daveq Posted September 15, 2003 Report Share Posted September 15, 2003 Up until now, I have not used a 5-way switch in any guitar I have built. I am building one with a maple top that will need this type of switch. My question is, what do you use to cut the slot for the switch? I'm thinking about finding a Dremel attachment that would cut a 1/16" slot but I don't know if this is the best way to go? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
erikbojerik Posted September 16, 2003 Report Share Posted September 16, 2003 Razor blade or Xacto knife is not a bad way to go. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drak Posted September 16, 2003 Report Share Posted September 16, 2003 Well, I use the 5-way on most of my guitars, with no pickguard. Yes, I use the dremel with a tiny cutter, I use the Stew-Mac router base and double-tape something straight and flat onto the body for the router base to follow as a straight guide. HOLD that SOB tightly! Sometimes the dremel wants to grab and spin out of your hands and ruin the damned thing. I also have to use some tiny jewellers' files to clean up the slot afterwards. Be sure you make it wide enough w/o being too wide, as the finish will eat up some space, and it's possible to make it too thin, and the switch will 'grab' and not slide smoothly if you cut it a bit too thin... I also route the underside of the switch (inside the control cavity) thinner than the rest of the cavity, but not toooooo thin! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
krazyderek Posted September 16, 2003 Report Share Posted September 16, 2003 i use a dimond cutter disk on my dremel too, i also make mini routings (for rear rout) so each pot and the switch at set at different depths, the rest is barly routed enough for the wires to get from one section to another.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CudBucket Posted March 9, 2005 Report Share Posted March 9, 2005 How thick should the body face be for the switch to protrude enough? Thanks. Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frank falbo Posted March 9, 2005 Report Share Posted March 9, 2005 Every switch is different. You have to look at your switch and look at how far your knob sets down on it. Usually 3/16" is appropriate. There are Korean switches with dual height knobs. They sit pretty high so you can have a thick top. Then if you rotate it there's a recess for using it with a pickguard. The knob will drop down farther. They're usually pretty good switches, too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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