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Jtv-59 Selector Switch Not Working


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I have a Korean JTV-59 that is only a couple of months old.  The selector switch (3-way) is working as normal with the mag pick ups, but when utilizing the Variax guitars, it isn't working. The switch doesn't switch the Variax guitars at all.  I have re-flashed the guitar to no avail.  I also have a JTV-69 and it is working fine.  Any suggestions?  

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  • 2 weeks later...

Could you please post a followup to your experience with the bad switch support ticket?

 

I just received my Korean JTV-59P yesterday, and the 3-way switch feels like it isn't secured properly.  It's loose, and it isn't seating in the lower position securely.

 

But, as far as I can tell, I am getting the appropriate guitar models.

 

Generally, the guitar is in good shape, but the switch has issues, and there is a mark on the neck (under the finish) near the third fret dot.

 

I must say, I'm disappointed.  I was so excited, but a new $1500 guitar should be in better shape.

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I just went through a similar experience today. I'm located in Canada. Picked up a JTV-59 at a local distributor/retailer. Had to return it due to a defective model selector knob.It was working intermittently. It was sticking and causing the guitar to go into programming mode when all I wanted to do was turn the modelling on and off. I gave it a second chance and asked for a replacement and received it today. I even asked that the next one be tested before getting delivered. I was assured that it was, however to my immense disappointment, the replacement had even more issues. The fact that the distributor didn't test it properly is another issue, but I was still really surprised with what I found.

 

Model selector and alt tuning knobs were mounted in reverse, easily fixed but still amazed that a guitar could leave a factory with this mistake. Secondly, the issue was now with the push button on the alternate tuning knob which was not working at all so I was unable to gain access to the all the guitar models. Then I tried connecting to my HD500 to see if it could access the models from there using the VDI connection and Variax menu on the POD and alt tuning knob was just displayed as "n/a".  I tried updating firmware and that failed as well. Needless to say this one was a real lemon.  The rosewood neck was also not in the best of conditions. I've read the posts about the first batch of JTV's having all kinds of problems, so I'm assuming this distributor has an old batch in stock or this could still be a production problem.

 

I totally agree with your statement that a $1500 ( $1600 in canada ) guitar should not arrive in this condition. Makes you feel like it's toy bought at "toys r us"! I have owned several Line 6 products and am a big fan of the modelling technology as well as all the other innovative products, however this experience has really turned me off. It's clearly a production problem and it seems that it's well known. If there is a known issue with a batch that was manufactured, shouldn't line 6 recall all those models that could potentially have these problems rather than having retailers and customers going through these types of experiences?

 

This one will go back but I've lost confidence and will not order another one. Very disappointing.

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The guitar is at Line 6. They sent me a UPS label and paid for shipping. My local guitar shop boxed up the guitar for me. I am sorry to hear that your not happy with you new JTV. I have two of them, a 59 and 69. I love both guitars and both were in excellent shape when I purchased them. The switch on the 59 acted a felt normal, but wasn't switching the Variax guitar sounds. I will update when I get the guitar back.

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  • 2 weeks later...
  • 2 months later...

I have the same problem as JS from Canada - Model Selector getting loose, then not working. (Have only mag pu to play on.) 

Also agree w/JS: this SHOULDN'T happen on $1500 guitars. 

I'll be posting a support ticket. Hopefully I can get the same satisfaction as JS - through not looking forward to doing w/o the 59. It IS a very fine guitar - physically speaking. 

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I find it amazing there still having the same issues that were present in the beginning.

There is no doubt a $1500 guitar should still not have these many complaints. I have had my

JTV-59 for almost a year and no problems. I wonder if a tech could replace them with a

higher quality component.

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I find it amazing there still having the same issues that were present in the beginning.

 

 

Generally, the issue has been taken care of. Line 6 located the faulty piece and addressed in production. That doesn't mean that there still aren't some guitars being sold with the bad switches out there, though. You never know how long a dealer has had a guitar in stock. Plus, even with the newer models, there's still a chance of that part failing, I suppose. With electronics, there's always going to be some parts that fail early on.

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  • 2 weeks later...

As a long time user of many Line 6 products, I am thoroughly surprised and disappointed with the problems that have plagued the JTV 59. I had my eye on this guitar for a year before finally buying it new from Sweetwater last month (August 2013). With a serial # showing it was mad in March of 2012, I figured the problems would have been corrected by then. Withing an hour of playing it for the first time, I got the dreaded model switching problem (models switch on their own with no interaction from me).

I called Line 6 and too my further surprise, the tech that "helped" me with the problem said he never heard of these guitars doing this... Although I had seen this problem pop up on several Line 6 threads and it is obviously a well known and documented problem.

I was told to reinstall firmware, fully charge battery, plug in using 1/4 cable, plug in using VDI cable to my POD HD Pro, etc, etc,... All to no avail. I was then told to send it back to Sweetwater for a replacement as I must have a faulty unit (obviously).

So I sent it back to Sweetwater and got a replacement with a newer Serial # (November of 2012). After waiting over a month from the time of purchasing my original JTV 59, I finally received my (supposedly) fine and NOT faulty JTV 59. I opened the box, plugged in the guitar using my VDI to POD HD Pro, tried turning on the modelling and find out the model selector knob is loose. When I try to push it in to turn on the modelling, it does not turn on. I have to pull the knob way up and then very lightly and slowly push it in to turn the thing on. I wonder how long this method will work before it just stops working entirely.

So I guess if there is some easy fix to this problem, I would like to know what it is instead of send the guitar back again. If I have to return this second JTV 59 to Sweetwater then I will be taking a refund and giving the $1500.00 I paid for it to Carvin for a custom guitar that won't have these QC problems. The technology simply isn't worth dealing with all these problems. Please don't mistake me for bashing on Line 6, I am just so disappointed with my experience using their JTV 59.

My guitar is serial # w12110610, it has the cream pickup selector switch as well, if that even matters.

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Some people have reported a faulty Model Selector knob as you describe. The knob is physically prevented from being depressed sufficiently to activate the switch - it contacts the guitar body before being fully depressed.

 

A simple fix to try is to remove the knob, insert a small bit of paper as a shim to raise the knob on the shaft, and restore the knob. It is now set at a slightly higher position, allowing full depression to activate the underlying switch.

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I got a JTV-59 in April. The variax circuit died a month later and it was returned for repair. 3 months later I was told that the repair-center used by the Norwegian distributor was unable to fix it and that I would get a new guitar (not Line6's responsibility I know, but lousy service from a national distributor does hurt a manufacturers reputation).  A month later the new guitar (s/n w12020981) arrived and within a couple hours use it developed a problem with the model selector. Switching models work fine, but pushing the knob to switch between magnetic pickups and modelling only works reliably in the Custom1-position. In other positions the knob often gets stuck in the down position, and if I pull it up it may jump to programming mode (blinking LEDs). I tried the paper-trick mention in this thread to raise the knob on the shaft but that doesn't work. No wonder really as I discovered that the problem is just as bad when I operate the switch using the shaft with no knob. I'm reluctant to send it back again if that means another 4 months without the guitar. Is there anything else I could try myself?

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  • 1 year later...

I have Pickup Selector Switch problem. I use my JTV with PODHD 500. In a few minutes of using Pickup Selector Switch stops workingin in modeling mode. In magnetic pickups everything works good. How could I fix the problem?

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I have Pickup Selector Switch problem. I use my JTV with PODHD 500. In a few minutes of using Pickup Selector Switch stops workingin in modeling mode. In magnetic pickups everything works good. How could I fix the problem?

If you have one of the early JTV-59 units you may have a faulty switch that Line 6 will repair under warranty. In any case you should open a support ticket to work directly with Line 6 to resolve this.

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  • 3 years later...

I have to admit, when I first read the comments about "just pull off the nob and stick a piece of paper in it" it struck me as the bastard offspring of an urban myth and the advice my dad used to give customers whose equipment wasn't working like it should have for an expensive item, but... it worked. My brand spanking new 2017 JTV 59 (replete with its glorious cherry flame top) had a secondary selector that wasn't making enough contact. A small piece of my son's construction paper and "presto" instant workee.

Thanks to all you guys. You saved me from being a tool and sending off the nasty email I was preparing. Always better to be calm and rational before going total d**che bag on someone.

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  • 1 year later...

Wow! This problem goes back quite some time! 
 

I just got a brand new JTV59 (03/04/20) from Sweetwater Music. Straight out of the box the switch doesn’t work - switches the magnetic pickups but not the models. I don’t need to go into any more of the details as it is the same problem everyone else here has been plagued with. 
 

I wanted to use the guitar on stage last night but had to revert to my “other” stage guitar; my JTV89 Variax.
 

I’ve always had good luck with my Line 6 products. 


I own:
- an original Pod

- G50 guitar wireless

- Spyder practice amp

- Helix

- JTV89 Variax

- all the software that goes with the above devices and some third party stuff too. 
 

So yea, I’ve been a fan supporting Line 6

for over 20 years. My buddy Jack Sonni used to rep for them. (After they hired him away from Guitar Center. Lol) 

 

This is the first time I’ve had a problem and I hope it can be resolved quickly. Perhaps even a software issue that can be done remotely. 
 

Tim Lovick

Dallas, Texas 

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Not software issue.

1- Return it to Sweetwater for a replacement,... they'll send it to me to deal with.

2- Take it to a Line 6 authorized service center in your area, should be under warranty.

3- Log a Support Ticket in you account, they may have you send it me here at Line 6 to deal with.

 

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Clearly you know exactly what the problem is. You’re not even questioning it - seems like it’s of the cuff and something you’ve dealt with many times. Which tells me that Line 6 knows what the problem is, but hasn’t fixed the problem. 

 

So, for the record, and everyone’s peace of mind…what exactly is the problem?

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" And, who are you? " --- I'm a repair tech at Line 6 in Calabasas, who services JTV, Standard, Shuriken and some other Line 6 guitars.

There's a glitch in the switch. Can't get into circuit level stuff, NDA and all. Yes, dealt with plenty of guitars over my 14 years here.

 

 

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47 minutes ago, psarkissian said:

" And, who are you? " --- I'm a repair tech at Line 6 in Calabasas, who services JTV, Standard, Shuriken and some other Line 6 guitars.

There's a glitch in the switch. Can't get into circuit level stuff, NDA and all. Yes, dealt with plenty of guitars over my 12+ years here.

 

Ok. Cool. Thanks for the info  

 

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  • 1 year later...

Same issue here with the pickup selector switch on the JTV-59.  Worked fine the day I took delivery for about 30 minutes.  As soon as I plugged it in to the workbench program to create a custom tuning, the selector switch stopped having any effect on the guitar modeling patches.  It continued to work with the physical pickups.  I reinstalled firmware twice and reinstalled the flash memory 4 times with no change.  Pickup selector switch does absolutely nothing in guitar modeling mode.  It feels like it is installed fine, not loose or anything.  Pretty disappointed as its not a cheap guitar.

 

 

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Same here. I purchased my JTV-59 second hand last year, during the first lockdown. The switch worked OK for the first few weeks of very light home usage, then it's gone from bad (bridge pickup occasionally not working) to worse (completely impossible to switch between Variax patches). I went through an UK authorized service centre, one authorized part supplier and even the European ditributor in Germany only to hear that the 3-Way switch is no longer available as a spare part... and the JTV-59 isn't even part of the legacy list!

As there does not appear to be any other way to approach the company directly (even their Facebook page is close for contacts), I would really appreciate an honest answer from Line 6 on this forum: are we stuck with a faulty guitar that we cannot repair, or even try to re-sell at a decent price with a clear conscience?

 

Kind regards.

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CoVid has made a mess of things as far as supply chain logistics as far as parts go.

 

In the UK is Mark Wright Music in Northampton. Mark used to be a tech at Line 6 Rugby

when we had a Location there. Ring him up and check with him. Good mate and a good tech.

 

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5 hours ago, albizo74 said:

Same here. I purchased my JTV-59 second hand last year, during the first lockdown. The switch worked OK for the first few weeks of very light home usage, then it's gone from bad (bridge pickup occasionally not working) to worse (completely impossible to switch between Variax patches). I went through an UK authorized service centre, one authorized part supplier and even the European ditributor in Germany only to hear that the 3-Way switch is no longer available as a spare part... and the JTV-59 isn't even part of the legacy list!

As there does not appear to be any other way to approach the company directly (even their Facebook page is close for contacts), I would really appreciate an honest answer from Line 6 on this forum: are we stuck with a faulty guitar that we cannot repair, or even try to re-sell at a decent price with a clear conscience?

 

Kind regards.

Hey! I was able to fix my switch, but it was not easy... I changed the microswitches on the main switch and also cleaned the switch contact points. 

I couldn't find the same microswitches, so I bought some similar in size and soldered them with short wires... 

But this is truly very frustrating issue! I have other guitars older than my Variax and all of the switches works fine... 

This is not the only issue I had with Line6 gear... My POD HD500 had bad switches too, my DT50 amp got shorten transformer after few months of use and I had to send it back for repare... 

That's why I sold all my Line6 gear. I keep my Variax simply, because it's amazing and versatile instrument, but if I find something similar to JTV-59 in the future, I'll definitely go for it!

 

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14 hours ago, psarkissian said:

CoVid has made a mess of things as far as supply chain logistics as far as parts go.

 

In the UK is Mark Wright Music in Northampton. Mark used to be a tech at Line 6 Rugby

when we had a Location there. Ring him up and check with him. Good mate and a good tech.

 

 

Thanks a lot for the info, psarkissian. And sorry for the rant, the whole thing is just so frustrating.

I'll try and give Mark a bell later today. In fact, Northampton is roughly an hour away from Birmingham so, if he is able to help, I wouldn't mind going for a drive this Friday or Saturday.

 

13 hours ago, Andrioman said:

Hey! I was able to fix my switch, but it was not easy... I changed the microswitches on the main switch and also cleaned the switch contact points. 

I couldn't find the same microswitches, so I bought some similar in size and soldered them with short wires... 

But this is truly very frustrating issue! I have other guitars older than my Variax and all of the switches works fine... 

This is not the only issue I had with Line6 gear... My POD HD500 had bad switches too, my DT50 amp got shorten transformer after few months of use and I had to send it back for repare... 

That's why I sold all my Line6 gear. I keep my Variax simply, because it's amazing and versatile instrument, but if I find something similar to JTV-59 in the future, I'll definitely go for it!

 

 

That's impressive, mate. And way beyond my soldering skills, I'm afraid..

I can ask the tech who modded my Strato if he can do something similar for me, if Mark Wright cannot help.

To be honest I am tempted to sell the JTV-59 on, once the problem has been fixed, and reverting back to a similar HH guitar (the Revstar 620 is something I would seriously consider) or maybe a semi hollow. The idea behind the Variax is great, but it also means double the possibility of something going wrong unfortunately.

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19 hours ago, psarkissian said:

CoVid has made a mess of things as far as supply chain logistics as far as parts go.

 

In the UK is Mark Wright Music in Northampton. Mark used to be a tech at Line 6 Rugby

when we had a Location there. Ring him up and check with him. Good mate and a good tech.

 

Just spoke with Mark over the phone, really nice guy. I'm taking the guitar to him this Saturday.

Thanks again for the advice!

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  • 2 weeks later...
  • 1 year later...
On 3/9/2020 at 7:15 PM, psarkissian said:

" And, who are you? " --- I'm a repair tech at Line 6 in Calabasas, who services JTV, Standard, Shuriken and some other Line 6 guitars.

There's a glitch in the switch. Can't get into circuit level stuff, NDA and all. Yes, dealt with plenty of guitars over my 14 years here.

 

 

When you say "glitch in the switch"... Can I assume that a new switch purchased from Full Compass won't have the same glitch?

 

I have an out-of-warranty '59 with intermittent issues with the magnetics in the bridge position.  My background is in electrical engineering and can easily replace it without the need for a support ticket.  Thanks!

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Could be the switch (solder point, failing micro switch), could be the bridge pick-up, or a solder point.

Should be troubleshooted by a tech that knows and has experience with the product. Parts from Full Compass

should be good.

 

Update to that prior post,... it's been 15-1/2 plus years here and 2,800-ish plus Variaxes later,... best approximation.

 

 

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