The Electra Forums

Good day everyone. I'm brand new to the Electra forums. I just got my first Electra, a 1979 X330. The problem is this. The guitar makes no sound if the modules are removed or turned off. Is that normal?? Also, if you attempt to remove the modules when the guitar is plugged in, you get an interference noise (cracking sound). I take it that this is not how it should be??
Any help or advice would be very much appreciated.

That is indeed not normal operation. Even with both MPC modules removed and switches off it should still play. You may want to check the Battery connector on the 9 volt for any breaks etc and may also want to spray some De Oxit contact cleaner on the 5way switch as they do tend to stop working if not used in awhile or if they are dirty. Also look for any signs that someone may have attempted to re-wire the pots in the control cavity to another configuration. I would suspect the 9 volt connector as the culprit but the De Oxit is always a good thing to do as well as it will clean all the contacts as well as the Pots. Good luck and if you need any photos of the control cavity etc just ask or pm me. Arthur aka mortarman120gang11c

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Always give thanks for everyday, It may be your last so Rock On Semper Fi!!

Check that the jack is wired correctly. If the battery switch is mixed up with hot lead you could get an open circuit when you remove the modules.

Thanks Guys. I will check the wiring and the battery. I will let you know what I find.
Something else to note (and this is even more odd), I get different sounds when I switch the modules around - almost like one isn't working right - I can't explain it.

Okay. I got the sound issue fixed (just a short). Here is what is happening, if both modules are plugged in and both toggle switches are in the UP position, the guitar makes no sound. If I put the left switch down and turn down both modules, I get a normal guitar sound. I am wondering if one of the pickups is not working. Any ideas??

Okay. I got the sound issue fixed (just a short). Here is what is happening, if both modules are plugged in and both toggle switches are in the UP position, the guitar makes no sound. If I put the left switch down and turn down both modules, I get a normal guitar sound. I am wondering if one of the pickups is not working. Any ideas??

Hey Tom, welcome to the site. If your still having trouble there is a wiring diagram here that can help you trace it down.

viewtopic.php?f=26&t=5208

The 5 way will cause the sound to cut out and just not work if it hasnt been cleaned in a while. I have had to rinse it twice to get it working. The 5 way has to make good contact or you wont get any sound or it will fizzle out. Put a rag around it so it wont run down the paint.

Clean the contact points on the module cards with a pencil eraser, you can spray them too. I would remove the battery and the modules and start with the toggles up. You should get sound from the pick ups and any selection on the 5way. If you have that then go to the effects. The toggle should turn the effect on or off with the battery in and the knob adjusts the effect range.

Some guitars may not have the sticker in the cavity so you want to remove and install the effect with it flat on the bottom and slide it in or out.

The wiring diagram on the site is in color and easy to follow.

Also check your pots to see if they have been changed. They could have been wired up wrong. The VOL and TONE should be 500k and the effects pots should be 150k.

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SlmGuy

I agree that the 5 way can kill the sound as well so give it a good spray with the De Oxit cleaner then work it back and forth a few times to clean the contact then let it sit for 24 hrs then repeat the process. If you need any photos of the Pots and wires on an original just pm me and I can get them to you. Good Luck.

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Always give thanks for everyday, It may be your last so Rock On Semper Fi!!

Thanks again. I will try that however, the 5 way rotary switch works fine when I have sound. Basically, if the left switch is up, there is no sound at all - on any of the 5 points on the rotary switch. Once I put the left switch down, the guitar works as it should and the second switch operates the 2nd module. When I remove the modules, i only get sound with the right switch up and the left switch down and the 5 way rotary switch works fine when the switches are in that configuration. Any other configuration, I get no sound. If I read the specs, the left switch is to operate module #1 and the right switch is to operate # 2 so I am very confused with this. On one hand, I can get get the guitar to work and operate the mods but on the other hand, I would really like this to be how it should be. The guy I bought it from doesn't claim to know anything about this. He said he doesn't know much about them so that is a dead end. I am going to clean up the rotary switch and check the neck pickup (the ring is cracked anyway so I wanted to replace it). Thanks Again Everyone.

If you have not already checked the Bat switch for the MPC modules you may want to put a meter on it and see if it is working correctly and also a shot of cleaner won't hurt. If the switch is bad you can get a replacement at any radio shack that will work fine and looks the same. Good Luck.

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Always give thanks for everyday, It may be your last so Rock On Semper Fi!!

What HE said -

Sounds like the switch in question is not "bypassing" so it may be a bad switch or be dirty (the left switch I believe you said was the culprit). Try cleaning it first, check it with a meter, and check its wiring - it isn't working in bypass mode - so there is a reason (one of the above listed items). You can get a replacement "bat" switch from Radio Shack.

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Thorny