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My <insert part here> doesn't work anymore

 
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BriGuy  





Joined: 04 Mar 2006
Posts: 1894
Location: Boston

PostPosted: Tue Dec 22, 2009 6:12 pm    Post subject: My <insert part here> doesn't work anymore Reply with quote

I have seen a LOT of threads that are created that basically say the following:
My (strum bar, whammy bar, blue button, downstrum, etc, etc) doesn't work anymore. How do I fix it?

Before starting a new thread asking for help, take the following steps first:

1. If it is a wireless guitar, ensure that the batteries are not dying. A dying battery will often cause weird stuff to happen.

2. External visual inspection.
If it is a wired guitar, check the wire for cut or pinched wires and loose insulation, especially on the ends. If you have a detachable neck and bad fret buttons are your problem, check the neck contacts for dirt, dented contacts, broken pins, or anything else that looks out of place. If your problem is non-working fret buttons and you have a detachable neck, check the Guitar Modding 101 guide for all of the different options you have to fix this (I recommend hardwiring the neck for permanent results).
-Check for evidence of spills or other gunk.
-Shake the guitar and listen to any rattling inside. This noise can be anything from the normal tilt sensors to loose bits of hot glue (also no problem) to broken bits of metal or plastic (which are a problem).

3. Internal visual inspection.
This is where you will find the answers to most of these kind of problems. check the GM101 guide for how to dissect your guitars.
Once you have it open, before touching anything, take a look around and familiarize yourself with the components. Your guitar may be slightly different from pictures online, so make sure you know what is what before poking around too much. Take your own picture as a reference to be safe if you need to.
-Check all wire connections to and from your broken component. Make sure that the solder points on the circuit boards are secure. Check the wires themselves as they can get pinched and split from the screws.
-Look at the overall condition of everything and look for burnt out or shorted out bits.
-Manually move the component to make sure it moves properly (the whammy spring retracts nicely, the strum bar contacts click evenly, the fret buttons slide in and out smoothly, etc.)
-If you find any loose bits of plastic or metal, try to find where they came from.
-Make sure that all the screws are tight and secure.
-If you have the right equipment, try re-soldering the contacts and perhaps replace the wires if they don't look right. Pretty much any wire of similar size will work.
-Electronics work is best done with a soldering iron (and it's the only thing I recommend), but other methods can work including twisting wires together and/or hot glue. This can be risky because you can easily lose control of the glue and can rip stuff apart when and if it is removed.

-If you have any other broken guitars lying around, try replacing the broken component with a new one if they are compatible.

-I recommend before you re-assemble your guitar to first clean up any dirt and gunk, wipe clean with rubbing alcohol and lube up all moving parts with a bit of lithium grease.


And lastly, if you are totally stumped and need help, make sure to post all of the information you can so we can better help you. This includes, the model guitar, console, symptoms, things you've already tried, and well-lit and in-focus pictures of what you think the trouble areas are. A bad picture is no help to anybody. Set up some lights, a tripod, and take lots of pictures under a variety of conditions until you get a good one. This can be difficult, but it is well worth it if it helps fix your problem.
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