How1 Posted March 19, 2023 Share Posted March 19, 2023 I've just ripped the preamp out of my Charvel San Dimas and rewired it as passive - now it has a hole where the battery compartment used to be and two extra pot holes (pardon the pun). What's the best way to fill them? I'm not overly bothered about matching the finish or anything yet, just doing a good job on filling them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
itu Posted March 19, 2023 Share Posted March 19, 2023 Pictures? Do you need any switches? Kill switch, rotary for tones or pickup connections (ser/par/single)? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
How1 Posted March 19, 2023 Author Share Posted March 19, 2023 (edited) It was 5 potholes, now it’s two after adding V/V/T pots. This is it from the front (it’s currently got No Nails in it to stop any liquid (beer!) getting in it for the time being. I’m not at home at min and don’t have a picture, but the battery compartment is basically pretty neatly cut battery shaped hole! More or less untreated other than some primer from the body’s first coat (presumably). It did cross my mind just to put the old pots in them and add control knobs, seemed a bit silly though adding dead controls. Edited March 19, 2023 by How1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tauzero Posted March 19, 2023 Share Posted March 19, 2023 For the battery compartment, why not just put it back in without a battery? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
How1 Posted March 20, 2023 Author Share Posted March 20, 2023 15 hours ago, tauzero said: For the battery compartment, why not just put it back in without a battery? To be honest, no reason whatsoever. I would just rather get it back to as much of a sold piece of wood as I can without any unnecessary bits. It would be a lot easier to put the battery compartment in, that’s probably why I don’t wanna do it 😂 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EBS_freak Posted March 20, 2023 Share Posted March 20, 2023 Obviously, measure for the correct size... https://www.accu.co.uk/lightweight-round-ribbed-inserts/582828-HRLRI-10-11-5-PE?uk_google_shopping=1&c=3&gclid=CjwKCAjwiOCgBhAgEiwAjv5whPvJcaHkK7mVHcScNti4yPHJl4h27jbf9VdHvn7p9IZUiPB5UK1Y8hoCZ-IQAvD_BwE Or, dowels, sand flat and apply appropriate Goonies sticker. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Waddo Soqable Posted March 20, 2023 Share Posted March 20, 2023 Or make a stingray style control plate to cover the whole lot, If you want to fill the batt. hole solid, you'll have to likely make, say a paper template of the oblong aperture and chop out a block of wood to fit, glue it in etc.. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jean-Luc Pickguard Posted March 20, 2023 Share Posted March 20, 2023 how about adding a kill switch or two? Or LEDs? Or one of each? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Cribbin Posted March 20, 2023 Share Posted March 20, 2023 You could used another sticker on the front, job done! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EBS_freak Posted March 20, 2023 Share Posted March 20, 2023 Two additions to the front - Series/Parallel switch and a kill switch button. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
How1 Posted March 20, 2023 Author Share Posted March 20, 2023 So far I think the doweling option is a good one for the front (and another sticker 👍). The kill switch could be handy though as well. The Stingray style control plate option I like as well, but it sounds a bit beyond my capabilities/toolbox. I think for the back it’s gonna have to be wood cutting time though. just out of curiosity, what would the series/parallel switch offer me? I’m not sure I’ve ever had or used one before. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaulThePlug Posted March 20, 2023 Share Posted March 20, 2023 Not a lot without messin with the finish. Standard Panel hole size so maybe a blanking plug... as for the batt box hole... empty batt box... https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/175210436296 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
itu Posted March 20, 2023 Share Posted March 20, 2023 Series/parallel means that in parallel mode the adjustments are like in an ordinary PJ. Series overrides the other vol and puts the pickups in series. You get another sound out of it. If you override the tone (and maybe even vol pots), the higher end will be emphasized a little bit, and there's slight bump in volume. With a rotary switch and some tinkering you can get few more sounds. I warn you though: many of the possibilities sound practically the same. You end up using one or two options the most. How do I know this... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maude Posted March 20, 2023 Share Posted March 20, 2023 Seems to me like the perfect place to mount the pair of aerials for a theramin. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rushbo Posted March 21, 2023 Share Posted March 21, 2023 The easiest/laziest and potentially most useful solution for the pots would be to put the ones you've taken off back on, but leave them unconnected. That way, it's completely reversible if you have a change of heart. A bonus of this method would be that whenever a pesky sound engineer or band member starts yelling at you because "you're too loud and too bassy" you can twiddle with both useless knobs, safe in the knowledge that your carefully crafted tone will remain unmolested. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
How1 Posted March 21, 2023 Author Share Posted March 21, 2023 20 hours ago, Maude said: Seems to me like the perfect place to mount the pair of aerials for a theramin. Now that does sound interesting 🧐 😁 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gwilym Posted March 21, 2023 Share Posted March 21, 2023 You can have two producer knobs in there for extra mojo. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
How1 Posted March 21, 2023 Author Share Posted March 21, 2023 6 hours ago, rushbo said: The easiest/laziest and potentially most useful solution for the pots would be to put the ones you've taken off back on, but leave them unconnected. That way, it's completely reversible if you have a change of heart. A bonus of this method would be that whenever a pesky sound engineer or band member starts yelling at you because "you're too loud and too bassy" you can twiddle with both useless knobs, safe in the knowledge that your carefully crafted tone will remain unmolested. 28 minutes ago, Gwilym said: You can have two producer knobs in there for extra mojo. The old Lee Sklar trick 👍 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rushbo Posted March 21, 2023 Share Posted March 21, 2023 1 hour ago, How1 said: The old Lee Sklar trick 👍 Two DFA knobs... 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
How1 Posted March 23, 2023 Author Share Posted March 23, 2023 (edited) It’s temporarily sorted for now. I’m considering the kill switch though. How is it wired? I’m guessing from the jack socket? Edited March 23, 2023 by How1 Typo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EBS_freak Posted March 23, 2023 Share Posted March 23, 2023 You could do a kill switch from the volume pot... or you could do two kill switches, one from each pickup - it could make for a weird intermittent tonal thing - and a total kill with both pressed... Dunno. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
How1 Posted April 1, 2023 Author Share Posted April 1, 2023 On 23/03/2023 at 18:14, EBS_freak said: You could do a kill switch from the volume pot... or you could do two kill switches, one from each pickup - it could make for a weird intermittent tonal thing - and a total kill with both pressed... Dunno. The J pickup doesn’t get a huge amount of use, so I might just wire on to the p pickup. I’ll have a look into it. I’ve sealed & tidied it up for now, but nothing that can’t be undone if needs be. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yorks5stringer Posted April 1, 2023 Share Posted April 1, 2023 On 21/03/2023 at 19:59, How1 said: The old Lee Sklar trick 👍 Old? he looks ancient! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
How1 Posted April 1, 2023 Author Share Posted April 1, 2023 45 minutes ago, yorks5stringer said: Old? he looks ancient! I read somewhere he’s only 25. Must be the beard - puts years in him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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