1964 Double Six

[Maharaja21]

Hi everyone,
I am starting restoration of my Burns soon but I am having trouble sourcing the pickup selector which had disintegrated as Burns Guitars do not do them anymore,
has anyone replaced one on their D6, if so what with? All the spares I have do not match the spacing of the fixing holes (3cm or 1 and 1/4") , any suggestions?
I have attached a picture of the selector.
Thaks for any help in advance
Cheers
Steve

Burns Selector Switch

Selector.JPG (32.03 KiB) Viewed 9385 times

[JimN]

Use a Strat switch. Form a small, thin piece of steel with a slot in it the same size as the one in the pick guard, and two holes to accept the two screws. If necessary, fix the screws with small nuts. You can then glue the Strat switch to the metal plate.

[RayL]

A possible solution (costing £2) is to use a replacement rotary switch from this range
http://www.maplin.co.uk/rotary-switches-2417

The lever seems to be fixed to the shaft of the old switch by a collar. Loosen the collar (seems to need an Allen key), undo the fixing nut of the old switch and remove it.

The Double six originally had a three-way selector so you'll need the 4-pole, three-way version of the Maplin switch (4 pole 3 way: FF76H). If you wanted more selections you could use the 3-pole 4-way or even the 2-pole 6-way if the lever will allow the necessary movement. Note that the Maplin switch allows you to restrict the 2-pole 6-way to a 2-pole 5-way by adjusting a ring with an end-stop that sits in the top of the switch.

You'll need to work out the necessary wiring to get the selections right, but that's half the fun!

Ray

[JimN]

The selector switch on a D6 is a three/five position swing switch like that on a Marvin (or Strat), Ray.

[RayL]

Hi Jim

In the photo, part of the switch is missing. Unlike a strat switch, which is basically a single disk with contacts round its periphery (sometimes twin disks) and made especially for guitar use, this unit appears to be a conventional rotary.

Steven, please upload a picture of the other half of the switch, which presumably still has the wires connected to it.

Ray

[JimN]

Ray,

In the picture above, the far end of the little arm going to the left from the pivot post, and through a slot, is the visible switch blade when in use. That flat part of the unit is screwed flat against the underside of the scratchplate.

The switch works in the same way as a Stratocaster/Telecaster switch, but it is constructed differently. The screw sockets are offset from the line of operation of the switch (as can be seen above).

Here's the switch on my 1965 Burns Marvin (see the offset screws):



JN