Extra Custom Pick Guard Routing

[ChrisPBacon]

Hey guys, I love strats, and for my custom build, I want to have an additional two way switch to turn on and off the neck pickup independently. That way I can do Bridge and Neck or all 3 pickups at once. I understand that all 3 pickups won't always sound the best but I think its a little cool and pretty good with a fuzz sound. All of that aside I was wondering if it was possible for the guys and gals at warmoth to route a hole for the switch in the pickquard and if so, what I would need to do on my end. I imagine if such a thing were possible I would have to tell them where exactly I want the hole made and there would be an up-charge of some sort. If this can't be done through warmoth, could one of you kind folks direct me to a company that will handle it? I've heard that sigler music could do that kind of thing but I have limited experience with them and have no idea how the order process would work with something like that.

Thanks for the read and thanks again for the advice y'all!

 

[Logrinn]

Why not use a push-pull or push-push pot instead? Then you’d get the switching option without the need for a new hole.

 

[Cagey]

Warmoth doesn't do custom pickguards, but Logrinn's idea is a good one. Doesn't require 'guard modification, for one, and hides the switch you'll probably end up not using very much.

Another way to go might be to put in 3 on/off mini toggle switches rather than a blade switch for the 3 pickups so you get all the combinations possible, including "all on" or "all off". Not as convenient as one might imagine, but some guys like it. Mark Knopfler, for instance, has one of his Strats set up that way.

 

[stratamania]

Another option is the Freeway blade switch.

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mrLKZZ5B8b0[/youtube]

Or as Logrinn said, use a push-pull, or push-push pot to engage the bridge pickup for example to whatever is selected by the pickup selector.

Adding an extra switch would be similar to what David Gilmour did on his Black Strat to add the bridge pickup. But really all you need if you want a separate switch is to drill a hole.

 

[Verne Bunsen]

Another option is to drop the second Tone pot and use that hole for either a switch or a pot to add the pickup. On my Strat I modified a pot to be “No Load” at zero and use it to add the neck pickup to switch positions 1 and 2.

 

[ChrisPBacon]

This is all awesome input guys! I think that the push-pull pot on the bridge might be the way to go, and I feel a little dumb for not thinking of it myself but that's why we're all here huh. I still do like the looks of those "mini-switches."

Here is the video where I first got the idea for those who are interested.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BxRi_holUi0

Speaking of mini switches though, I remember playing a used MIM strat that was all black and had an after market floyd rose and a mini two way switch that seemed to add more attack. Anyone know what it could have done specifically or was it probably a more similar mod to this one?

 

[stratamania]

This is all awesome input guys! I think that the push-pull pot on the bridge might be the way to go, and I feel a little dumb for not thinking of it myself but that's why we're all here huh. I still do like the looks of those "mini-switches."

Here is the video where I first got the idea for those who are interested.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BxRi_holUi0

Speaking of mini switches though, I remember playing a used MIM strat that was all black and had an after market floyd rose and a mini two way switch that seemed to add more attack. Anyone know what it could have done specifically or was it probably a more similar mod to this one?

On the modified MIM strat there is insufficient information to hazard a guess. Maybe it was some sort of boost switch.

The video is just a bit like the Gilmour Mod for the bridge pickup but using the neck pickup instead. It achieves the same result. Either way, it is a 7-way mod. But all that need is a hole drilling in the pickguard for a switch. It just depends if you want to use a separate switch versus a push-pull.

For interest here is how such a mod works.

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BviWAfQxFy4
[/youtube]
920D have a good reputation by the way.

 

[Cagey]

Speaking of mini switches though, I remember playing a used MIM strat that was all black and had an after market floyd rose and a mini two way switch that seemed to add more attack. Anyone know what it could have done specifically or was it probably a more similar mod to this one?

May have been a "bypass" switch. Cuts the volume/tone circuitry out so the pickups are connected directly to the output jack. Effect is subtle, but audible. Or, there may have been a small preamp onboard.

 

[Rick]

The Sigler Music people are great guys, but I found that the telecaster pickguard was not an exact match to the Warmoth body.  It wasn't a problem, I just had to move the pups into a Warmoth guard, which was easy.  Pickguards are easy to modify with a hand drill, a coping saw and sandpaper.

 

[Verne Bunsen]

As far as custom pickguards, I have used Terrapin Guitars many many times. They do great work and will accommodate darn near any custom request. Highly reccommended.

http://www.terrapinguitars.com/index2_php.php?content=guitarContent

 

[Seamas]

I did that mod on my Warmoth Strat.
http://www.unofficialwarmoth.com/index.php?topic=30030.0

I just put a mini toggle in a point between the switch, the volume and the tone. It's a really simple drill job.

I like the mod very much.
Three pickups together is sort of meh, but neck & bridge is one of my favorites.