Who here has a rear routed Tele with a 4-way blade switch?

[PumpinIron]

I was installing my wiring harness today in my Warmoth rear routed Telecaster. Got it all wired up and I come to find that the 4-way switch has an awfully long throw, and apparently it now won't go all the way into the 1st or 4th position on the switch. It will partially engage, but not fully, which is going to be an issue.

The most obvious solution is to open up the switch rout on the body, but I'm not going to do that, because this finish is gorgeous, and I just don't feel comfortable doing it.

I'm not sure if they make a 4-way switch that has a shorter throw or what, but the bottom line is that the rear rout on this Tele does not play nicely with the 4-way blade switch I have.

Is this normal? If so, what's the solution?

 

[Fat Pete]

File a notch in the switch blade?

 

[PumpinIron]

File a notch in the switch blade?

That had crossed my mind, I'm going to have to see if it will work.

 

[TBurst Std]

It's actually not uncommon even when mounted to a plated.  From what I have read, 50% of the people notch the blade switch.

 

[Hendrix]

I have use 5 way have similar problem , I file the switch seam each end bevel , longer on up side of body . this way it more nature .

I don't like have a notch on the blade switch, just feel not look nice.

 

[PumpinIron]

Okay, so I used my Dremel and I made the blade switch much narrower. It now engages in both the 1st and 4th position just fine.

However, when you put the switch cap on it, it causes it not to engage fully because the switch cap is big enough that it hits the body in the 1st and 4th positions (see photos). The solution to this would be a longer shaft on the blade switch, but apparently no one makes this?

It's common sense if you think about it... The blade switch on a rear routed Tele has to go through 1/4" or so of the body, so you're basically bringing the switch cap 1/4" closer to the body.

Any solutions for this? I know I can't be the only one who has experienced this.

 

[Cagey]

The switch slot is usually relieved inside the cavity so the top is thinner in the switch mounting flange area. Is that not the case with yours? If not, that's one way you can get a little more throw out of the switch without molesting the switch operator slot clearance or the operator itself.

Another way to go would be to get/install a bezel over the operator slot so you can lengthen the slot and have the ability to hide any potential damage you might do to the finish...

$2.50/ea in pairs here, but it takes a little longer to get them because they're coming from Deepinahearta, China.

 

[PumpinIron]

Yes, my switch does have that relief in there, but I still suspect it's maybe 1/4" or so of would that is has to go through (maybe less?), compared to the few millimeters or so that it would have to go through on a top rout.

Problem is now that even that bezel wouldn't fix it. The switch cap is preventing it from fully engaging as you can see from those photos. The only way I can get around it is to pull the switch cap off almost entirely. If I do that, it's only on the blade shaft maybe 1/8". Not enough to make it it stay on very well.

That bezel would make the problem worse unfortunately.

 

[Hendrix]

 

Any solutions for this? I know I can't be the only one who has experienced this.

this build
http://www.unofficialwarmoth.com/index.php?topic=26545.15

first , I use a much smaller wood / plastic screw to mount the switch , I just don't like big screw head.

to do this I put glue in the  switch screw hole .

switch cap , I just glue it highter .

 

[Cagey]

I didn't see your pics before I posted.

That seems awfully close, and your'e right, even a very thin bezel would make it worse. I wonder if there's a way you can measure that top thickness? Maybe the entire cavity got routed shallow somehow, so the relative relief for that switch isn't enough. Seems to me the top thickness around the switch slot should be in the 1/8" or less range, since that style switch generally gets mounted on a pickguard or control plate that's less than .100" thick.

 

[Verne Bunsen]

I think a Strat style switch tip would offer a bit more clearance than the big Tele barrel tip, do you have one to try out?

 

[PumpinIron]

No Strat tip on hand, but I'll find one and try it out just to see.

Hendrix, the smaller screws are indeed a good idea. The big heads on these screws I have are interfering with the cap and causing it not to be able to go all the way into position.

I should also measure the body, it is indeed possible that it may not have been routed deep enough. It has the relief for the blade switch, it just seems like maybe it's still to thick or something. Right now the blade cap is barely on there, yet it still is preventing me from engaging it all the way.

If you take the cap off though, then it works without any issues.

 

[stratamania]

How thick is the body where the switch fits?

That seems to be the cause, can it be thinned down?

 

[Nando Vallart]

I had that problem, got a round small file or a small bit on a dremel (can't remember which) and enlarged the hole a bit...
Worked out

 

[PumpinIron]

How thick is the body where the switch fits?

That seems to be the cause, can it be thinned down?

I'll measure it today.

Problem is, even if I opened up the hole a bit, it wouldn't make a difference, since the issue is that the blade switch sits to low in the body, which causes the tip to hit the edge of the body in the 1st and 4th position.

 

[stratamania]

It's not the hole that would need opening up but the thickness of the body made thinner where the switch sits. If it's thicker than a scratchplate that is the problem.

 

[PumpinIron]

It's not the hole that would need opening up but the thickness of the body made thinner where the switch sits. If it's thicker than a scratchplate that is the problem.

Ahhh, that makes more sense. I need to see how much thinner I can safely make it. I'll call Warmoth and see what they suggest.

 

[stratamania]

It's not the hole that would need opening up but the thickness of the body made thinner where the switch sits. If it's thicker than a scratchplate that is the problem.

Ahhh, that makes more sense. I need to see how much thinner I can safely make it. I'll call Warmoth and see what they suggest.

Good idea,  I would rather you did that than attacking it with a Dremel purely on my suggestion.

 

[BroccoliRob]

You might just need to find a different manufacturer. MAybe a different company's 4-way switch would have a different design and not give you this problem

 

[PumpinIron]

You might just need to find a different manufacturer. MAybe a different company's 4-way switch would have a different design and not give you this problem

Yep, you're right. I spoke to Warmoth today on the phone. He told me that they have never had this issue with their 3-way blade switch, but he's never heard from anyone who has run a 4-way.

That leaves me with the conclusion that it is definitely switch related. I'm not even sure if any 4-way switch will work. I may just have to go with a 3-way switch, which honestly wouldn't be the end of the world.