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strat-style wiring for the electrically challenged . . . a little help?

Dear Abby,

. . . so I wires up my stogiecaster (hybrid cigar box guitar with strat components), and I get this annoying problem . . . .

I took special care to shield the inside of the cavity and used the "star grounding" technique. Every thing is great - EXCEPT: I can only get a signal when the three way pickup selector switch is IN BETWEEN one of the three selector positions.

Anybody got any idea what the heck I did wrong?

Signed,

Mr. In-Between

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Permalink Reply by Don Thompson on December 11, 2010 at 3:19pm

Ok, I'm confused, I have a goofy strat clone whatever I built and I used a five position switch. Neck, Neck and Middle, Middle,Middle and Bridge, Bridge. Sorry, I can't be of more help but it sounds like your connections are wrong to the switch if it is a five way. Maybe you need some jumper wires at the switch. That's my guess.

http://www.electric-guitar-info.com/five-way-switch.html

Don

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Permalink Reply by Kevin Sprague (Knotlenny) on December 11, 2010 at 3:49pm

I'm sorry, Don - you are indeed correct. I meant to say 5- position, not 3. I have to kinda ease the switch into a kinda halfway in between one of the positions to get it to work. I'm flummoxed.

Don Thompson said:

Ok, I'm confused, I have a goofy strat clone whatever I built and I used a five position switch. Neck, Neck and Middle, Middle,Middle and Bridge, Bridge. Sorry, I can't be of more help but it sounds like your connections are wrong to the switch if it is a five way. Maybe you need some jumper wires at the switch. That's my guess.

http://www.electric-guitar-info.com/five-way-switch.html

Don

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Permalink Reply by Don Thompson on December 11, 2010 at 4:01pm

I used a diagram like my link for wiring mine. I'm sure there are many out there on the net. I don't remember a jumper but I can look at mine. So if you tap on a pickup with small piece of steel can you tell which pickup it is? I'm sure others here have much experience with the five way than I but I'll do what I can.

Don

this diagram looks closer to what I used......sorry it's been a few years.

http://www.fender.com/support/diagrams/pdf_temp1/stratocaster/01000...

Knotlenny said:

I'm sorry, Don - you are indeed correct. I meant to say 5- position, not 3. I have to kinda ease the switch into a kinda halfway in between one of the positions to get it to work. I'm flummoxed.

Don Thompson said:

Ok, I'm confused, I have a goofy strat clone whatever I built and I used a five position switch. Neck, Neck and Middle, Middle,Middle and Bridge, Bridge. Sorry, I can't be of more help but it sounds like your connections are wrong to the switch if it is a five way. Maybe you need some jumper wires at the switch. That's my guess.

http://www.electric-guitar-info.com/five-way-switch.html

Don