G&L ASAT Quiet Bridge Pickup Help

Hello All,

I was wondering if anyone could help me out with a ASAT wiring issue?

My bridge pickup on my G&L has suddenly lost volume.
When I switch it over to the neck position, my neck pickup sounds fine.

I read a few threads on here which indicated it could be a switch problem.

So, I decided to replace all of the intermediary wires on the 3 position switch and resolder the bridge pickup connection.

Once I rewired the switch, the Bridge Pickup sounded fine for a few days and then lost volume again. I checked all the connections and wired this twice with pvc and cloth wiring, and the results are the same.

Has anyone had any similar issues? Any ideas on the problem?

Hello All,

I was wondering if anyone could help me out with a ASAT wiring issue?

My bridge pickup on my G&L has suddenly lost volume.
When I switch it over to the neck position, my neck pickup sounds fine.

I read a few threads on here which indicated it could be a switch problem.

So, I decided to replace all of the intermediary wires on the 3 position switch and resolder the bridge pickup connection.

So, you read that the switch was the likely problem and you proceeded to work with the wires? No offense, but how does that make any sense?

Once I rewired the switch, the Bridge Pickup sounded fine for a few days and then lost volume again. I checked all the connections and wired this twice with pvc and cloth wiring, and the results are the same.

PVC vs. cloth will not solve anything -- the wire inside is what carries the signal and that signal doesn't care about insulation as long as it works. When you rewired the switch you probably moved the offending switch contact just enough for it to work, at least for a while -- obviously you're after a more reliable/permanent fix!

Has anyone had any similar issues? Any ideas on the problem?

Have you tried replacing the switch itself? Sometimes one or more contacts lose their tension or just plain wear out and cause more or less intermittent problems like this. Try treating the switch with aerosol tuner cleaner -- if that doesn't work, replace the switch, AFAIK any standard Tele switch will do and those are readily available.

This is where an ohmmeter comes in handy. A friend brought over his Strat today complaining that something wasn't right; it sounded tinny and weird. Playing it revealed that his middle pickup had a problem. Very low volume, and very thin. I plugged a cable into the jack and measured the resistance tip to sleeve. It was clear his middle pickup was open; it had no continuity. All I could see was the resistance of the volume control. It was possible that the switch had an open circuit on the middle pickup path, but taking it apart revealed that the switch was fine, but the pickup was indeed open, and in this case the open was internal to the coil, so it was a goner.

I hope for your sake that your trouble is in the switch or wiring, and not the pickup itself. An ohmmeter will help you isolate the defective component.

So, you read that the switch was the likely problem and you proceeded to work with the wires? No offense, but how does that make any sense?

Sorry, I should have clarified that I have read threads indicating that the intermediary wires on the switch could have been a problem.

PVC vs. cloth will not solve anything -- the wire inside is what carries the signal and that signal doesn't care about insulation as long as it works. When you rewired the switch you probably moved the offending switch contact just enough for it to work, at least for a while -- obviously you're after a more reliable/permanent fix!



Have you tried replacing the switch itself? Sometimes one or more contacts lose their tension or just plain wear out and cause more or less intermittent problems like this. Try treating the switch with aerosol tuner cleaner -- if that doesn't work, replace the switch, AFAIK any standard Tele switch will do and those are readily available.

Thanks for the advice! I just ordered a switch.

This is where an ohmmeter comes in handy. A friend brought over his Strat today complaining that something wasn't right; it sounded tinny and weird. Playing it revealed that his middle pickup had a problem. Very low volume, and very thin. I plugged a cable into the jack and measured the resistance tip to sleeve. It was clear his middle pickup was open; it had no continuity. All I could see was the resistance of the volume control. It was possible that the switch had an open circuit on the middle pickup path, but taking it apart revealed that the switch was fine, but the pickup was indeed open, and in this case the open was internal to the coil, so it was a goner.

I hope for your sake that your trouble is in the switch or wiring, and not the pickup itself. An ohmmeter will help you isolate the defective component.

Thank you. I think its time to bite the bullet and take it to my repair guy. I was always interested in installing a four way switch anyway. I might as well have it professionally done, and cross my fingers that its not a pickup issue.