Source for long shaft 5-way?

[eclecticsynergy]

I need a 5-way blade switch with a slightly longer than standard blade, for a guitar where it's rear mounted and the top is a little too thick for the switch tip to fit in positions 1 and 5. Could probably use it without the tip, but it might be uncomfortable. And unsightly. Does anybody know of a "long shaft" 5-way blade switch? Just an extra couple of mm would do it.

[James Welsh]

I've never seen a long shaft 5 way blade switch, though to be fair I've never gone looking for one. I've also never measured the different brands and styles of 5 way switch, but perhaps some are slightly longer or shorter than others. Might be worth finding a few different ones and see if any work.

One solution is to carve away some of the wood on the inside of the control cavity to bring the switch closer.

Another thing to try, if you install the switch without the tip, can it move into all 5 positions? If so, maybe your best bet is to use a different style tip, or install the tip so it doesn't sit so far down on the shaft

[eclecticsynergy]

Thanks for the suggestions, James. It does work OK without the tip in place; there is just enough slot for the blade itself to reach its end points. Routing the cavity a little deeper was one of my first thoughts, but I don't trust my carpentry. It had also occurred to me that I might try filing the offending edges of the switch tip flat, or even rout small recesses at the ends of the slot on top and paint the resulting divots to look intentional, though neither of those would be my first choice. Again, my fabricating skills aren't reliable. As for not pushing the switch tip all the way down, I tried that too and it's pretty loose- would need to be glued on to be useful, which would present its own set of complications. Perhaps I can find an unusually shaped switch tip. That would be the simplest option, I think. I appreciate the advice.

[James Welsh]

It sounds to me like your best bet it to play with the tip and see if you can rig something up to work. Most people don't want to carve away the inside of the cavity for fear of losing value, or smashing through the top and causing way more trouble.

Switch tips are cheap - probably around $2 each I think. You can buy a bunch and cut and carve away at them until you find something that works. Shouldn't take much. Just file the bulk away and smooth it out with some fine sandpaper. And if you did need to install it so it doesn't go all the way down, you can try pushing some thick tape (gaff or electrical) or something like that into the tip hole before you put it on the shaft to see of that helps. May still need glue though.