Switch for tone instead of potentiometer?

[hchoe741]

Hello everyone! Hope everyone had a nice holiday! I was wondering if I could acquire the help of some experienced folks.

I'm planning a warmoth jazzmaster build for next year and I'm planning on going with this wiring:

But, I would actually like to replace the tone pot with a jazzmaster style slide switch, like this:

I do use the tone control on rare occasions, but I only turn it all the way up or down, so something like this would be ideal for me.

Is this possible? If so, could anyone provide a diagram? I would greatly appreciate it!
Also, can Warmoth omit the roller pot routs but keep the slide switch rout on a JM pickguard?

 

[amigarobbo]

Gretch guitars use a three way switch for tone, so I don't see why not.

 

[hchoe741]

I think I got it figured out. Can anyone verify if this is correct?

 

[BigSteve22]

Gretch guitars use a three way switch for tone, so I don't see why not.

Here's a link to the schematic on the TV Jones site.

http://www.tvjones.com/uploads/6/6/9/7/66975313/4343537_orig.png

 

[mayfly]

I think I got it figured out. Can anyone verify if this is correct?

Sadly, that's not quite the same thing.  it's fine for the 'tone counterclockwise' position, but for the clockwise position you need the cap in series with the resistor.  It's a subtle difference, but one you can hear.

 

[Vallhagen]

This one should be easy (if you haven't solved it yet?):

Get a 1pdt on-on switch (with three solder lugs, I name them 3-2-1, where 2 is middle).

Solder your resistor between lug 3 and 1.
Solder your cap between lug 1 and gnd.
solder your input wire to lug 2. (this is the wire that is also soldered to lug 3 on your volume pot)

...that's your tone switch

Cheers

 

[hchoe741]

I decided to not include the resistor so the pickups only see a single 250k pot when the "tone switch" is off. I emailed a diagram to a tech at Dimarzio and he confirmed that it should work, but doesn't hurt to double check. Does this seem right?

 

[Re-Pete]

Hello everyone! Hope everyone had a nice holiday!
Also, can Warmoth omit the roller pot routs but keep the slide switch rout on a JM pickguard?

Just did a check on the Warmoth website to update myself from when I built a JM a few years back. Unfortunately it's still the same as when I did a JM pickguard ..... you have all or none of the vintage appointments on the upper bout, or the choice of toggle switch or blade switch...or nothing at all.  :dontknow:

 

[rgand]

Hello everyone! Hope everyone had a nice holiday!
Also, can Warmoth omit the roller pot routs but keep the slide switch rout on a JM pickguard?

Just did a check on the Warmoth website to update myself from when I built a JM a few years back. Unfortunately it's still the same as when I did a JM pickguard ..... you have all or none of the vintage appointments on the upper bout, or the choice of toggle switch or blade switch...or nothing at all.  :dontknow:

You'd think it would be an easy thing to do just the slide switch but for some reason, they are hesitant to any changes in the standard offerings. Don't let that stop you. A small drill and Swiss files make short work of fitting a slide switch route wherever you want it. I had to do two of them on mine.

 

[hchoe741]

Hello everyone! Hope everyone had a nice holiday!
Also, can Warmoth omit the roller pot routs but keep the slide switch rout on a JM pickguard?

Just did a check on the Warmoth website to update myself from when I built a JM a few years back. Unfortunately it's still the same as when I did a JM pickguard ..... you have all or none of the vintage appointments on the upper bout, or the choice of toggle switch or blade switch...or nothing at all.  :dontknow:

You'd think it would be an easy thing to do just the slide switch but for some reason, they are hesitant to any changes in the standard offerings. Don't let that stop you. A small drill and Swiss files make short work of fitting a slide switch route wherever you want it. I had to do two of them on mine.

I just put in an order and I mentioned it in the notes, if they can't I'll take your advice. Thx

 

[rgand]

Hello everyone! Hope everyone had a nice holiday!
Also, can Warmoth omit the roller pot routs but keep the slide switch rout on a JM pickguard?

Just did a check on the Warmoth website to update myself from when I built a JM a few years back. Unfortunately it's still the same as when I did a JM pickguard ..... you have all or none of the vintage appointments on the upper bout, or the choice of toggle switch or blade switch...or nothing at all.  :dontknow:

You'd think it would be an easy thing to do just the slide switch but for some reason, they are hesitant to any changes in the standard offerings. Don't let that stop you. A small drill and Swiss files make short work of fitting a slide switch route wherever you want it. I had to do two of them on mine.

I just put in an order and I mentioned it in the notes, if they can't I'll take your advice. Thx

Cool. Good move.

 

[hchoe741]

Turns out they can rout for just the slide switch on the upper bout of the pickguard, but they charge $15 cause its done by hand. What I don't understand is if they have an option of changing the neck pocket rout on a jazzmaster to be tele compatible why can't they do the same for the pickguard?

 

[Re-Pete]

Turns out they can rout for just the slide switch on the upper bout of the pickguard, but they charge $15 cause its done by hand. What I don't understand is if they have an option of changing the neck pocket rout on a jazzmaster to be tele compatible why can't they do the same for the pickguard?

I'm guessing two separate processes within the shop. There's probably a  machine doing the neck pockets on the bodies, and it's pre programmed for Strat neck pocket or Tele neck pocket. Align the body into the machine & press play....

The pickguards probably work off templates and hand turned around the router machine... then maybe stamped with pre set dies for the relevant holes on the blank pickguard?

 

[TonyFlyingSquirrel]

The pickguards are made on acrylic templates on a pin router, at least they were 7.5 years ago when I was there.

To make them able to conform to different neck pockets would require making each template in all the various pickup configurations with that in mind.  Would be very labor intensive to provide that supply, without the demand to warrant its cost.

Making pickguard templates takes a considerable amount of time to QC to the point of "approved for production", and time always = $.

Neck pockets on bodies is part of the CNC process, and one of the screw holes for the neck mount become an index point for the CNC machine.  Once that pocket is cut, no modifying to it except perhaps the 720 mod, and I don't recall if that can be done to a showcase body or not.  My memory isn't very clear on that issue.

 

[crash]

You should look into replacing a tone pot with a rotary switch.  I did that with one of my guitars.

One setting with it out of the circuit so only the 250k volume pot is in circuit - nice and bright.
Second position mimicking the tone knob set to about 9
Third position mimicking the tone knob set to about 5
Fourth position mimicking the tone knob set to about 2

 

[Cagey]

I haven't done that yet, but it's always struck me as a good idea. Maybe include some little trim pots in the control cavity so you could change the setpoints as needed. Then, in actual use tone settings would be highly repeatable.