# Replacing volume knob with killswitch...?



## TTWC Ben (Sep 9, 2010)

It has occurred to me that i only ever have my volume knob on full or on nothing... therefore i have concluded that a killswitch instead would be a worthwhile modification to my guitar.

the questions are.. 

How can i do this?!

Can you buy killswitches which fit into the round whole where the volume knob is?

ALSO i never touch my tone knob, i'm wondering if that can be "hardwired" so that it is on full at all times and remove the knob altogether...

input? help!


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## MaxOfMetal (Sep 9, 2010)

Just wire up your guitar like this:







For switches, just look around, there are tons of options out there as far as use, function, and size. 

As for the tone knob, just remove it and wire your entire guitar like the diagram I posted.


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## bostjan (Sep 9, 2010)

TTWC Ben said:


> It has occurred to me that i only ever have my volume knob on full or on nothing... therefore i have concluded that a killswitch instead would be a worthwhile modification to my guitar.



Same thought has came to several members of this very forum.



> How can i do this?!



With a soldering iron, and a few drops of solder.



> Can you buy killswitches which fit into the round whole where the volume knob is?



Yes. This sort of thing should not be hard to find if you can describe what you are looking for.



> ALSO i never touch my tone knob, i'm wondering if that can be "hardwired" so that it is on full at all times and remove the knob altogether...



Even easier. If you take the tone pot out and solder the pickup right to the output jack, it's like having your tone knob set at 11.


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## TTWC Ben (Sep 10, 2010)

thanks both of you! i realised that many others have asked similar questions, but i have never tinkered around inside of my guitar before and just needed some confirmation, so thank you for taking the time to reply!

I understand the diagram! and this is far easier than i would have imagined haha, 

as for the the killswitch, i do not want to have to drill a new hole as it were, so can you buy killswitches that will just fit in the hole where the volume knob used to be? recommend any good websites that sell this sort of thing?

thanks again, and sorry im a pain haha.


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## MaxOfMetal (Sep 10, 2010)

TTWC Ben said:


> thanks both of you! i realised that many others have asked similar questions, but i have never tinkered around inside of my guitar before and just needed some confirmation, so thank you for taking the time to reply!
> 
> I understand the diagram! and this is far easier than i would have imagined haha,
> 
> ...



For a switch, go to any local electronics store, and see what they have in stock. There are a million and one sites online that will sell you "guitar kill switches" for more than you have to pay, plus shipping. Though, a properly stocked electronics store (one which sells components, not just TVs and DVD players) should have a HUGE selection of switches with various throw options. Just measure the hole in the face of your guitar and compare it to the switches base. 

Though, try and stay away from anything marked as "mini" as most of the time those switches fit through smaller holes than the one you need to fill.


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## TTWC Ben (Sep 14, 2010)

I have aquired myself a switch, actually found one in the stores at work *yoink*.

one very last question and then i will stop pestering you lovely people,

*is there a special/best type of wire to use inside a guitar for this type of wiring?*


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## MaxOfMetal (Sep 14, 2010)

TTWC Ben said:


> I have aquired myself a switch, actually found one in the stores at work *yoink*.
> 
> one very last question and then i will stop pestering you lovely people,
> 
> *is there a special/best type of wire to use inside a guitar for this type of wiring?*



This: STEWMAC.COM : Shielded Guitar Circuit Wire

Any shielded wire will do really, this is just what I typically use. It's not really needed exactly, but it's nice to have that extra bit of shielding. In reality any 22 to 26 AWG wire will do fine. It's your solder joints that will determine the quality of the connection.


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## TTWC Ben (Sep 14, 2010)

MaxOfMetal said:


> It's your solder joints that will determine the quality of the connection.


 
This bit worries me!! haha, i've had a poke about in the back of my guitar, and i reckon i could do it 

I work at a big engineering firm, but i am mechanical so this electrical stuff is a bit beyond me, though it seem simple enough! There are people at my work that know about this sort of stuff, what they are talking about and could probably help me through it. I can at least pretend that i know what i am talking about now! 

Cheers all.


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## Deadnightshade (Sep 14, 2010)

A customer of a local luthier i trust,wanted to have a killswitch.However,he was a professional musician in an entertaining center,so he was working in loud volumes.The luthier was against him having one,since the sound of the killswitch turning off can be very evident in high volumes.Dunno if it can even blow up a speaker  He did put him a killswitch at last,and he proved to him that even at a practice 50 Watt amp that loud noise happens when you start cranking the volume.Unless he knows something wrong about soldering killswitches,( which i doubt cause he has 30 years of experience),i recommend you to not do it,or if you want it for practicing at home,just drill one more hole.


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## MaxOfMetal (Sep 14, 2010)

Deadnightshade said:


> A customer of a local luthier i trust,wanted to have a killswitch.However,he was a professional musician in an entertaining center,so he was working in loud volumes.The luthier was against him having one,since the sound of the killswitch turning off can be very evident in high volumes.Dunno if it can even blow up a speaker  He did put him a killswitch at last,and he proved to him that even at a practice 50 Watt amp that loud noise happens when you start cranking the volume.Unless he knows something wrong about soldering killswitches,( which i doubt cause he has 30 years of experience),i recommend you to not do it,or if you want it for practicing at home,just drill one more hole.



It depends on the switch you use. Some switches are silent, and others aren't. Having seen Buckethead, Tom Morello, and various other "killswitch enthusiasts" live as well as installing a fair share of them in both mine, and other's guitars, I can tell you, when the proper switched is wired properly, there is ZERO noise when it's either engaged or disengaged.


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## Deadnightshade (Sep 14, 2010)

MaxOfMetal said:


> It depends on the switch you use. Some switches are silent, and others aren't. Having seen Buckethead, Tom Morello, and various other "killswitch enthusiasts" live as well as installing a fair share of them in both mine, and other's guitars, I can tell you, when the proper switched is wired properly, there is ZERO noise when it's either engaged or disengaged.



He might not have searched for the right switches then i guess..


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