OT: Les Paul pickup switch

[mhelm01]

Mine is sticking. Is it ok to use WD40?

[guitardom]

NO, get contact cleaner. radio shack or any place like that will have some. i recomend deoxit products imparticular. it will clean it as well as lubricate it.

[pharmd07]

I've used Deoxit many times before as a contact cleaner. It's great stuff!

[mhelm01]

I was enroute to a show and used
Wd40. Worked great.

[musicman691]

Originally Posted by mhelm01

I was enroute to a show and used
Wd40. Worked great.

Well Einstein now you've got a problem. You're either going to have to take the switch out and flush it out with isopropyl alcohol and then hit it with contact cleaner or replace the switch. Should have just stopped at Radio Shack and gotten some spray contact cleaner. And don't forget to clean out the cavity in your LP where the switch is.

[pharmd07]

While WD40 is a good lubricant, it's not a cleaner. It may work at first because it will flush the dust/dirt away from the contact. However, WD40 also excels at attracting dust and dirt, and soon your Les Paul switch is going to get worse.

Look at it this way... this is a great opportunity to learn how to solder and replace a pickup selector switch!

[L-Dogg]

Make sure the WD-40, which is specifically a penetrant as well as a lubricant, did not seep in under the plastic washer... the pickup selector one with Rhythm/Treble on it. If it did it might seep under the finish and damage it. Granted you won't see it but why ruin any part of a nice guitar?


Make sure if you buy a contact cleaner, you use the right type. It dissolves the oils and grease and flushes the dirt out by way of it's higher pressure, and then evaporates leaving no residue. The problem is that some types will remove the factory lubricant leaving totally dry pivot points and this will accelerate wear. This type is great for cleaning output jacks and circuit boards and stuff, where you want no trace of oils and residues.

In the case of the switch I think it would be best to have used the Deoxit mentioned, but perhaps their Fader Lube product. Or if the switch was dirty as well, their Cleaner Rejuvenator

I don't think the WD-40 will hurt the switch, I think it is non conductive.

Just remember there are cleaner lubricants specifically made for electronic and electro mechanical components with a guitar as valuable as a Gibson, (assuming it is a Gibby) I personally would want to use the best products.

You could also try this:

http://www.radioshack.com/product/in...entPage=family

EDIT: LOL...pharmd07, I had also mentioned how the WD attracts dirt and dust and becomes a grinding paste but I removed it. Soon as I posted I saw your mention of it....nice! Yeah people use it for everything. It is best as a penetrant and once the frozen item is off it should be treated properly.

100% on replacing the worn item as all of this should be considered a temporary fix. Once stuff is worn like that, it needs replacing.

[guitardom]

some good tips. i believe the proper deoxit for this is the one in the red-white-black can. not sure of the exact "version" name of it. the fader one i believe is the gold-white, and black can? i have them in a cabinet, but to lazy at the moment to go look

[mhelm01]

Originally Posted by musicman691

Well Einstein now you've got a problem

Eat one. I did not have time to go to radio shack. I will add contact cleaner to my kit.

Originally Posted by L-Dogg

Make sure the WD-40, which is specifically a penetrant as well as a lubricant, did not seep in under the plastic washer... the pickup selector one with Rhythm/Treble on it. If it did it might seep under the finish and damage it. Granted you won't see it but why ruin any part of a nice guitar?


Make sure if you buy a contact cleaner, you use the right type. It dissolves the oils and grease and flushes the dirt out by way of it's higher pressure, and then evaporates leaving no residue. The problem is that some types will remove the factory lubricant leaving totally dry pivot points and this will accelerate wear. This type is great for cleaning output jacks and circuit boards and stuff, where you want no trace of oils and residues.

In the case of the switch I think it would be best to have used the Deoxit mentioned, but perhaps their Fader Lube product. Or if the switch was dirty as well, their Cleaner Rejuvenator

I don't think the WD-40 will hurt the switch, I think it is non conductive.

Just remember there are cleaner lubricants specifically made for electronic and electro mechanical components with a guitar as valuable as a Gibson, (assuming it is a Gibby) I personally would want to use the best products.

You could also try this:

http://www.radioshack.com/product/in...entPage=family

EDIT: LOL...pharmd07, I had also mentioned how the WD attracts dirt and dust and becomes a grinding paste but I removed it. Soon as I posted I saw your mention of it....nice! Yeah people use it for everything. It is best as a penetrant and once the frozen item is off it should be treated properly.

100% on replacing the worn item as all of this should be considered a temporary fix. Once stuff is worn like that, it needs replacing.

Good advice. I needed a quick fix and my only options were white lithium or WD40. I do intend to replace the switch, I just needed a quick fix.

The component that was sticking was not external. It was in the body cavity and I had removed the switch and put a towel between it and the body.

[musicman691]

Originally Posted by mhelm01

Eat one. I did not have time to go to radio shack. I will add contact cleaner to my kit.



Good advice. I needed a quick fix and my only options were white lithium or WD40. I do intend to replace the switch, I just needed a quick fix.

The component that was sticking was not external. It was in the body cavity and I had removed the switch and put a towel between it and the body.

Lose the 'tude dude. No need to get foul.
Yet you had time to post here asking for thoughts on what you were going to do. You could have stopped while on your way to the gig at a Radio Shack - those places are everywhere. And saved yourself some aggravation.