Ibanez S Series Owners! New MOD idea!

[Shredcows]

Where the 5-way selector used to be, I removed the switch, removed the plastic cover (simply unscrew the nut inside cavity) and fashioned a custom cover.

Take some plastic/arcylic and drill some holes in it, that Arcylic can be used to cover the switch hole and then install MANY THINGS.

Like:

1) 3 x on/on mini toggles ala old school Sabers
2) 1 x 3-way LP toggle x mini toggle (2 way or 3 way)
3) 1 x 3-way LP toggle x momentary kill switch (mine)

And more, up to your imagination.

It requires NO drilling or routing so its REVERSIBLE.

For those who are SICK of the Ibanez 5-way switch that feels cheap and flimsy, and you CANNOT fit anything other switch inside due to the uber thin body, this mod might just make your day.

okay.
So my mods are current.

2 x 3-way on/on/on mini toggles for series / parallel / split operation
1 x 3-way EMG pup selector (Its got a long tip, i prefer)
1 x 250k Dimarzio Vol pot
1 x 1meg Dimarzio Tone pot with Mallory Capacitor
1 x momentary kill switch ala Buckethead (I have NOS Made in US ones)

*phew*

Oh yeah, Dimarzio recommends 250k/1meg for their vol/tone pot values, I tried it... so far...

I don't notice any extra brightness.
I think the tone is slightly smoother.
The sweep of the tone pot is MUCH MUCH better --> more usable/muscial
The vol taper does not bleed as much highs as before.

All the above in reference to a 500k/500k setup previously installed.

Hope you guys can glean something from this little experiment of mine.

[SonataGuitarist]

Thats pretty sweet man, appreciate it. Im lookin for as much info as possible about the 250k/1meg vol/tone setup so thanks for that also.

\00/

[Chroma]

Sounds like some good info, I think it would be cool to try this with individual on/off toggles for each pickup.

btw, I replaced my stock 5 way selector on my S470 with a Super Switch. I did have to use my dremel to take a little wood off around the slot, but the plastic cover keeps it completely hidden and because the selector mounts to the plastic it's easy to put the original back in if need be.

[Shredcows]

Hey Chroma, what Super Switch did you use?

My 2002 MIJ Saber seems to have a REALLLLY thin body, similiar to an FGM100DY i compared it to. The current Sabers look thicker. I really cannot put a megaswitch into my cavity, no way.

[nuno]

Originally Posted by Shredcows

My 2002 MIJ Saber seems to have a REALLLLY thin body, similiar to an FGM100DY

it is, actually. the S series has always be the same since 1987, and the FGM comes from it, pretty much the same but with the neck, pickups and trem furtherly recessed into the body.

Originally Posted by Shredcows

The current Sabers look thicker.

you may refer to the SA/SC series, cause the S series' thickness remained unchanged since 1987. the "new" SA and SC series body it's thicker on the edges.

[Shredcows]

hey nuno... hmmm... i was refering to Sabers, i had the chance to examine a few new models, and a couple of things were thicker. Some of the new Sabers, the edges were just slightly thicker. All of the new Sabers had a thicker neck joint, the wood @ the center should be thicker. I don't know if its supposed to be across the board.

Also, some sabers could have a 5-way Ernie ball switch, stuffed into them. Mine can't, no way. Even the Gotoh YM series will not be a total fit.

On a side note, I dig the SA body shape much more than the Saber's.

Oh, and you can do the above mod to SAs or SCs.

[nuno]

Originally Posted by Shredcows

hey nuno... hmmm... i was refering to Sabers

Sabers were what we call S. they switched to the name S in 1988 or so, because of copyright issues with Ernie Ball which had the Sabre bass series. the Saber body and the S body are identical.

[Shredcows]

Ah... so thats why they switched names... heh. Thanks for tip!