot+cleaner+cap&_sacat=0












_* "A SET OF 2 POT (**Potentiometer**) CLEANERS AND O-RING SEAL 1 STANDARD THREAD AND 1 METRIC THREAD COVERS AROUND 99% OFF ALL **Potentiometer**s** (POTS) ON GUITARS WILL WORK ON SHORT SHAFT, LONG SHAFT, KNURLED, OR SPLIT SHAFTS. WORKS ON SOME AMPS AND SOME EFFECT PEDALS AS WELL AS GUITARS MAKES CLEANING POTS A SNAP WITHOUT DIS ASSEMBLY OF GUITAR OR AMP ELECTRONICS. COMPLETELY UNIVERSAL. THIS IS HOW YOU USE THEM REMOVE KNOB PUT O-RING OVER POT THREAD DOWN ON NUT THEN THREAD DOWN ON POT USE AN AEROSOL ELECTRONIC CLEANER, LIKE CRC CONTACT CLEANER OR DEOXIT, THERE IS A HOLE IN TOP OF BRASS BODY AND A FEW SPRAYS LATER UNSCREW AND REPLACE KNOB, THEN PLAY GETS RID OF ANNOYING POPS AND CRACKS WHILE YOUR PLAYING OR ADJUSTING THE CONTROLS**.*_* I AM A TOOL MAKER BY PROFESSION AND I MADE THESE YOU CAN NOT FIND THEM IN ANY STORES. THE CLOSEST THING I HAVE FOUND IS AT STEW MACK IT DOES NOT THREAD ON SO ELECTRONICS CLEANER CAN GET ON THE FINISH OF YOUR GUITAR (OUCH)"

*Interesting!

Creative thinking, craftsmanship and an entrepeneurial spirit impresses me. 

Cheers

Dave*
*


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