Official Luthiers Forum!

I'm finishing up my Les Paul & it's time to wire it up.

I bought the Switchcraft 3-way switch. As you can see, the threaded section of the switch will only allow for about 1/8" of material.

I'm concerned about boring the cavity deeper so that the top is only 1/8" thick at the switch. It seems like there would be a lot of Les Pauls with broken tops around the switch?

Am I worrying too much or should I get a different switch.

Thanks,
Kevin Looker

_________________
I'm not a luthier.
I'm just a guy who builds guitars in his basement.
It's better than playing golf.

I'd use one with a 5/16" threaded shaft.

http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Electronics,_pickups/Components:_Switches_and_knobs/3-way_Pickup_Switches/Straight_Toggle_Switch.html

Found one on sale;

http://www.guitarfetish.com/USA-Style-Les-Paul-Toggle-Switch-Chrome_p_778.html

aren't Pauls bored all the way through? thats why they have the "mini pickguard" around the switch, i thought....

They very well may be, I've never taken a real one apart.

I'm working from the Stew Mac drawing which only shows a 1/2" dia through hole - the size of the threads.

Kevin Looker

_________________
I'm not a luthier.
I'm just a guy who builds guitars in his basement.
It's better than playing golf.

Output jacks are too.

I did not find the S-M drawing, but I took the back plate off my 70s LP. Here is what it looks like to me. The big bore goes down to the shoulder of the switch. Then a smaller bore (1/2?) goes down a little further. At the bottom of the small bore I can still see wood. I am sure the plastic "washer" on the outside adds strength but I do not think it is there to cover the hole.

Hope that helps,

ELB

_________________
_____________

EddieLee

The plastic washer is held on by the nut, it has no real functional purpose other than marking the switch positions. We used to take them off all the time. The proper switch for this has 5/16 of threads. The wood is a bit thin at the top of the cavity.

_________________
Brian

You never know what you are capable of until you actually try.

https://www.howardguitarsdelaware.com/

Thanks for all the replies & effort.

So I went to one of the real guitar repair shops in my area, J. Thomas Davis.

There I learned that I need a knurled nut that has and extended section which essentially lengthens the threads. The one on the left is what came with my switch, the one on the right is the one I need.

Of course, they didn't have one to sell me so I headed off to GC. It must have been time to pay my Gibson tax, $25 for the whole switch, nobody has just the nut.

The Gibson packaged switch & the original one I bought are identical & made by Switchcraft. They must have changed it because the threads are about 3/16" in length as opposed to 5/16".

One more note, the switch I originally bought came in an Allparts kit that I found on Ebay (switch, pots, wiring, caps & jack). This kit had the wrong type of nut in it that caused all of the confusion.

Kevin Looker

_________________
I'm not a luthier.
I'm just a guy who builds guitars in his basement.
It's better than playing golf.

Kevin,
I am anxiuosly waiting for the unveiling!
I bet it's going to be a beauty!
I'll want to know how close the sound of your '59 pickups are to a stock LP.
DZ

_________________
wah
Wah-wah-wah-wah
Wah

$25 for a switch is burglary. But hey you did make the mistake of buying guitar parts from GC.

_________________
http://www.tinyhouseandland.com

I built a Byrldland kind of copy with P-90's last year. And an Aspen/maple top. I had a 3 way in the floentine cutaway. It was fine when I put it together. For an electric archtop, it was a very wired pickup. Most problems are with bad solder joints and poor grounds.

_________________
Jason Moe
LaCrosse WI 54601

Take a very close look at your switch with the nut closer to the end of your threads. Make sure to do a test switching to determine that the paddle on the switch will click into a locked position at the end of travel. Something to check before deciding on dimensions.
Good luck, have fun.

_________________
How long is that in luthyears?