To fix an intermittant pickup selector on NS Starfire II

[4mal]

I've done a 335 in the past. Pull the bridge pickup, tie string to the switch, let the nut go and fish the bugger out through the pickup cavity... On a Starfire I assume I need both the Switch and the Master Volume. Is bridge pickup cavity the best extraction point ? or do I have to use the f-hole ?

Thanks! Mal.

 

[fronobulax]

@lungimsam ?

@mellowgerman ?

 

[lungimsam]

I haven’t done this on my Starfire II. But looks like it would be very easy going through the NECK pup route.

Based on the attached pic of another NS Starfire II below, there might just be enough wire length to move switch only and through the huge NECK pickup pocket “barn door” wire hole route (NOT bridge pup route like in pic). The hole for the wires in the neck pickup cavity is a big rectangular hole (at least on my 2017 NS Starfire II, it is). Use aquarium airline tubing (like shown in the pic) or string for quick remounting of the switch. Just go thru neck pup hole since the switch and master pot are only 3" away. The point of me putting the pic here is to show the length of wire between the master and switch. I think it will make it thru the neck pup pocket.
If you have to drop the master pot to do it should be no biggie with airline tubing. Affix tubing, drop it, and pull it right back up when you are done.

I would not go thru the F hole. Almost guarantees you will have to drop the master pot also, and you will have to flex and stress those wires a lot more than just going thru the NECK pickup hole. You have to also be careful on the Starfire NS basses if you want to try to get stuff thru the F hole as some will allow pots through, others won't, like on my 2013 FMIC NS Starfire I (won't). My 2017 CMG Starfire II will just barely allow pots thru the center of the f-hole diamond but only with the mounting washer and nut removed. So test it out first if you have a stray average sized pots laying around.

Let us know how it goes so we can know what works for sure.

Hopefully mellowgerman will be along to give a more definite answer.

 

[4mal]

@lungimsam Thanks! That shot is encouraging. I might be able to manuver the swith over into the neck PU cavity and get some deoxit on it and see if that does the trick. I like the surgical tubing appraoch. I might have to see if my local hardware has a good size in stock.

 

[lungimsam]

And make sure the switch is making good contact with the leaf springs (or whatever they are called) when you toggle it into it's positions.
Audio test before remounting and if all else fails, replace it with a Switchcraft brand toggle switch.

The good thing about airline tubing is that if you forget to put it on the switch or pot before dropping, it is stiff enough that you can fish it through the mounting hole and thru the body the neck pup hole and just put it on outside the bass. Then you can instantly pull the part back through to its mounting hole.

 

[SFIV1967]

I like the surgical tubing appraoch. I might have to see if my local hardware has a good size in stock.

It's actually standard aquarium airline tubing:



Ralf