the Fly Clone Project

I love the overall design of my pre-refined '95 Fly Deluxe. However as someone who started out on a Strat, and has done "the Gilmour mod" which gives seven different sounds/pickup combos with the standard five way switch, the one thing that I always felt limited by with the Fly was having only three sounds from the pickups. A couple of years ago I found a way to incorporate a coil tapping switch without changing the look of the guitar, no drilling any new holes. It did require me to decommission the master volume, which I never used anyway.

I have zero regrets doing this as now I have six different sounds and I feel like it's a way more versatile. The coil tap makes it way less aggressive sounding and you can get some decent single coil sounds out of the Gen 1 pickups. Now if I could only do something to make that vibrato arm more usable.

Anyway, here is a link to my video about it for anyone interested:

Pretty cool Paul. The thing for me is that I use the master volume all the time and never use the actual magnetic volume. I would totally be into that mod but I would want to use the magnetic volume for it. The master volume is way too useful for me.

Patzag wrote: ↑Tue May 17, 2022 10:05 am Pretty cool Paul. The thing for me is that I use the master volume all the time and never use the actual magnetic volume. I would totally be into that mod but I would want to use the magnetic volume for it. The master volume is way too useful for me.

Yeah the problem is that if you use a push-pull pot in lieu of the mag PUP volume, there isn't the room under the PCB for it. That is kinda what I originally wanted to do, to have a push-pull pot on the mag PUP volume control. You could always add a little toggle switch somewhere under the PCB above the mag PUP volume & tone controls. I just didn't want to drill holes in mine.

I think the solution is actually a rotary switch rather than a push pull design.

Patzag wrote: ↑Tue May 17, 2022 1:25 pm I think the solution is actually a rotary switch rather than a push pull design.

Pretty sure that won't fit under the PCB either... and you still have to give up a control unless you're drilling holes. And there is the knob problem. If you give up a control for the rotary switch then you probably can't use the original knob, so you have one odd duck knob.

Very cool work, Paul! Great to see the way you expanded the tonal options for the Fly!

#ElectronicsMods

Paul Marossy wrote: ↑Tue May 17, 2022 1:52 pm

Patzag wrote: ↑Tue May 17, 2022 1:25 pm I think the solution is actually a rotary switch rather than a push pull design.

Pretty sure that won't fit under the PCB either... and you still have to give up a control unless you're drilling holes. And there is the knob problem. If you give up a control for the rotary switch then you probably can't use the original knob, so you have one odd duck knob.

Assuming I could find a small enough rotary switch to fit, would I need a two pole switch? And could you indicate to me what the mud would consist of? I'd be willing to give it a shot.

Patzag wrote: ↑Tue May 17, 2022 2:23 pm

Paul Marossy wrote: ↑Tue May 17, 2022 1:52 pm

Patzag wrote: ↑Tue May 17, 2022 1:25 pm I think the solution is actually a rotary switch rather than a push pull design.

Pretty sure that won't fit under the PCB either... and you still have to give up a control unless you're drilling holes. And there is the knob problem. If you give up a control for the rotary switch then you probably can't use the original knob, so you have one odd duck knob.

Assuming I could find a small enough rotary switch to fit, would I need a two pole switch? And could you indicate to me what the mud would consist of? I'd be willing to give it a shot.

Same thing as in the video, except for it would be a rotary switch of some sort instead of a push pull pot that is only acting as a switch. All it has to do is connect or disconnect the pair of red & green wires to ground. You take those two wires off the pickup selector switch and wire them to the switch so that you are grounding them, which is "coil tapping" them. I talk about that about 2:20 into the video. I guess you would need a two position, two pole rotary switch? I don't know if they make such a thing or not. If anyone is going to have such a thing it'll likely be www.Mouser.com

I have to get the exact dimensions of the switch that I found, but possibly something like this would work.
https://smallbear-electronics.mybigcomm ... itch-2p2t/

Patzag wrote: ↑Tue May 17, 2022 8:30 pm I have to get the exact dimensions of the switch that I found, but possibly something like this would work.
https://smallbear-electronics.mybigcomm ... itch-2p2t/

That should fit under the PCB. Really is meant to be PCB mounted but still is usable I think. The main question is that shaft is long enough or not. Looks pretty short...

Good to see you again Paul, glad you’re still circuit bending.

This is cool stuff, love the split humbucking set up.

Not a fan of rotary switches on guitars personally- lots of torque that can mess up the wood and then they spin.

I’d be inclined to cut a rectangular hole in the back plate and use a slide switch. Not as convenient but it would not be as dramatic a mod as the other options.

billy wrote: ↑Wed May 18, 2022 10:06 pm Good to see you again Paul, glad you’re still circuit bending.

This is cool stuff, love the split humbucking set up.

Not a fan of rotary switches on guitars personally- lots of torque that can mess up the wood and then they spin.

I’d be inclined to cut a rectangular hole in the back plate and use a slide switch. Not as convenient but it would not be as dramatic a mod as the other options.

Hey Billy, long time no see! I thought of every possible way to do it (besides a rotary switch) and my push-pull pot is the only thing I could live with.

Paul Marossy wrote: ↑Tue May 17, 2022 9:55 am A couple of years ago I found a way to incorporate a coil tapping switch without changing the look of the guitar, no drilling any new holes. It did require me to decommission the master volume, which I never used anyway.

Dear Paul,
I really like this mod and I will have my local tech perform it on one of my guitars! Just a couple of questions and personal ideas:

For me, the master volume is in the way when playing, so I would actually like it if it didn't stick out there at all. So I was thinking, can I have a simple flat button there instead of the entire push/pull thing?

Next question: Would this be standard parts for my tech to get hold of?

Last question: Would this be more complicated to do, less complicated to do, or just about the same as your method?


Thanks againg, looking forward to have these sound options on my blue Deluxe.

Ekornbakke wrote: ↑Fri Nov 11, 2022 11:16 am

Paul Marossy wrote: ↑Tue May 17, 2022 9:55 am A couple of years ago I found a way to incorporate a coil tapping switch without changing the look of the guitar, no drilling any new holes. It did require me to decommission the master volume, which I never used anyway.

Dear Paul,
I really like this mod and I will have my local tech perform it on one of my guitars! Just a couple of questions and personal ideas:

For me, the master volume is in the way when playing, so I would actually like it if it didn't stick out there at all. So I was thinking, can I have a simple flat button there instead of the entire push/pull thing?

Next question: Would this be standard parts for my tech to get hold of?

Last question: Would this be more complicated to do, less complicated to do, or just about the same as your method?


Thanks againg, looking forward to have these sound options on my blue Deluxe.

Sure, you could use another kind of switch. It just needs to have the right dimensions for it to physically fit in the tight space available in the guitar. The only thing I know of that would be flat is a push button switch but the problem with that is you can’t physically see or feel what position the switch is in (would be like a mini version of a boutique guitar pedal foot switch). That knob gets in the way for me also BTW. It’s a compromise.

Paul Marossy wrote: ↑Sat Nov 12, 2022 12:43 am The only thing I know of that would be flat is a push button switch but the problem with that is you can’t physically see or feel what position the switch is in.

I came to think about a button that already exists on the pre-refined Fly. The switch next to the jack input. The hole it requires may not be the exact same, but this button both looks and feels just right for me. You can both feel and see if it is engaged or not, as the button either sits all the way in or sticks out a little.

I'll try to attach pictures

Ekornbakke wrote: ↑Sat Nov 19, 2022 8:41 am

Paul Marossy wrote: ↑Sat Nov 12, 2022 12:43 am The only thing I know of that would be flat is a push button switch but the problem with that is you can’t physically see or feel what position the switch is in.

I came to think about a button that already exists on the pre-refined Fly. The switch next to the jack input. The hole it requires may not be the exact same, but this button both looks and feels just right for me. You can both feel and see if it is engaged or not, as the button either sits all the way in or sticks out a little.

I'll try to attach pictures

If you don’t mind losing the functionality of the stereo/mono switch, that could work.

Oh no, I'll keep the stereo/mono switch and functionality. My point was to insert an extra switch like this in place of the master volume.

Ekornbakke wrote: ↑Sat Nov 19, 2022 5:27 pm Oh no, I'll keep the stereo/mono switch and functionality. My point was to insert an extra switch like this in place of the master volume.

Oh ha ha I see. That’s not a bad idea but it requires a much larger hole than the pot does.

Yes. I'll have my tech look for a suitable button. If it requires a slightly larger hole, I don't mind, but I will try to find something that fits nicely. Will let you all know how it goes!

Nice work @Paul Marossy !

But do tell...what's your problem with the vibrato?

B.S.