Mooncaster lower horn toggle issues fixed?

[waygorked]

I've been jonesing for a custom Starcaster for years. When the Mooncaster first came out I was near the front of the line. Once I made it to final assembly, the switch jammed inside the lower horn as I was trying to pull it through. The string I had tied to the switch snapped. I spent around the next 3 hours using various tools to wriggle the switch back out. Ultimately the switch broke while stuck inside, the top cracked, and I stomped it to bits in a fit of utter frustration.

A few years later, I've calmed down enough to take another shot. Has the design been changed enough to get a full sized switch through to the lower horn? I keep seeing Mooncaster builds where people have taken their bodies to luthiers to rout out a switch compartment like a Les Paul. If that's what is actually required for the design to work, that's going to add at least another $100 to the price of the body, and I'm not comfortable doing it myself. That would bring the price of an unfinished body with a decent flame top to well over $700. Honestly, that's a bit ridiculous, as I can probably find a luthier to build a custom one for that with the proper dimensions.

Any thoughts on this? I love all of my other Warmoth builds, but I can't but feel that the Mooncaster design was a bit half-baked when released.

 

[Fat Pete]

AFAIK, the only change since introduction is that a toggle switch hole in the SG position with the other controls is now a standard option.

 

[Cagey]

I've done it. It's no fun. You need two things - a sunken retainer nut, a la Les Paul pickup switch...

which sorta reaches down into the body to grab the switch, and this tool for tightening it....

Also, you need the L-shaped bracket switchcraft switch...

and some washers that will fit over that mounting barrel.

Get some shielded cable and wire the switch FIRST, leaving plenty of slop.

Remove the switch tip, tie on some string or wire (solid wire makes it easier), then run the washers over the string and onto the switch. Pull the switch through to the hole, and it starts to get a little tricky. There's almost no clearance at all inside there, and you have to juggle/manipulate the switch to get the washers to drop over the switch, then thread on the sunken retainer screw. Thread that onto the switch by hand so you can let go of it all and go get a beer.

It seems due to the construction of that top that they cut a relief behind that switch hole, which is what necessitates the washers. Otherwise, the switch will set in crooked and never tighten properly without cracking the top and forcing you to invent new cuss words or stomp the body into kindling.

I don't remember how I held the switch in place while I tightened it. Must've been magic or prayer.

Once all that's done, the rest is relatively easy as you have a traditional control cavity to work in.

 

[waygorked]

Ugh. That's what I was afraid of.

How difficult would it be to cut a cavity into the back of the horn like a Les Paul? I'm not super excited about trying it myself, but am I overthinking this?

 

[Cagey]

"Difficult" is a relative term, so it's tough to say. I think it would be fair to say the chances of making a mess out of it are substantially higher. Have to do some routing on an expensive body with a hard finish, which is always a tad tricky.

 

[Verne Bunsen]

Ugh. That's what I was afraid of.

How difficult would it be to cut a cavity into the back of the horn like a Les Paul? I'm not super excited about trying it myself, but am I overthinking this?

Joe Gore added a cavity to his after doing battle with the toggle switch. Or rather he had it done. Either way, it was accomplished...

http://tonefiend.com/guitar/kitschcaster/