Installing the 10 way switch — voiding your warranty edition

Some modifications will need to be made.

Previously on easy mode…

In a previous episode we had an HSS guitar and plenty of room to fit a freeways switch https://www.freewayswitch.com/

10 Ways

In this case, the challenge is that space is rather tight on an Ibanez Sabre.

Yes, the edge is that thin.

It’s very curvaceous

Yes, there is a mind blowing optical illusion

in person, it’s hard to credit this section is flat

Because that section is flat (enough)

The usual “international” standard pickup selector: proof that the components are flat where they join

And the real sleight of hand: it’s angling the switch

comparing the replacement part with the old and the space available

It seems tight, but “do-able”?

My Conclusions before starting

The body cavity in the Sabre is an interesting shape, and the pickup selector holder both angles the switch so that it fits into the body cavity, and also allows the switch to protude out of the body cavity.

S series

The new switch is a little wider, requiring

1. a wider gap in the body
2. some scooping out of the pickup holder
3. some sanding down of the PCB slice of the switch to ensure a fit

That’s a lot of modifications: the selector holders are obtainable for around £10, so no worries there, but routing out more wood from the top needs careful thought.

Masking out the outline, it looked like there would be enough overlap to ensure there wasn’t a visible gap.

So, off we go

mask off and carefully, carefully have a go

I was very happy to find that the built in angle into the selector just sneaks the part in

no cheating required

Results