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Painting? Routing? Set-up tips? Or just straight-up making a guitar from scratch? Post here, and post pics!

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benwalker
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halp!

Post by benwalker »

Still playing, just stuck with a new job which means I can't SS.org very much at all at the moment :(

Do have a problem though - I drunkenly bought a new warmoth body: exhibit a)

Image

and I'm trying to move the pickups and switches from my old strat's pickguard to the new body. Whilst I've been able to install the pickups, the switches are problematic. They're three, 3-way mini-toggles: one for each pickup, that go on/off/on for full/off/tapped (even on the single coils).

Problem is that the mini-toggle thread/shaft length (snigger) is 8.5mm, whilst the body's maple cap thickness is 8mm where the first hole is, leaving nothing to actually screw onto.

Sooooooo.......

Options:
1) Find mini toggles that have a shaft length of ~ 10mm
2) Drill recessed sections into the back of the maple cap, reducing the overall thickness. Bear in mind my tool set consists of a range of drill bits, a hand-drill and some sandpaper.

this must be a common thing surely? whaddoido?!!!
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James
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Post by James »

If you have good access to the back of the switch holes (i.e. a rear panel you can remove to get to them clearly) I would extremley carefully drill small recesses from the underside. and then tidy them up with a little sanding.

Use just the very tip of the drill to make a small indent and then tape some sandpaper to the flat end of a pencil, and slowly sand away the angled part to give a good surface for the switch to sit against.

Image

1 - as it is now
2 - drill it out
3 - after drilling
4 - sand it
5 - after sanding

I only bothered to draw it out as you seemed a bit aprehensive with the mention of your tools.


It's probably easier to try and find longer switches (probably meaning assuming you can find them), but I would go this route as you'll likely end up paying £10 after shipping for the three and you already have the tools to do this.
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