Ibanez AZ pick-up selector problem

MagicPigDetective

The pickup selector of my Ibanez AZ Premium has developed a problem. When in the neck and middle position, there is no sound. It’s a HSS guitar with a 5 way switch - (there is another switch for further pickup combinations).

The connections look good. I’ve tried contact cleaner and vigorous switching back and forth with no success. Is there any way to try to fix this? I cant see any easy way to open it up and it's attached to a PCB. I could order a new switch.. I can’t find one stocked in the UK, there’s one here in Austria. (edit: they don't sell to the UK). not cheap and all the wires make it look like tricky job

 

 

Any advice would be appreciated.

MagicPigDetective

Would this do the job, or is there something different about the AZ selector I wonder? 

Ibanez SP5 5-Way Pickup Switch for Ibanez Electric Guitars | Bax Music (bax-shop.co.uk)

Yorkie

Do neck and middle work in series? There could be something wrong with the smaller switch instead of the “normal” one. 

Funkfingers

Is there any free play between the PCB and the rest of the selector switch? If so, the contacts may no longer be making consistent physical contact with the etched tracks. 

If there is nothing obviously wrong with the five-way switch, I agree with Yorkie that suspicion must fall upon the DPDT on-on "Alter" switch.

MagicPigDetective

You're both correct -thanks! I sprayed contact cleaner into the alter switch, wiggled it back and forth and the sounds are returning ..... 

MagicPigDetective

It’s working now, apart from the neck position with the alter switch on - neck and middle in series. It’s a bit sensitive, it sometimes cuts out, you touch it and it comes back on. Annoying but I can live with it.