Doc, the multi-meter tips were very helpful. I calibrated the meter, and using the 10x setting, I found that the middle lug on the volume pot, which has the hot wire going to the output jack, shows continuity (reading 0 on the meter) and I'm pretty sure it shouldn't. I'll pull the wire off and try a new piece - maybe there's a nick in the cover that's shorting the ground wire to the hot wire.