Stringmaster switche styles

Karl Oberlander · From: Austin, Texas, USA

I recently got an old Stringmaster in an estate sale. It appears to be a mid 50's
but the switches are confusing me. This is not a pushbutton model but it has two switches on the middle bridge plate. One is a knife style 3-way ala Stratocaster and it is off center toward the first neck. Then there is a two way switch above that and in line with it. Not sure what it does either.

Anyway if anyone has a pre-pushbutton model they could enlighten me.

Thanks in advance.

Kobe

Jason Lollar · From: Seattle area

The three way switch is your neck selector, the two way switch will allow you to run all three necks at once. If the two way is thrown to the on position all three necks come on and the three way will do nothing. Close the two way switch and the three way will let you select any of the three necks.

Karl Oberlander · From: Austin, Texas, USA

Thanks Jason!

OK, so that means this is original wiring then and not an after market hatchet job?

I looked under the bridge covers and there appears to be some plastic coated wire running hither and you and stapled onto each neck under the bridge cover so that it would touch and make a ground I think. But the wire on all the pickup connections looks to be cotton covered as you would expect from a 50's fender. So someone did something at some time but I'm not sure what.

Also, the volume when I first plugged this thing into a small Fender Champ was very faint. Wonder what's causing that?

Jon Light · From: Saugerties, NY

This is a nice old instrument. I'd clean the output jack well. Contact cleaner is great but rubbing alcohol is ok. Insert plug in/out/in/out a bunch. Check all your switch contacts and give them a cleaning too. Rust & corrosion will mess the contact points. Some fine emery paper is useful. Give the vol/tone pots a bunch of on/off cycles for the same reason. Then report back, eh? There could be bad grounds etc. but it's going to be likely to be a pretty simple problem (ie it's NOT likely that all six Pups are bad).

Jon Light · From: Saugerties, NY

My SM is packed away right now but I'm remembering something also--when the tone pot is wide open (full treble) on mine (1954 D- Cool

the tone is rather thin. Roll it back just a hair and it fattens up. I expect that this is not normal but rather a deteriorating pot but it is a direction to look at--try different poionts in the settings to see if there's any tone/volume drop-outs.

Ricky Davis · From: Bertram, Texas USA

Karl; Jason explained the switches to you correctly.
As far as the wire that is stapled; yes that is the ground wire(different wire than pickup) coming from a soldered spot on top of the tone control pot that makes the ground; so do not remove and make sure that staple is making contact with the plate when screwed down.
For the Volume problem....simply could be the grounding not touching a plate.
Or when all three necks are on....than each neck is cut in 3rd on volume.
Or as Jon described; you may need to clean some stuff...ah.....ha.....and do like he says if the above don't fix it.
If NONE of that fixes it.....I can fix it; but ya gotta bring it to me at one of my gigs in Austin....unless you live out by Cedar Park(Lake Travis)...>as I've worked on many many Stringmasters and know it like the back of my hand.....but I do have to see the back of my hand(your stringmaster) to go further...
Let me know if I can help...
512-694-3139

------------------
Ricky Davis

My Homepage
Rebel™ and Ricky's Audio Clips
www.mightyfinemusic.com
Email Ricky: sshawaiian@aol.com

[This message was edited by Ricky Davis on 04 July 2003 at 04:33 PM.]

Karl Oberlander · From: Austin, Texas, USA

Jon, Ricky,

Thanks to both of you for the advice. I've just spent the last three hours disassembling and cleaning this whole thing. It really is a nice instrument and now the switches work as Jason described. Also the tone and volume are back. I have a bit of a problem with the output jack as it drops contact now and again. But it all works!

One more question. This SM has the tuner pan with the larger holes and the nut with the deeper indents in the middle position. I always thought that would be on the neck farthest from the player as it was intended for bass strings and would be used more rarely. Is that normal for the SM and also what string guage and tuning suggestions do you all have for the basso neck?

Thanks again and Ricky I'll call you Saturday afternoon and see if we can meet.

Kobe

Ricky Davis · From: Bertram, Texas USA

Karl I've seen the different guaged nuts on all different necks...as they are quite enterchangable...and you can put them where you like.
My preference is like your talking about; but for a different reason.
The thinner necks; I like the lower tunings....as the lower guaged strings vibrating, don't particularly need a more resognating body.
So my low A tuning; I put on the thinnest neck(closest to me) and C tuning on the middle and E tuning on the thickest neck as the thicker body will help to resognate the thinner strings.
AS far as string guages; it depends on what scale your stringmaster is, and what tunings you want(for the styles you like to play).

On the entrance page to this forum...on the top, is a tuning link and it will give you a variation of tunings and guages to choose from.
When and if you take the tuning pans out....look at the wood underneath(usually the furthest away) to see if the date of this guitar was written on the wood or on a piece of tape.
I'm gigless tomorrow(sat) so I'm not coming into town and also if weather holds up ...I have a golf game afternoon time....but feel free to call anytime as that is my Cell phone(of course when On the golf course>cell phones are turned OFF..ha).
Ricky

[This message was edited by Ricky Davis on 04 July 2003 at 08:02 PM.]

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