Control/jack route thickness on Soloist bodies?

[ChrisMC]

Does anybody know? I know they make the thickness for a 5 way blade switch a little thinner so the blade functions properly, and I’ve seen some pics that showed the holes for the potentiometers and just eyeballing it, it seems to be maybe 3/8’s inch or so, but just curious how much material they left for the control route and for the jack hole on the Soloist bodies.

I did confirm that long shaft pots are recommended unless you want to Dremel out some material where the pots are going to go, so you know they left a decent thickness there, just wondering if anybody knew what it was.

*** This question is specifically for the flat top Soloists, but if anybody knows both the flat top and carved top specs, go ahead and throw that in the ring as well.

 

[Rick]

When I was looking at your avatar I thought you were getting a vaccine shot!

Never had a soloist body so can’t say.  I have used a Dremel to enlarge the switch cavity in a telecaster because I put a switch in the control plate that was too big.  Didn’t touch the top 1/4 inch of wood.  When you put the plate on you can’t tell.  Need a steady
hand though otherwise you’ll have tears.

 

[ChrisMC]

Hmmm....this question has suddenly become more than a point of curiosity. I think I may want to put either a Fender “passing lane” circuit or a treble bleed engage/bypass on a mini toggle. I may have to utilize my Dremel, but if anybody knows...please share. Thanks!

 

[ChrisMC]

When I was looking at your avatar I thought you were getting a vaccine shot!

Only in 2020/2021 would a tattoo picture get misconstrued for receiving a shot. LOL!

 

[ChrisMC]

FYI for anyone following this, Warmoth says it’s 1/4” for the top thickness in the control cavity route for a flat top Soloist.

Oh....and my body is in paint, and my neck is in the fretting department. That was exciting to hear. :-D

 

[TheOtherEric]

FYI for anyone following this, Warmoth says it’s 1/4” for the top thickness in the control cavity route for a flat top Soloist.

Oh....and my body is in paint, and my neck is in the fretting department. That was exciting to hear. :-D

Thanks for that.  Weird, though, because short shaft pots will DEFINITELY fit a 1/4" top thickness.  (CTS just there. Alpha would have a bit more room).  But folks have complained about them not fitting. Perhaps Warmoth errs on the thick side?  If their target is 1/4", then I'm definitely using short-shaft pots and will just route out (with a Dremel) any extra material.

You'll be getting parts soon! When did you order?  Probably mid-Jan? (I'm start of Feb... )

 

[ChrisMC]

Thanks for that.  Weird, though, because short shaft pots will DEFINITELY fit a 1/4" top thickness.  (CTS just there. Alpha would have a bit more room).  But folks have complained about them not fitting. Perhaps Warmoth errs on the thick side?  If their target is 1/4", then I'm definitely using short-shaft pots and will just route out (with a Dremel) any extra material.

You'll be getting parts soon! When did you order?  Probably mid-Jan? (I'm start of Feb... )

Well...when I first ordered, I called and asked them if I needed long shaft or short shaft pots; they said, “Long shaft. Some people Dremel or whatever, but if you don’t want to do that, you’ll need long shaft.”, so... I don’t know.

I ordered on March 6th. So...if what the rep told me was true, I was wondering how they were going to stretch the remaining work out 5-7 more weeks, if my neck is being fretted (and isn’t receiving a finish), and the body is being painted. I’ve already relegated myself to not seeing anything until late May, but maybe it’ll get here earlier...who knows?!

 

[stratamania]

Get long shaft pots, otherwise you will just make life more difficult than it needs to be.

 

[ChrisMC]

Get long shaft pots, otherwise you will just make life more difficult than it needs to be.

I have them. I also have short shaft pots, just in case they fit (I’d rather use the short shaft if they go in easy). My bigger concern is the mini toggles. I’m about 85% certain at this point that I want to install a blower switch, and on a second mini toggle it would be nice to have a treble bleed bypass, because sometimes you want/need the tone to thin out as you turn down, but other times it’s nice to have it darken up as you turn down.

There’s a mod for that. LOL.

....now if I can just figure out the wiring diagram for 2 humbuckers on a 5 way switch with a volume, a tone, a blower switch, and a treble bleed bypass. I don’t think it’s that difficult...but I’ve never done that wiring before. Those two mini toggles would basically be like “insert points”, like inserts on a mixing console, I’ve just never tried it.

 

[stratamania]

The comment about long shaft pots is more for TheOtherEric.

Blower switch wiring for humbuckers here you are. I don't think I have posted this on the forum so here are some links of how to do it and it in use.

https://stratamania.wordpress.com/2014/12/03/4pdt-blower-switch-for-guitar/

https://stratamania.wordpress.com/2019/11/06/keven-eknes-using-the-blower-switch-mod/

 

[ChrisMC]

Blower switch wiring for humbuckers here you are. I don't think I have posted this on the forum so here are some links of how to do it and it in use.

Thanks. I know how to wire and use the blower switch mod, and I think I know how to wire in a treble bleed bypass....I’m just not sure if any of it will change with the pickup switching I intend to do and/or putting all that together in one circuit. It’s totally doable, I just have to figure it out. The upside to waiting for my neck and body to arrive, is that I have time to figure it all out before they arrive.

 

[stratamania]

Blower switch wiring for humbuckers here you are. I don't think I have posted this on the forum so here are some links of how to do it and it in use.

Thanks. I know how to wire and use the blower switch mod, and I think I know how to wire in a treble bleed bypass....I’m just not sure if any of it will change with the pickup switching I intend to do and/or putting all that together in one circuit. It’s totally doable, I just have to figure it out. The upside to waiting for my neck and body to arrive, is that I have time to figure it all out before they arrive.

If you know it (which most don't) then what is it that you need to figure out?

Bridge Pickup ----> Blower switch ---> Selector Switch ----> Vol and Tone ----> Output Jack

Other pickups ----> to selector switch etc...

Blower switch engaged.

Bridge Pickup ----> Blower switch ----> Output Jack

 

[ChrisMC]

If you know it (which most don't) then what is it that you need to figure out?

“Knowing how” to do something, and actually having done the specific thing are two vastly different things.

Many people “know how” to fire a gun, but have never done so, for instance.

I know how to solder, and have soldered for many many years. I know how to read wiring diagrams (not schematics, wiring diagrams. I’m not an electrician), and have been doing so for years. However, I’ve never wired this particular pickup selector switch circuit before, let alone a blower switch circuit or treble bleed bypass, let alone all that together, and so far there is no diagram that completes that particular circuit in full.

So...yeah...I “know how” to do it, but haven’t actually done it yet, and I’m not confident that there won’t be a wiring mistake or two that needs corrected, but I’ll figure it out.

 

[stratamania]

Ok I guess you know enough to figure it out. If you get stuck on a specific step we can perhaps help if you want it. (For me knowing something is where you are confident and have done something to be confident to apply things in the future to similar things. )

I provided links to the blower switch and an example of it being put to use along with a treble bleed bypass along with in an earlier post in which order most of the elements go together,

Here is an example of the bypass. They use a switch on a pot but the principle is the same on a toggle switch.

https://www.fralinpickups.com/2017/08/04/push-pull-volume-kit/

The only thing left is what you want your pickup selector switch to do.

Perhaps with the information in the links you will be able to piece a diagram together, which I recommend prior to soldering etc.

Many people “know how” to fire a gun, but have never done so, for instance.

They may have an idea what to do - but that really is different to actually knowing and having the skill to do it safely. Especially with that example.