2012 ASAT Classic "S" attenuated volume

Greetings.

Recently my ASAT Classic S volume output has all but disappeared. Output sound appears but the signal is so weak that only my chromatic tuner detects the signal for a short time before the tuner drops out. No output sound can be heard at normal amplifier gain settings and only faint output appears when the amplifier gain is maximized. In comparison to my other G&L guitars my beloved ASAT is unhealthy.

The guitar was purchased in 2015 or so, is pristine and hardly played which should rule out volume and/or tone potentiometer wear. I tried contact cleaner in the potentiometers and 5-way switch to no avail.

The attenuated volume problem largely disappears when the output jack is bypassed so I replaced the jack but the attenuated output problem persists.

Rather than simply replacing more parts like the split shaft - push/pull volume potentiometer followed by the tone potentiometer, I thought I'd ask this board for advice.

Thanks in advance for the response.

Regards,
Michael

The attenuated sound problem is resolved.

After making this post I revisited measuring each pickup's resistance both before and after the 5-way switch with respect to circuit ground and noted much higher resistance after the switch.

Turns out that I had not applied contact cleaner to the switch when it was applied to the potentiometers.

Once the cleaner was applied and the switch exercised pickup resistance became normal 5 to 6Kohm values checked at the switch and at the jack output. The attenuated sound problem was resolved.

I will be ordering a replacement switch in anticipation of the switch eventually failing to the point where contact cleaner stops working.

Hey Michael,

Good news, sounds like yer on the road to louder volume. Will be interesting to hear if the contact cleaner maintains values. Even if it does would be interested in hearing if a new switch makes a noticeable difference.