Soloist controls layout

[Max Headroom]

Hello,

Can anyone confirm if the Soloist controls layout matches the Strat controls layout, i.e. spacing of the holes and blade switch cutout?
I would like to use an Obsidian Wire control kit meant for a Strat in a flat-top Soloist body if possible. I suppose I could always order the Soloist body with just the switch and volume holes pre-drilled then drill the other 2 holes myself to suit the wiring kit.

Thanks

 

[Topdawer]

I have the same question. Would love to use an Obsidian HH harness on a flat top Soloist, but am unsure if the hole and switch spacing on the Soloist matches a rear routed Strat body.

 

[stratamania]

The blade switch cutout will be similar but on the three controls it may be the same but it is better to not assume it is.

@J-Bones would you happen to know?

Or alternatively, contact Warmoth sales /customer services.

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[Rick]

Or just buy it and splice wires if necessary

 

[stratamania]

Or just buy it and splice wires if necessary

The obsidian harnesses are on a circuit board type of mounting, so the pots are a fixed distance apart.

 

[Rick]

Never mind ...

 

[J-Bones]

The blade switch cutout will be similar but on the three controls it may be the same but it is better to not assume it is.

@J-Bones would you happen to know?

Or alternatively, contact Warmoth sales /customer services.

Contact Us

Default Description

warmoth.com

I don't know if the positioning is 100% identical, but I believe the vol/tone hole spacing is 1-3/4" apart (center to center) for both pickguards and rear rout. Pretty sure. Mostly.

 

[teleme01]

would the obsidian work if not placed on a pickguard, long shaft pots verse short shaft?

 

[stratamania]

would the obsidian work if not placed on a pickguard, long shaft pots verse short shaft?

That is a good point and it probably will not as the pots will be too short for a rear rout. Obsidian's approach seems to be drop in kits for Strats, Teles and Les Pauls so they may not offer an option for long shaft pots on a strat harness. I suppose the OP, @Max Headroom, would have to reach out to them to check.

 

[J-Bones]

would the obsidian work if not placed on a pickguard, long shaft pots verse short shaft?

For the longest time, I always used long-shaft pots, but I recently put EMGs in a couple of my Soloists and their short-shaft parts seemed to work fine, to my surprise. That said, to the best of my knowledge we've never tested any pre-wired harnesses--Obisidian or otherwise--so I couldn't make you any promises.

 

[Max Headroom]

That is a good point and it probably will not as the pots will be too short for a rear rout. Obsidian's approach seems to be drop in kits for Strats, Teles and Les Pauls so they may not offer an option for long shaft pots on a strat harness. I suppose the OP, @Max Headroom, would have to reach out to them to check.

I already have the Obsidian kit since I found it on a clearance sale. I will check and let you all know.

 

[teleme01]

It seems that there would be a large selection of long shaft pots and pre-wired harnesses with long shaft since all rear mounts need them.

 

[supertruper1988]

I can confirm that the rear route controls are not the same spacing as the pickguard on both the soloist and the strat.

The obsidian wire and others like the EMG DG20 which are made for strat pickguards will not fit.

Hope this helps any future google searchers.

 

[ruscio]

I know it's tangential to the OP's question, but this thread prompted a new one for me: Is there a pickguard option for soloist bodies? Some of the responses here seem to imply there may be, but I haven't found one. The lack of a front-routed body option is the only thing that's kept me from building on the Warmoth soloist platform, so if there's a way to have that done I'd be very interested.

 

[supertruper1988]

I know it's tangential to the OP's question, but this thread prompted a new one for me: Is there a pickguard option for soloist bodies? Some of the responses here seem to imply there may be, but I haven't found one. The lack of a front-routed body option is the only thing that's kept me from building on the Warmoth soloist platform, so if there's a way to have that done I'd be very interested.

There is no option for a pickguard that I have seen since I started lookin at warmoth stuff in the early 2000's

 

[Waraxe]

If the obsidian circuit board has specific requirements, it's probably best to lay out and drill the holes yourself.

If it's switch and circuit board, I'd get the volume pot drilled and do the others myself.

If the switch is integral with the circuit board, I wouldn't have them do any holes.

 

[aarontunes]

I know it's tangential to the OP's question, but this thread prompted a new one for me: Is there a pickguard option for soloist bodies? Some of the responses here seem to imply there may be, but I haven't found one. The lack of a front-routed body option is the only thing that's kept me from building on the Warmoth soloist platform, so if there's a way to have that done I'd be very interested.

There is no option for a pickguard that I have seen since I started lookin at warmoth stuff in the early 2000's

A Soloist pickguard would necessitate a top-routed Soloist body to put it on. To date Warmoth has not done the programming for either one.

There are several other flat-top bodies that are also rear rout only, with no pickguard. Velocity, Diamondback, and Musiclander, et al.

 

[bonesofwrath]

Does it though? I guess the blade switch would kind of need a hole large enough to mount to the underside of the pickguard. You could either use long shaft pots or do something similar to the pot holes. I know I'd love to have a tobacco sunburst Z-body with a pickguard designed to look like a vintage guitar that never was, but so far my sketches haven't managed to produce a satisfactory looking Z-body pickguard.

 

[supertruper1988]

A Soloist pickguard would necessitate a top-routed Soloist body to put it on. To date Warmoth has not done the programming for either one.

There are several other flat-top bodies that are also rear rout only, with no pickguard. Velocity, Diamondback, and Musiclander, et al.

I wish the WM soloist was closer to a classic “dinky” shape but alas it’s still great.

 

[bonesofwrath]

Yeah a 7/8 soloist would be close enough for me