Tele control plate with a mini toggle switch hole?

[timbovee]

Hi folks,

This is my first post, and I really tried to find an answer in the forums first, but no luck. Feel free to redirect me if I'm wrong.

I'm considering installing a mini toggle in my SH tele to give me some new tone options in the neck humbucker. I am going to test out parallel vs. coil splitting first in case I like one a lot more than the other. If so, I'll do a push-pull dpdt volume or tone pot instead of the mini switch. But in the case I end up liking all three tones (series/parallel/split), I will probably go with an on-on-on mini switch between the pots. (Separate question: has anyone successfully used two push-pulls to give your humbucker self-parallel and split options? Seems janky.)

The problem is, I can't find a control plate with a pre-drilled mini switch hole anywhere. Ok, actually, I know about the rockrabbit angled switch plate (here). It is my Plan B, cos I don't dig the angle--feels too stratty. What I really want is this:

I also found a few plates with three pot holes, but that middle one seems too large in diameter to work for a mini switch.

920D has these on their custom loaded control plates, but they don't sell the plate separately, despite selling several other control plate varieties on their site. They haven't responded to attempts to contact them.

Yes I know I could drill my own, but I don't have a drill press. I've read that a regular drill will likely catch at some point, or walk across the plate, even if I center punch, de-temper, etc. first. No thanks. Sure I could buy a drill press, but the control plate is many times cheaper--IF I can find one. If not, I may give up and try, and I could always buy a new stock plate if I mess it up.

Sorry for the long post, but I wanted to anticipate any suggestions other than where I can find a plate. Of course, if I missed any other ideas besides buying more stuff, please do let me know.

 

[sjtalon]

Welcome !

(link removed)

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01M62EZWP/?tag=tdpri-20

 

[WalthamMoosical]

Welcome to TDPRI! Good luck with that control plate!

 

[timbovee]

Welcome !

(link removed)

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01M62EZWP/?tag=tdpri-20

Thanks guys! Excited to be part of the forum. These have a 3/8 hole for pots. I assume they are too big for mini switches. Am I wrong?

 

[sjtalon]

So I measured the nut of a mini toggle I use, and it is 8mm

The shaft of a CTS pot is 9MM. Not sure what their (custom) hole size is but probably not too much over the 9 I should think.

The DiMarzio's I use come with washers so you could use those to make it work.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B003O4GRMY/?tag=tdpri-20

 

[timbovee]

Def worth a try. Worst case I’m out $14-15.

 

[trev333]

drill from the back of the plate and start with a 1/8 bit then work up to the size you need.... clamp it to a block of wood...

you can do it, champ..

 

[Peegoo]

No drill press, you say? Unca Peegoo is here to help.

Find a scrap piece of "four-be-two" (as they say where @trev333 lives) at least a foot long. 1x3 or 1x4 will also work, as will a scrap of 3/4" ply.

Use your standard 2-hole control plate as a template to mark the wood for the two mounting screw locations. Drill with a 1/16" drill for each screw. Screw the plate to the wood.

Use a small punch to mark the plate where you want the small switch, apply a drop of light oil to the punch mark, and then use a 1/8" drill to make a pilot hole in the plate. Use slow speed and moderate pressure. Next step is to drill the hole to the final size.

Attaching the plate to the wood prevents it spinning like a food processor and Osterizing your fingers. It also allows you to keep two hands on the drill motor. If you have no bench to clamp the wood to, you can place it on the floor and put a foot on one end.

 

[timbovee]

This is fantastic. I DO have a bench and clamps, and scrap wood. And the company of a 9-year-old who (like me) will appreciate that a simple thing like drilling one small hole to mod a guitar should have as many steps as possible.

 

[cenz]

You could see if you can get a plate from a Modern Player Tele. Switch is already there.

 

[Peegoo]

And the company of a 9-year-old who (like me) will appreciate that a simple thing like drilling one small hole to mod a guitar should have as many steps as possible.

Those many steps take about one whole minute to do all of 'em

 

[tery]

Take it to a machine shop - it won't cost much .

 

[AJBaker]

No drill press, you say? Unca Peegoo is here to help.

Find a scrap piece of "four-be-two" (as they say where @trev333 lives) at least a foot long. 1x3 or 1x4 will also work, as will a scrap of 3/4" ply.

Use your standard 2-hole control plate as a template to mark the wood for the two mounting screw locations. Drill with a 1/16" drill for each screw. Screw the plate to the wood.

Use a small punch to mark the plate where you want the small switch, apply a drop of light oil to the punch mark, and then use a 1/8" drill to make a pilot hole in the plate. Use slow speed and moderate pressure. Next step is to drill the hole to the final size.

Attaching the plate to the wood prevents it spinning like a food processor and Osterizing your fingers. It also allows you to keep two hands on the drill motor. If you have no bench to clamp the wood to, you can place it on the floor and put a foot on one end.

This'll work.

If you do it right, you shouldn't have any problem drilling a hole with a handheld drill. I'm not sure what kind of metal it is, but it's fairly soft. Just take your time and start (from behind) with a smaller bit.

A centre punch will help, and something to deburr the hole at the end will be the icing on the cake.

 

[Mark the Moose]

I would use the low speed setting on the drill, assuming it has one.

 

[Peegoo]

something to deburr the hole at the end will be the icing on the cake.

Even if you don't have a deburring tool, you have a deburring tool:
The good ol' "church key" can/bottle opener.

Put the pointy end into the drilled hole, apply a little pressure, and rotate the tool a few times. The tool scrapes off the little sharpies that remain from the drilling operation.

 

[memorex]

One of my Teles has a standard reverse control plate with a mini-toggle hole I drilled myself with a cordless drill. It came out fine. The other has the RockRabbit plate with the angled selector. Although I don't like aluminum (RockRabbit) as much as chrome plated, I like the angled selector, and the fact that when used as a reverse plate, the tone control and the mini-toggle sit slightly closer to the volume control. That means you can play the neck pickup, selector all the way to the left, and still get your pinky around the tone control to do wahs. I can't do that with the straight plate.

 

[Billy3]

If you don't go the drill route, use a washer large enough to hold the mini toggle in place. That's what I did and works just fine. Those 3 hole plates from Amazon are good quality too. All you need is one washer. Keep on pickin!!

 

[bottlenecker]

Even if you don't have a deburring tool, you have a deburring tool:
The good ol' "church key" can/bottle opener.

Put the pointy end into the drilled hole, apply a little pressure, and rotate the tool a few times. The tool scrapes off the little sharpies that remain from the drilling operation.

If you're drilling holes, you probably have a drill that's larger than the hole. Push the tip into the hole and turn it by hand to deburr. (I'm talking about the actual drill here, what you may call a "bit", not the thing with a motor in it.)

 

[sjtalon]

I use faster method, don't need no stinkin' eeeeelecticity, or by 4's (just make sure the plate isn't anywhere near the body)

 

[fenderchamp]

I drilled a hole in a control plate, didn't have a drill press, didn't screw it up and don't even remember how I did it, so It couldn't have been too tough.