SANTANA SE pickup problem

rubalup

New Member
Joined
Sep 4, 2013
Messages
219
Location
Colombia
Hello,

I dont really know how to explain this problem. The thing is that, randomly, my signal gets cut / or minimized... specially on the neck pu. I can be playing with the toggle selector on the neck position and the signal cuts... or I can be changing pu´s and the signal goes away or the volume its turned down.

I´m going crazy with this. First I thought it was the toggle so i changed it. Then I put my ZM pickups in there and redone all the wiring. Yesterday the problem came back.

What is this??? I changed toggle, wiring and even pickups!

Any idea what else can I do?
 
Is it possible someone snipped the treble bleed capacitor, and it is momentarily regaining contact? Sorry, just grasping at thoughts that may not have been thought yet.
 
I redid the wiring. It's not the amp or cable for sure.

Is it possible that a bad pot does this? Is the only thing I haven't changed.

The cap is not cutted but I'll check the soldering is solid.
 
Is it possible that a bad pot does this? Is the only thing I haven't changed.
Yes, definitely! When I bought my '03 Santana SE it had a bad volume pot that did something similar. Cutting in and out, sometimes half signal, sometimes full strength. For whatever reason when you said you redid the wiring I assumed you also replaced the pot(s).
 
Thanks John... Pots are the only thing I didn't change.

Weird that you had the same issue. What you are describing is exactly what happens to me
 
My 2012 SE Santana shortly after I got it the toggle quit working all the time.
Switch to the rhythm pickup and it would cut out, but if you shook it, it would come back.
I had read somewhere that a lot of Santana's had that problem.
My dealer replaced the toggle a few months back under warranty, all good now.

But you changed your toggle, so that rules it out.
 
My 2012 SE Santana shortly after I got it the toggle quit working all the time.
Switch to the rhythm pickup and it would cut out, but if you shook it, it would come back.
I had read somewhere that a lot of Santana's had that problem.
My dealer replaced the toggle a few months back under warranty, all good now.

But you changed your toggle, so that rules it out.

Yes Corey I remember reading something about it and thats why I changed the toggle... I´ll look if I have a spare pot of the correct value to replace it.
 
Well this got weirdier.... I changed the pot and the issue remains.

Could be a bad tone pot? A bad treble bleed cap?

I'm running out of ideas and spare parts !!!
 
Plug in and let everything ring with an amp on low volume. Take a pencil or something no conductive and try to poke around and figure out where the issue is. Could be your jack wiring on the guitar as well. Make sure the tabs on the switch have enough separation that nothing is shorting out.
 
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