[easytoslip]

I've got a Phred hollowbody with f-holes that has some wiring issues. I want to see if it's possible to fix myself, I'm smart and handy with tools. The issue started with the wiring inside turning when I adjust the volume knob, and has gotten bad enough that the sound goes out sporadically when it's plugged into the amp. There is no way to open the back and I tried to get the four tiny screws off the quarter-inch-cable in-point and wasn't able to with tiny eyeglasses screwdriver or regular size screwdriver. Anyone have suggestions? I'm not opposed to bringing it in to have someone look at it and fix it I just like taking shit apart I'm also not opposed to emailing the maker of the Phred, but he was not responsive last time I tried with another question.
Peace, love, and Rock n roll!

[DHM]

Sounds like it could be one of several things....is the volume pot loose? sometimes if they aren't tightened down the pot will turn when you adjust the volume and when it rotates the leads will short across the terminals...or another component...the simple fix is to tighten down the hex nut securing the pot....

The other possibility would be a bad solder joint...perhaps secondary to the stresses of the rotating potentiometer...if that's the case you will need to pull the wiring harness and re-solder the joint. You'll have to remove one or both of the pickups and then pull the harness out thru the pickup hole...solder it and then re-thread it thru to reinstall...which is a royal PITA...there are "how to do it" instructions all over the internet....

I have an Epiphone Sorrento....thin line full hollow body.... which I bought as a body with no hardware...and rebuilt....I wired...and rewired and rewired it ad infinitum...once on the day after I quit smoking......one or another solder joints would inevitably fail anywhere from 3 seconds to three years after I finished wiring it back up....and then it was back to the drawing board. I ultimately took it into a pro to wire and its been good to go ever since...

[Gr8fulCadi]

Unfortunately you'll have to pull the entire wire harness out through the f-holes to 'properly' fix it. Pots, input jack and pickup selector. If it's a true hollow body then you can pull it through the pickup cavity. There a lots of clever ways to re-install the harness on YouTube. I'm in the process of soldering everything on a template and then installing it into a semi-hollow ibanez.

Also, if you do have to yank the harness out, that would be a good time to replace all the pots and switches with CTS or Bourns etc and start from scratch for piece of mind, not completely necessary tho.

[ac4468]

All great advice and a big echo to what Gr8fulCadi says. If you have to fix it replace all the pots. Given the amount of time it will take to pull everything out using fishing line etc you'd be crazy not to spring $20-$30 to put real pots and switches in.

[easytoslip]

thanks for the detailed replies, much appreciated. on the idea of bringing it in to a guitar store, anyone have any idea how much they might charge to fix that? First reply sounds correct as to what may be happening