Hello All

I just recieved my new 2010 American Deluxe Strat HSS. It's very nice. I really like this guitar. Its my first American Strat.

I have some questions with respect to the pickup switch. It makes a very noticeable popping sound when switching if the strings are vibrating or producing a sound. Its probably most noticeable when switching from the middle pickup to the bridge pickup. It also happens when engaging the s-1 switch. If the guitar is silent, then switching positions does not produce a popping sound. It will however produce a pop the first time the switch is used after powering up the amp, even if the strings are static. After the first pop its silent again.

I compared it to my MIM strat and it does also produce a similar pop when switching pickups if the guitar is producing a sound. If the stings are static, no pop.

I understand some noise is common, but its a bit louder than my MIM and it caught my attention.

I've looked online and found little info.

I have not gone to the guitar store to test other Deluxe Strats with the same wiring. I was considering this to compare.

I did call fender and they recommended either swapping or having it checked by a certified fender tech.

Has anyone run into this issue with this or another new Strat? Does anyone else have this guitar and have first hand experience?

Thanks

Welcome and congrats!

If I'm interpreting your complaint correctly, there are only four major areas which will make a guitar 'pop' as you've described. It could be any one, any combination, or all:

1. Static electricity on and about your pickguard.
2. A discharging (leaky) capacitor.
3. Faulty pickup selector switch or output jack connection.
4. Cable/amp/house wiring issues.

The odds of one over the other are pretty much obvious. Again, the bottom line here is a tech should look at it. Not a 'certified' tech, mind you (whatever that is) but a COMPETENT one.

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You dig?

That would be my guess too, it is that time of year. If you wear polyester clothing, it is even worse. I hate static!!!!

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---> "The amp should be SWITCHED OFF AND UNPLUGGED before you do this!" <---

Por favor, disculpe mi español, no se llega a la práctica con mucha frecuencia.

I have this problem on my Strat Ultra which is about 19 years old. I recently modded a 1971 Stratocaster to a 5-way, and it has less noise. I believe it is due to a dirty switch. My Ultra, which has Lace Sensors, is pretty noiseless, except when I hit the 5-way, I get loud popping noises.

Heck it even happened to Jimi Hendrix. Listen to Come On , Pt. 1, on Electric Ladyland. Just before the solo he changes to a different pickup, and I swear it popped, too.

But as your instument is still in warranty, I'd get it swapped out, and hope for the best.

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2007 Classic Player Baja Telecaster
1991 Strat Ultra
1990 Gibson ES-347
1986 Yamaha SBG2100
1980 Gibson L6-S
1971 Stratocaster
Fender Stage Lead Combo
Marshall MOSFET 100 watt Amp

I have the same guitar and mine pops too, particularly when I have the gain cranked on my amp or I'm using an effects pedal with lots of overdrive or distortion. I tested a 2010 SSS American Deluxe Strat and it didn't pop. My theory, and I'm definitely not a guitar electronics guru, is that it's related to the passing lane button which bypasses all tone control and switches to the bridge humbucker from any pickup selector position.

John

Thanks for the replies.



I will try and check the popping with all gain off of the tube amp and the bypass on my multi effects pedal. I don't use these two together, rather independently. I use the multi effects pedal when i want to play silently with headphones. Both the amp and the pedal produced the pop. But both had some gain/overdrive.

I was also planning to compare it to other HSS Deluxe's in the store. I figure if its the same for all of them, then its just a characteristic of the electronics or model. I was also planning to take it in for the tech to take a look.

An exchange is simple, as long as they still have some in stock after fulfilling the back-orders. I have the tungsten maple and the vender I purchased from is on back-order.

Any other fender owners out there with this guitar?

I went to GC and returned the faulty strat per fenders recomendation. They ordered me another. I am hoping when the new one comes in, it won't have any glitches. I tested another deluxe hss at the store and it didn't have the same poping glitch. It tested it on a few different amps.

I was a bit surprissed that the guitar had a glitch considering that its on the higher end of their line. I really like the guitar so i will keep trying.

You did the right thing especially since like you've said, considering that its on the higher end of their line, where there should be absolutely nothing wrong with it. Don't forget to post pictures when you get the new one!

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You dig?

If the pickup selector switch's popping was loud enough to annoy you, you definitely did the right thing. Let us know how the swap works out.

The Tungsten/Maple 2010 American Deluxe HSS is one fine looking Strat. We would love to see a pic or two when you get a keeper.

John

Wow. . .doesn't look like I will be getting my guitar for a while. I spoke with my vendor again today. They wont have it until January. Seems like a long time to wait for a new guitar. I am a bit nervous that the new guitar meets my expectation- no problems/defects.

New guitar appeared at my house on Friday. Much earlier than expected. This one doesn't have the same popping. Its pops a bit like my MIM strat, but substantially less.

Great!

pics!

Hey stratalex, interesting that your replacement guitar did not have the same popping noise. My 2010 HSS Strat makes a loud pop when I switch to position 3 (middle pickup) with the S1 switch up. It doesn't happen when the S1 switch is down.

The loudness of the pop depends on how long the selector switch is at a position other than 3. The longer it stays at another position, the louder the pop when I switch to position 3. If I immediately switch back and forth, the pop is hardly noticeable. That tells me it's a capacitor issue.

I have had no luck in convincing Fender that this is a problem. They are in complete denial. I checked another 2010 HSS Strat at the same shop where I bought mine, and it does exactly the same thing.

Fender insists it's a static discharge problem. I went through all the hoops their tech guy suggested -- wipe it down inside and out with an anti-static cloth, stand on a bare concrete floor when switching -- all to no avail. I think it's a design fault, but Fender denies it.

But I still love my 2010 HSS Strat. It's has such a wide range of sounds, different than my American Standard Strat, which is completely silent when I switch pickups.

I do not know if it is pickup switch problems, but when my pickup on my Highway One Telecaster is in the neck position it will make a popping noise like I've changed my switch selector. I am also getting scratching noises. It comes and goes. I play through a Marshall Class 5 and it did it before I retubed the preamp and it does it since I retubed the output. My Highway One Stratocaster does not do it all neither does my MIM Telecaster.

A good buddy was telling me the pickup may need rewaxing. The store has agreed to replace the guitar, but I have grown so fond of this guitar it is not funny. The store has the same color and year model guitar as what I have, all I have to do is say yes and walk out with it. I want to know what is causing this problem. It comes from my Electrical/Electronic degree and many years of working on gear. With that said I know I am nuts, but I want to know what is wrong! If anyone knows something about this please pass along the info.

Thanks

Nolastrat

I've had my Highway One Telecaster back now for over a month since I took it to have warranty work done on it. The "electronics" service group replaced both the selector switch and the front pickup assembly. I was leaning toward it being a selector switch rather than a waxing issue and so was the tech. The protocol was to replace the pickup as well. Since the repair it has not had any popping or crackling. I played a show last weekend and it sounded great.