Cheapy new JEM switches - New vs Old JEM pickup selectors

[rikkbeatty]

Has anyone grabbed a 1993 JEM7VWH and then grabbed a JEM10 or a newer JEM and plugged them in side by side? Have you noticed that the pickup switch on the older JEM is more solid? It does not "click" thru the amp when switched like the newer JEMS do.

I had compared the switches on all of my JEMS (before I sold them!!) and noticed that the 1993 JEM7VWH seemed to be the last JEM before they started going a little "cheaper" on parts. I have played many other JEM7VWH's from 94' on and they (including my JEM10 and JEM7BSB) all had the "Radio Shack" flimsy feeling pickup switches.

There is nothing worse than having some serious distortion going on and right when you switch the pickup to solo you hear a nice "tthhhdddrrrraaaccckkkk" as you go from the 4th to the 1st position.

Those of you with an older JEM and a newer JEM know EXACTLY what I mean. I wonder what other parts inside they went a little cheaper on. How much could it all effect your sound? *Eric Johnson would probably have a few things to say on this . Its nothing that under $50.00 could not completely fix (if it were the pickup switch and volume and tone pots). I just did not know if others had "felt" the difference.

Rikk

[Gabe Nickelson]

I've noticed this with all my Jems. *In fact, all 5-position switch guitars I've owned. *The loudness is there, but I noticed it less in the gold plated switches which I replaced in my Jem10. *Try that.

This is just another reason I highly endorse 3-way switches.

Gabe

[Rich]

I never noticed any difference determined by old/new. Ever seen a DNA switch? Built like a tank!

[rikkbeatty]

Yeah check out a 93' VWH switch when you get a chance. It feels REALLY solid.

I am sure they would use a better switch on the DNA's than they would on the other production line JEMs. I was surprised that they used the cheapy switch on the JEM10 though. The luthier that I used said he noticed a change in the switches on ALL the Ibanez guitars a while back. He said it was just a step down in switches that hey used (probably because they got a better "bulk" deal on a different rand or something.

Rikk

[littlegreenman]

I don't know man, my 2000 VWH and 2000 UV777BK both have dead quiet smooth switches in them. *At least as quiet as my DY or FP. *

But, anything is possible.

Jeremy

[Rich]

Just for the record I checked a PMC and a 2000' FP, the PMC has the old YM-50 (kinda chinsey), the FP has the same switch that's in the DNA's, built like a tank.

[rikkbeatty]

Thats odd. My JEM10 and JEM7BSB has the chinsey switches in them just like about 6 other JEM7VWH's had in them. The 93 VWH and my older model JEM's had strong sturdy noiseless switches in them.

Rich, check a JEM10 and then let me know if the switch you feel in there is the same feel as the 2000FP and DNA. If it is the same then we "feel" the switches differently *

I know of a few other people (aside from my luthier) though that can feel the difference in the good and bad switches Ibanez uses.

Rikk

[Rich]

I'd check an LNG and a 10th, except, they're FRONT ROUTED!! I'm not pulling necks and guards just to check switches!! :biggrin:

[rikkbeatty]

lol

Well I just checked with a buddy of mine who has almost as many JEMs as I use to have and apparently it is hit or miss. He has a JEM7VWH and a JEM7DBK and both have chinsey switches in them and are new models. But he also checked his JEM7BSB and it has a solid switch in comparison *:-( *

I guess it is the luck of the draw then? Oh well like I said its nothing a few extra bucks cant correct if you get the short end of the stick. I will look into those gold plated switches that you mentioned Gabe.

Rikk

[Rich]

I'll admit I was surprised to see the 'tank' switch in the Floral, that was unexpected. The YM-50 has always been the standard Jem switch.

[jem7vwh]

i have a '98 JEM7VWH with the smoothest 5 way I've ever used. *My RG-450 on the other hand clicks into place like a cheap umbrella would.

[rikkbeatty]

Maybe they have good and bad days in the YM-50 factory? *lol *:biggrin:

Who knows. I am sure that whoever makes the switches are just like the people that make the guitars. They have some good material and some not so good material. Maybe one of their machines was (or still is) a little off in someway resulting in different grades of product. However it is its too bad that there is no way to narrow down which guitars have the "flimsy feeling" switches in them and which ones have the nice sturdy ones.

Rikk

[wilch]

Strange,

with my DNA the 5way is smooth as silk. Flicking through neck to bridge position through a high gain setting (or even a clean one) is a breeze without any switching noises.

My friends FP is the same.

But my RG570 is alot different. Clunk and click is the best way to describe it. You can hear it too! I never use to change pickup's live in the middle of a song with the RG. Too hard to do cleanly and the noise of the switch came through really loud.

With that guitar I spray a bit (read: alot) of WD-40 (spray lubricant stuff...dunno if you guy's get it over there) in the switch, then wipe of the excess. This fixes it for awhile, but pretty soon the clunkiness is back.

But it does fix it! Makes it feel a whole lot better (for awhile). But I wouldn't spray that gunk on my DNA or a VWH.

wil..

[pri0531]

I had problems with my volume, tone knobs and switch on my 1996 VWH. I ended up changing all of them out. It works great now. The new selector is more fluid than the original.
Out,
Gregory