Blade switch or Toggle switch?

[SVM647]

I'm planning on building a guitar with a Strat body, and two humbuckers:
  -Neck: Dimarzio DP227 Liquifire http://www.dimarzio.com/pickups/humbuckers/liquifire
  -Bridge: Dimarzio DP166 The Breed http://www.dimarzio.com/pickups/humbuckers/high-power/breed-bridge
Also, I'll be wiring a 3-way switch, 1 Volume pot, and 1 Push-Pull Tone for Split-Coil, shown in this diagram: http://www.dimarzio.com/sites/default/files/diagrams/2h1v1pptsplit_3w_all.pdf
(In other words, a control scheme like that of the Ibanez JS series)
However, the control routing for Strat bodies only allow for 1 volume, 2 tones, and a 5-way switch. Would I be able to omit the "5-way switch" rout and just use the "Tone 2" rout for a 3-way toggle, OR should I just rout the body for 1 Volume, 1 Tone, and the 5-way switch (placing a 3-way blade/lever instead)?

 

[rockskate4x]

FWIW I think that the feel of a three way blade is much more solid then a toggle, but that's just me cause I tend to handle my equipment kinda rough. I hate saying this so much, but go to a guitar center or sam ash and just try out some double hum guitars that have the blade and see how you like it. A gazillion Ibanez guitars and just about every tele ever are wired with the three way blade.

 

[SVM647]

True, but too many of the Ibanez guitars I've seen are either H-S-H or otherwise have a 5-way switch for, say, parallel-wired neck/bridge. Plus, toggle switches feel pretty solid to me.

I'll try that, though, see if my opinion still stands. I'm sure maybe one from their RG series has an H-H guitar with a 3-way blade.

 

[line6man]

True, but too many of the Ibanez guitars I've seen are either H-S-H or otherwise have a 5-way switch for, say, parallel-wired neck/bridge.

Why is that relevant?

FWIW, a five position blade switch would be preferable over a three position.

 

[iamdavidmorris]

If I were you, and if I wanted the toggle, I'd drill the hole myself.  It's not hard.  Just get a brad point bit (in the correct size), start from the top, and go slow, letting the drill do the work.  Don't press down too hard, or you could crack the finish.  A hand drill is all you need.  It probably won't look quite as nice as what Warmoth might do, but after you screw on the nut for the toggle switch, you won't be able to tell...at all.  If you're using a pickguard, even easier.

 

[SVM647]

If I were you, and if I wanted the toggle, I'd drill the hole myself.  It's not hard.  Just get a brad point bit (in the correct size), start from the top, and go slow, letting the drill do the work.  Don't press down too hard, or you could crack the finish.  A hand drill is all you need.  It probably won't look quite as nice as what Warmoth might do, but after you screw on the nut for the toggle switch, you won't be able to tell...at all.  If you're using a pickguard, even easier.

So if I followed this, I could just measure the size of the hole for an LP's toggle switch to find the right size for the brad point bit, right?

 

[line6man]

If I were you, and if I wanted the toggle, I'd drill the hole myself.  It's not hard.  Just get a brad point bit (in the correct size), start from the top, and go slow, letting the drill do the work.  Don't press down too hard, or you could crack the finish.  A hand drill is all you need.  It probably won't look quite as nice as what Warmoth might do, but after you screw on the nut for the toggle switch, you won't be able to tell...at all.  If you're using a pickguard, even easier.

So if I followed this, I could just measure the size of the hole for an LP's toggle switch to find the right size for the brad point bit, right?

Pay attention to the shank size of the bit, btw. A lot of hand drills have only a 3/8" capacity chuck, so you may need a reduced shank bit.

 

[iamdavidmorris]

If I were you, and if I wanted the toggle, I'd drill the hole myself.  It's not hard.  Just get a brad point bit (in the correct size), start from the top, and go slow, letting the drill do the work.  Don't press down too hard, or you could crack the finish.  A hand drill is all you need.  It probably won't look quite as nice as what Warmoth might do, but after you screw on the nut for the toggle switch, you won't be able to tell...at all.  If you're using a pickguard, even easier.

So if I followed this, I could just measure the size of the hole for an LP's toggle switch to find the right size for the brad point bit, right?

Pay attention to the shank size of the bit, btw. A lot of hand drills have only a 3/8" capacity chuck, so you may need a reduced shank bit.

That's a good point.  My guess is you're gonna need a 1/2" bit.  My drill can hold it, but just barely.  And yes, just measure the shaft of the toggle switch.

EDIT: Just thought of something.  What are you trying to drill into?  Wood or a pickguard?  If it's wood, is the body finished?  That takes a little more caution.

 

[SVM647]

That's a good point.  My guess is you're gonna need a 1/2" bit.  My drill can hold it, but just barely.  And yes, just measure the shaft of the toggle switch.

EDIT: Just thought of something.  What are you trying to drill into?  Wood or a pickguard?  If it's wood, is the body finished?  That takes a little more caution.

If I am drilling, I'll be drilling for a toggle switch onto a Soloist body, so just the wood. And I'm just planning through all of this, but the body will be unfinished; I'll do the finish on my own.
Any more precautions, etc. that I should know about, though? (Well, aside from everything mentioned in this thread)

 

[iamdavidmorris]

Yes.  Drill from the top of the guitar toward the control cavity - not the other way around.  If you're not sure of yourself, practice on some scrap wood first.  If possible, you should practice on hardwood, and ideally it would be similar to the type of wood the guitar is made from.  Other than that, like I said earlier, go slow.  Don't press down too much, and don't pull on that trigger too hard.  Other than that, you should be fine.  Make sure you measure that pot before you buy a bit.

Also, if anything goes wrong, report back.  There's usually a fix of some sort.