Issue with DGT pickup sounding distorted and weak

[22Top]

I’m having a strange issue with the neck pickup in my DGT, or the switch. When I’m using the neck (and less audibly in the middle position) I’m getting a distorted sound; it’s similar to when you keep playing guitar after you’ve shut the amp off, and as the power fades out of the tubes, you get a crackly low volume signal. That’s what my neck pickup is sounding like, regardless of the coil split position.


I opened the back cavity, and the switch seems to be in order. It’s a 2012 DGT Standard. It would be too soon for a switch to go, no?


Any advice on troubleshooting?

 

[John Beef]

Is there any change in the sound when using the volume pot? Other than the same sound louder or quieter.

 

[22Top]

No. If I really dig in and strum hard, the signal gets a little louder, but more distorted.

 

[AP515]

Is this a recent change? Did it play fine for years?

 

[TFC]

If it were my guitar, the first thing I'd do is open the cavity and wiggle all the wires while the strings are vibrating. Sometimes the culprit wire/connection can be identified that way. Then, I'd de-solder the neck pickup and test it using a multimeter for the expected resistance. Then I'd re-solder to ensure that a bad solder joint wasn't the culprit. Note that all my guitars are all well-used, so I have no qualms about undoing anything that was done with the electronics at the factory.

 

[22Top]

If it were my guitar, the first thing I'd do is open the cavity and wiggle all the wires while the strings are vibrating. Sometimes the culprit wire/connection can be identified that way. Then, I'd de-solder the neck pickup and test it using a multimeter for the expected resistance. Then I'd re-solder to ensure that a bad solder joint wasn't the culprit. Note that all my guitars are all well-used, so I have no qualms about undoing anything that was done with the electronics at the factory.

I'm not afraid either... just looking to get a few ideas about sources of these kinds of problems prior to warming up the iron.

 

[22Top]

Is this a recent change? Did it play fine for years?

Yes, just in the last 2 weeks. It worked ok for a gig, but I was playing through a modeler, and the PA speakers were far enough away that I couldn't make out fine details.

 

[22Top]

I'm going to try some contact cleaner as well... it just seems very odd that a dirty switch would sound like this.

 

[TFC]

Cool. If it's not the pickup, a wire or a solder joint, then the switch seems to be the next likely thing. I don't know how you troubleshoot that. The one time I had a problem with a switch it was because the contacts were dirty. The solution was to gently rub some sandpaper against the switch contacts to clean it up.

Let us know when you figure it out.

 

[22Top]

Cool. If it's not the pickup, a wire or a solder joint, then the switch seems to be the next likely thing. I don't know how you troubleshoot that. The one time I had a problem with a switch it was because the contacts were dirty. The solution was to gently rub some sandpaper against the switch contacts to clean it up.

Let us know when you figure it out.

Thanks for the tip. What grit do you think I should use?

 

[TFC]

I don't recall but it was probably pretty fine. I think it just took a few strokes in each direction.

I suppose another culprit could be the neck volume pot. Again, something you can de-solder, test with a meter, and re-solder.

 

[AP515]

This isn't very likely, but I once had a pickup ground wire fall against the cap leads and short it to ground. Try moving the wires around in the cavity as was suggested above and see if it goes away.