dodgy switch...?

[Homebake]

was just playing my rg2550z then and i was in the 4th position (middle single coil and neck bucker) and the sound just cut out. i started moving the switch around a bit and if i move the switch to the left or right the sound cuts out almost completely and there's a lot of scratching.

on the single coil by itself (position 3) if you move the switch a bit the sound gets cut out by like 90-95% (if you're on 10 volume with distortion it sounds like its on vol 1-2 on a clean setting).

it's mostly the split and single coil positions but the full humbucking positions are a bit dodgy too.

is this the switch crapping out? it seems as if maybe the connections inside the actual switch are not functioning properly or something. i rewired the whole guitar and replaced the stock pots with more stock pots (irrelevant reason) and all my wiring is done properly and firmly in place.

any suggestions?

[JayRobIBZ]

Well, I have heard of 5 ways getting dirty and needing to be blown out with a can of air to clean the contacts, but I'd say it sounds like a switch on the frits. I did a PU swap on my strat and got a little messy with the saulder on the 5 way. I was able to fix it but was left with a similar problem to yours. You should be able to pick a new switch up for under $15. Worth a try atleast.

[Homebake]

ibanez switches are sealed so you can't blow anything into them really which means if they're dirty they need to be replaced i think.

i'm gonna bust open the guitar now.

[Homebake]

well i just had a look around the wiring. none of the wires are loose and seem to be soldered properly.

i sprayed some contact cleaner into the switch. gonna let it evaporate before i try it.

edit: yep, no change. same problem still.

[JayRobIBZ]

I don't know that it will tell you anything you don't already know but if you have a multimeter you could check the blades in each possition. Something could be bleeding through somewhere.

[Homebake]

nope, ain't got me one of those.

i'm just gonna suck it up and take it to the guitar store tomorrow. it will cost me and take a few days at least but i need this fixed properly.

[JayRobIBZ]

I wouldn't let them charge you for more than half an hour of shop time for labor.

[Homebake]

yeah but anything dropped off at either guitar store in my city that requires more time than screwing in a screw does gets put on the list of things to be done. they don't have enough time to serve everyone who has a problem straight away.

[Homebake]

well, for anyone who ever might read this, the problem was a quick fix.

the dude at the store just sprayed some specialized contact cleaner and fixed it completely. free of charge