The Steel Guitar Forum

I posted this in the Pedal Steel section but it failed to get a response:

Any one know why the output level on my C6 pickup (Sho Bud Proffesional) may have dropped dramatically suddenly? Loose wire? Or, are there larger forces at work trying to spare the audience my playing of the C6 neck?
Joking aside, over the weekend during a show I lost output on the one neck. If I toggled to the C6 and opened up the volume all the way I could get some sound, but nothing close to the signal out of the E9 pickup. My apologies if this is standard electronics trouble shooting stuff, I've clearly got a lot to learn. Thanks in advance.

Any Ideas?

I've never seen the wiring on a Sho Bud but

Can you get underneath with a flash light and trace the wires from the C6th pickup. One side goes to ground( it could do so at the guitar output jack ground terminal) and the other usually goes to the selector switch.

1. If a switch terminal is touching a metal part of the guitar , you have a short to ground on the hot side of the pickup. The switch may have turned a bit and a terminal may have shorted.

2, If the wiring is holding on by a few strands it may also cause low output.

3, The pickup or switch could be bad. If you have access to a jumper wire you can bypass the switch and jump from the pickup wire and go directly to the guitar output jack.

Simple Diagram:
3 terminals of the switch ABC

A |<<<<<<<<E9th_pickup>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> to Gnd

B |>>>>>>>> to guitar output Jack ---------------->

C |<<<<<<<<<C6th_pickup>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> to Gnd

Normally when you flip the switch you are connecting between A & B or C & B .The to ground could be on the guitar output jack , ground side.

When you have some experience it's much harder to explain than fix.

I had this problem to me recently on a used SHo-Bud Super Pro. Turned out to be bad soldering on the switch and a loose wire strand was touching where it grounded out the signal. I cut off the loose wire strands every where I saw one and reheated the solder connections - fixed. You might want to use a magnifying glass (or glasses) and a good light and check all connections. Also, make sure that wires are kept away from moving parts that can rub on them when pushing the pedals.

Thanx,
Jim

Thanks Bob & Jim. I let you know how it goes.
Shawn

Many times, a bit of judicious wiggling when everything's plugged in will help you trace it.