Low Output HELP

[Metlupass2]

I just picked another Drop Top today. When its plugged in the sound is very low with hardly any output in all positions. It has an HN3+ in the bridge, H1- in the neck, and 3 way toggle with push pull tone knob splitter. I tried another guitar thinking it might be my amp or cable, but those are fine.

I'm guessing its either a pot or input jack, but I know squat about wiring. I unscrewed the input jack and nothing is loose that I could feel or see. I also tugged lightly on all the other wires and nothing was loose there either.

Can anyone tell me if anything looks off from my horrible pictures?


Serial is 12-28-10P

http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b277/Metlupass2/20160831_235636_zpsahck7icw.jpg

http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b277/Metlupass2/20160831_235646_zpsb2clrsuh.jpg

[tom]

i would suspect the 3 way switch. they can oxidize. sometimes just a fevered switching back and forth will clear it up, if not, a squirt of dioxit will make it good as new. could also be the same for the jack but i think the switch is more likely.

do you get a change when you pull the splitter?

[Metlupass2]

It does sound different when I use the splitter like it may be in single coils but the output is so low I can't tell for sure.

[Metlupass2]

I sprayed some contact cleaner on the pots, switch, and jack. It does sound a little better, but I'm pretty sure something is wrong with the push pull tone pot. Its hard to pull and push, plush iffy when rolling on and off.

Which pots do you use to split Tom?

[pipedwho]

Sounds like a broken or shorted ground wire somewhere. Check the jack internals if you can and make sure it looks ok. Sometimes jacks get loose and wires fatigue, then someone tightens it back up with the break/short in place.

[pneil]

I had an issue with my hollow drop top a couple of years ago that sounds similar. One of the pickup leads had broken off where the pickup wire attaches to the windings at the base of the pickup. Luckily my tech at the time was able to reattach it and everything went back to normal. Just another thing to check. Good luck.

[tom]

the pots are alpha. play each pu in individually and split as well to see if the low output is consistent for all positions. then see if rotating vol and tone produce normal function.

if it's happening when either pu is on and when split or not, i think we can rule out the pickups. i'd start at the output from the switch to the volume pot and trace that wire, then the output from vol to jack. then look at the ground wire from jack like piped suggested.