Volume Control knob question

MrToast

I recently bought my first Jagstang at a pawn shop. It sounds great but the volume knob or other knob for that matter does not work. When I plug into the amp I get sound but cant turn it down with the knob. Whats the matter here?

Aug

you have *some* volume, but when you turn the knob, the volume won't adjust?

pull the control plate off, and make sure the wires aren't jumping (creating a short) and bypassing the volume. You see, a potentiometer is nothing more than a variable resistor, and if the signal is bypassing the resistor, then no matter what you do, (i.e. turn the knob) nothing changes. Also, if the wires appear to be in order, you could have a bad pot. It's a $4 part.

Malik

If there are no badly placed wires, try switching the two wires on your input jack. I found that switching those two bypasses the controls, and stops the guitar being grounded...

MrToast

Thanks for the response.

Right Augustus there is volume but it will not adjust. The guy I got it from took off the plate and said there was a loose wire but it went to the two white switches. Are the volume knobs and pick up switches wiring seperate or is it altogether? I am not guitar savvy at all.

When both of the white switches in the middle the guitar is "off" so to speak?

Again thanks for answering my guestions.

MrToast

What are the two white switches called and what exactly do they do?

Bear with me on the dumb questions please.

Rick

it's in the faq, mate:

http://www.jag-stang.com/FAQ/index.php? ... id=127&c=3

maybe someone bypassed the pots completely, to get a brighter tone?

MrToast

Thanks, what exactly are the "pots"?

BanditGuitarist1

when you take off the controll plate underneath your volume and tone knobs are little pot looking objects that should read something like 250K or 500K or whatever,those are pots.

SeamusOMonstersuit

Mr.Toast said: Thanks, what exactly are the "pots"?

Pot is shorthand for potentiometer (also known as a rheostat) which can vary electrical resistance. They're what make your control knobs work.

Aug

If you have to ask what a pot is, I highly suggest you take that guitar in to a tech or summit.

MrToast

Augustus_McCrae said: If you have to ask what a pot is, I highly suggest you take that guitar in to a tech or summit.

Good point!