Switchmaster Knob Turning Resistance Too Easy

I have been playing my new to me Electra/Westone X2RD quite a bit since my wife bought it for me. It's bone stock (with the exception of a new Graph Tech nut) and it plays and sounds fantastic for a guitar that's almost 40 years old. I do have one niggly little thing that drives me nuts, the bridge volume pot turns too easy, I'll get it set where I want, switch from the neck p/u to the bridge, and it's changed (usually up) in volume......

I thought I would check in here with everyone to see if someone has run into this and possibly found a solution, I don't want to take a chance on damaging a 37 year old switch. The best idea I have come up with is a piece of felt between the knob and the guitar body to increase the resistance, I think that would work ok, but if there is a better way to correct it I'm all ears. My worry is what happens if the push/pull pots for the tone controls get like this, then my solution would only work with the knob down.....

I'm not exactly clear about your problem. The bridge pickup should be louder than the neck on the majority of guitars. It's the "lead" pickup after all.

If it is objectionably loud perhaps an adjustment of the pickup heights is needed to balance the output.

If you are saying that the pot is somehow turning by itself then that's a bizarre situation and very unlikely. I've never encountered such a situation.

The most likely thing I can think of is that it is or being bumped by your hand while playing.

If, however, the control shaft is turning freely in its pot and traveling from vibration then it probably needs replacement. That would indicate that the wiper no longer has contact and the output is full on.

But before doing that have you snugged up the nut underneath the knob? The control should not be sloppy in the hole.

I would not jamb anything under the knob, if the push-pull control is shot it's an easy part to replace off the shelf.

Sorry I wasn't very clear with what I was trying to convey. There are certain songs where I like to use the bridge pickup with a low volume setting on the guitar to get that "breaking up" sound. Using it as such the output difference isn't as noticeable as if I were to use the neck pickup to achieve the same effect, as the bridge naturally is louder. IE. playing "normal" parts using the neck pickup, and switching to the bridge for that "breaking up" sound.

It's unlikely I'm hitting with my hand as the volume pot for the bridge p/u as the volume control is furthest away from my hand like my Les Paul.

The only thing I can think of for comparison is my son's PRS, the knobs on his Silver Sky have very little "drag". I definitely wouldn't jam anything under the knob, but thought that perhaps the little felts that are under the strap buttons might do the trick.

I haven't checked the nut on the pot, the knob isn't wiggly at all, but its a good place to start. If I do need to replace the pot is there a source for the old switchcraft pots, or maybe a modern direct replacement? I'd rather not drill holes to accommodate a larger shift if I can avoid it.

Cheers - Drizzit

Again, I wouldn't put anything under the knob. It would likely interfere with the switch.

There's nothing magical about the push-pull pots, you can get them anywhere online.
Switchmaster refers to the knob which is proprietary, not the switch itself which is a standard part.

Drizzit wrote:Sorry I wasn't very clear with what I was trying to convey. There are certain songs where I like to use the bridge pickup with a low volume setting on the guitar to get that "breaking up" sound. Using it as such the output difference isn't as noticeable as if I were to use the neck pickup to achieve the same effect, as the bridge naturally is louder. IE. playing "normal" parts using the neck pickup, and switching to the bridge for that "breaking up" sound.

It's unlikely I'm hitting with my hand as the volume pot for the bridge p/u as the volume control is furthest away from my hand like my Les Paul.

The only thing I can think of for comparison is my son's PRS, the knobs on his Silver Sky have very little "drag". I definitely wouldn't jam anything under the knob, but thought that perhaps the little felts that are under the strap buttons might do the trick.

I haven't checked the nut on the pot, the knob isn't wiggly at all, but its a good place to start. If I do need to replace the pot is there a source for the old switchcraft pots, or maybe a modern direct replacement? I'd rather not drill holes to accommodate a larger shift if I can avoid it.

Cheers - Drizzit

Firstly I would check whether the nut under the knobs is tight. If it is, you probably have a worn out pot. If that is the case, it isn't a big deal to replace and does not affect the authenticity of the guitar. If you have moderate soldering skills it will be easy to just swap one wire at a time over to a new switch. If you aren't comfortable with that, take it to a guitar tech (if you live in/near London I will be happy to do it for you). 

Putting a piece of felt under the knob to keep it at a set point is an old truck used by Strat players to prevent the knob being knocked (as it close the the strings on a Strat). There is absolutely nothing wrong with doing that