A Gibson Les Paul Tribute came in for a setup, a string gauge change from 8s to 10s, and a pickup selector that had started sticking.
What Came In
A Les Paul Tribute. The owner wanted the strings moved from 8s to 10s and the guitar set up to match, and the three-way selector had started sticking instead of switching cleanly.
What We Found
The toggle was sticking and not seating in each position. The guitar also needed a cleaning and the output jack had worked loose. Going up to 10s had pushed the neck and bridge out of spec, so the truss rod, the bridge and tailpiece height, and the intonation all needed resetting for the heavier strings.
What We Did
Cleaned the guitar and tightened the jack. Pulled the three-way toggle, bent the sticking contact back into position, cleaned the contacts, and lubed the mechanism so it switches cleanly again. Then set the truss rod, brought the tailpiece and bridge up together to the right height, and set intonation for the 10s. About an hour and a half on the bench.
Result
The switch works the way it should again, and the guitar plays better on 10s than it did on 8s.
Worth Knowing
A sticking pickup selector is usually mechanical, not electronic. The contact inside the switch gets bent or gums up and stops seating, so cleaning and reseating it brings it back without a new switch in most cases.
The gauge change is the other half of the job. Switching string gauges is not just a string change. A guitar set up for 8s usually needs a full setup pass to play right on 10s, because relief, bridge and tailpiece height, and intonation all shift under the new tension. We see this pairing at the bench in Glens Falls regularly.
Bring It In
Got a switch that drops out, or a setup that needs doing? Bring it in. Standard setup is $79 and we'll get it back in your hands as soon as possible.
Related
- What a Guitar Setup Includes and Why It Matters
- Fender G-5A VG Stratocaster Setup and Synth Repair
- When to Take Your Guitar to a Tech vs. Fix It Yourself
Paul's Guitar Hideout is located at The Shirt Factory in Glens Falls, NY. Use the Cooper Street entrance and take the stairs up. If you need assistance, give us a call and we'll come down.
The Shirt Factory
71 Lawrence St., Suite 201B, 2nd Floor
Glens Falls, NY 12801
Wednesday to Sunday, 12 to 5pm
(518) 217-8695 · info@paulsguitarhideout.com