Flying V electronics question

[MattPete]

Hi folks. I have Gibson v98, which has a modern Flying V form factor, but the controls are laid out like a 58 V. I've replaced the hot pickups with a Seth Lover bridge and neck, and I'd like to get some feedback on some other planned mods.

(1) The throw of the toggle switch bothers me, and I'd like to rotate the pickup selector switch so that the throw is at a 45 degree angle (similar to a Strat) as opposed to up/down (vertical). Unfortunately, the switch is one of the shallow 90-degree Switchcrafts, and there is no room underneath the pickguard to rotate it.

Currently, it has a switch like this:

right-angle switch

Would one of these shallow Switchcrafts fit?

short switch



(2) I kinda feel silly about asking this question, as I feel I should know the answer. I'm adding a push-pull pot and it *just* barely fits (height-wise). I was planning on shielding the control cavity with copper foil, and I was concerned that it might be a problem if the bottom of the pot touched the copper tape. I suppose I could put a piece of electrical tape on the bottom of the pot if this would be a problem, but would it be a problem (let's assume I'm grounding to the pot chasis)?

[Wonker]

Re: Flying V electronics question

The links you posted are not working

[MattPete]

Re: Flying V electronics question

Fixed the links (above)

[Wonker]

Re: Flying V electronics question

That one is still too tall. I've done what you want to do for a customer. I had to use a crap proline switch.

[MattPete]

Re: Flying V electronics question

Thanks Wonker, as that saved me $20 bucks on an experiment. That's too bad, as the angle of the switch drives me batty, as I'm use to flicking my hand down (er, sideways) to change pickups, but the switch doesn't move side-to-side, only up-and-down. The Switchcraft sight said it was for SGs (so i figured it would fit a V), but every web site selling switches for Vs (or SGs) listed the right-angle switch.

[MattPete]

Re: Flying V electronics question

Yep, you're right: the toggle switch doesn't fit (too wide to be turned 90°).

Likewise, both the Bourns and Alpha 500k push-pull are too tall. They fit within the body cavity, but the shaft is too long. With a deeper cavity (Strat), you could use nuts and washers to adjust how much the shaft sticks out, but there isn't enough depth for that in a V (or SG).