S200 Question

[Turbotommy]

Hi all....my name is Tom and I'm new to the forum. I'm the proud new owner of the S200 Thunderbird reissue....I love it! The thing is the slider switches feel cheap to me...does anyone know if switchcraft slider switches (the same ones in a Fender Jaguar) will fit as replacements? Thanks!

 

[Quantum Strummer]

Welcome!

I think the Jag's switches are smaller than the T-bird's. I mean the ribbed plastic parts…dunno about the mechanical stuff underneath. I should pull out my Jag and check…haven't played it in a few months. The T-bird's switches do have a light feel but I dunno if that equates to not being durable.

-Dave-

 

[AcornHouse]

I just got mine today. I don't notice any cheap feel to the sliders; how did you mean? They seem to be firm.

 

[Turbotommy]

I just got mine today. I don't notice any cheap feel to the sliders; how did you mean? They seem to be firm.

Well...the two outboard switches look bent inward toward the center switch....is yours like that?

 

[GAD]

Well...the two outboard switches look bent inward toward the center switch....is yours like that?

Can you take a pic? That doesn't sound right.

 

[AcornHouse]

Well...the two outboard switches look bent inward toward the center switch....is yours like that?

The white one looks canted a little, but not to effect its performance, and I really have to look close up from the side.

If you want, you should unscrew that panel to see underneath. On mine, I don't see a need. I did get mine from Sweetwater, and they do an inspection/setup first. Whether they did anything with the switch, I couldn't say.

 

[Turbotommy]

Here is a pic.....they work fine I just alittle OCD I guess

 

[Turbotommy]

How can I load a pic from my iPad onto here normally?

 

[AcornHouse]

How can I load a pic from my iPad onto here normally?

You can't (well nobody, really) post a pic directly into a post. They have to be hosted elsewhere; many of us use photobucket, but as long as you can link to a URL that ends in .jpg, anywhere is fine.

 

[Turbotommy]

Let's try this again...lol

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[AcornHouse]

Yeah, that's pretty severe, far more worrying. Have you unscrewed that panel to see what they look like underneath?

 

[Turbotommy]

Opened it up and found them all bent and crushed together....the switches are almost to big to fit next to each other flush. I'm going to have my luthier replace them with new switchcraft switches. I recommend you open yours up and take a look also!

 

[GAD]

Opened it up and found them all bent and crushed together....the switches are almost to big to fit next to each other flush. I'm going to have my luthier replace them with new switchcraft switches. I recommend you open yours up and take a look also!

I'd love to see a pic of the inside of that pick guard so we can compare it to an old one.

Here's the old one:

 

[Quantum Strummer]

The switches on my T-bird are aligned fine so I think I'll leave it alone for now. But I encourage others to take theirs apart & post pics.

-Dave-

 

[kakerlak]

I wonder if there was a change in parts supply b/w planning, early and more recent production. Seems like if there's simply not enough side-to-side real estate in Turbotommy's pickguard for the switches to install nice and flat, that shouldn't vary from guitar-to-guitar unless the switches themselves are different. I mean, sounds like it's not a sloppy install, just a simple space constraint that must not be present on those that lie nice and flat.

 

[Turbotommy]

Yea the switches are just too wide and that caused the switch bodies to bend under the plate. I checked and the switchcraft switches are just a bit narrower so they will sit flush with the top plate

 

[AcornHouse]

Here's a pic of mine. Nothing too crowded, just snug.

 

[kakerlak]

Here's a pic of mine. Nothing too crowded, just snug.

That really is snug, Chris! I wonder if a less-than-tidy wiring/soldering job could prevent them from lining up as cleanly as yours?

 

[AcornHouse]

That really is snug, Chris! I wonder if a less-than-tidy wiring/soldering job could prevent them from lining up as cleanly as yours?

I can't imagine the Korean factory had done too many of these, so there may have been a bit of a learning curve with some of the early ones.

 

[Turbotommy]

I have number 108