Anyone ever put a 2-way switch on a Les Paul?

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Le Chat Noir
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Anyone ever put a 2-way switch on a Les Paul?

Post by Le Chat Noir » Thu Nov 17, 2011 1:33 pm

One of the reasons I don't often play my Les Paul is that I'm forever knocking the 3-way switch mid-song. However, there are some songs where I use my neck pup (never middle position though) so I don't want to remove it / tape it like some do. Anyone ever replaced a 3-way with a low profile 2-way rocker switch? Seems it could be a good option.
Teddy
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the gray area
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Re: Anyone ever put a 2-way switch on a Les Paul?

Post by the gray area » Thu Nov 17, 2011 2:28 pm

I rotated mine 90 degrees, doesn't to get knocked out so much now.
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Re: Anyone ever put a 2-way switch on a Les Paul?

Post by solidpine » Thu Nov 17, 2011 2:49 pm

the gray area wrote:I rotated mine 90 degrees, doesn't to get knocked out so much now.
+1

90 degrees is the way to go. makes more sense anyway!

Le Chat Noir
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Re: Anyone ever put a 2-way switch on a Les Paul?

Post by Le Chat Noir » Thu Nov 17, 2011 3:03 pm

I have done that already but still feel a low profile button might make knocking it even less possible... I'll see what I can find ;-)
Teddy
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I play an AD30TC

riffmonster
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Re: Anyone ever put a 2-way switch on a Les Paul?

Post by riffmonster » Thu Nov 17, 2011 3:59 pm

how about re-positioning the switch?

The obvious place might be inbetween the volumes/tones, should be easy to wire too, if you use a mini toggle no need to drill a big hole either.

I've seen LPs with this as a coil tap or out of phase, I don't see why not for the pickups.

Ever had a go on a gibson nighthawk? I think epiphone are doing a re-run at the moment, might be right up your street...
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Le Chat Noir
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Re: Anyone ever put a 2-way switch on a Les Paul?

Post by Le Chat Noir » Thu Nov 17, 2011 4:15 pm

riffmonster wrote:Ever had a go on a gibson nighthawk? I think epiphone are doing a re-run at the moment, might be right up your street...
Without looking I can be almost sure they don't make lefties! ;)

I'm gonna stick in a low profile SPDT in place of the 3-way I reckon, probably the simplest solution!
Teddy
The Blackwater Rebellion: 2-piece alt rock duo http://theblackwaterrebellion.bandcamp.com/
I play an AD30TC

riffmonster
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Re: Anyone ever put a 2-way switch on a Les Paul?

Post by riffmonster » Thu Nov 17, 2011 4:33 pm

Le Chat Noir wrote:
riffmonster wrote:Ever had a go on a gibson nighthawk? I think epiphone are doing a re-run at the moment, might be right up your street...
Without looking I can be almost sure they don't make lefties! ;)

I'm gonna stick in a low profile SPDT in place of the 3-way I reckon, probably the simplest solution!

oops, I don't think they do a leftie
Mark
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chimpboyjay1
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Re: Anyone ever put a 2-way switch on a Les Paul?

Post by chimpboyjay1 » Thu Nov 17, 2011 7:30 pm

Could you wire the guitar so that both pickups are on all the time, then just use the volume pots to select which pickup you want to use!

That way you can still use all of the pickup combinations, and it doesn't matter if you hit the switch!
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Re: Anyone ever put a 2-way switch on a Les Paul?

Post by mr_william » Thu Nov 17, 2011 8:35 pm

that'd be too slow for me, just having the volume pots...

you could put it inplace of one of the tone pots, having a master tone? like the lp bfg... maybe having a mastervolume up where the 3way is?

theres lots of switches/buttons out there that'd proberbly fit the bill... may a push/push kinda arcade button style thing would suit you, rather than a switch? though it may change the look a lot?

http://www.bulgin.co.uk/Products/Switch ... Switch.pdf" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

just found that... a guy had the issue of wanting to split the coils on an H/H strat style guitar and didnt like where the volume knob was. he dropped one of the tone pots, moved the volume down and put that in where the volume was.

you could have an illuminated one! so u know what u've got selected!
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Randy Bass
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Re: Anyone ever put a 2-way switch on a Les Paul?

Post by Randy Bass » Fri Nov 18, 2011 2:54 am

If you don't need the ability to use both pickups at once, you might be able to wire it bridge-bridge-neck. It might have to be a four-conductor pickup or something though to do that - not sure.
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Le Chat Noir
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Re: Anyone ever put a 2-way switch on a Les Paul?

Post by Le Chat Noir » Fri Nov 18, 2011 10:46 am

Jamie, yeah, could do that but I need to switch quickly between bridge and neck in some songs!

I've actually already done the deed now, put a mini SPDT in it! I'll take a pic sometime to show you what I did.
Teddy
The Blackwater Rebellion: 2-piece alt rock duo http://theblackwaterrebellion.bandcamp.com/
I play an AD30TC

Le Chat Noir
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Re: Anyone ever put a 2-way switch on a Les Paul?

Post by Le Chat Noir » Fri Nov 18, 2011 10:49 am

Oh, one little thing - the ground wire isn't essential is it for the pickup selector? Or should I solder it to the back of the SPDT? Obviously there's no specific terminal like on a traditional 3-way.
Teddy
The Blackwater Rebellion: 2-piece alt rock duo http://theblackwaterrebellion.bandcamp.com/
I play an AD30TC

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