Removing knobs and fitting small switches

[Kiichi]

Good day,
I got two questions I hope you can help me out with.

Firstly, I just recieved my on off on switch I intend to use for split switching in a guitar of mine. Now it is replacing a pot and the shaft of the switch I got is a smaller diameter, so much smaller that I canīt secure it in the regular manner cause it just goes through the hole.
What would you suggest is the best way of fitting this switch? Or should I just try to get a bigger one?

Secondly, I would like to change the pots on my Ibby S series, but I seem to be unable to remove the knobs. I figure at this point they are glued on. Any tips on how to go about this issue?

Cheers!

[PhilKing]

You can get some washers to cover the hole with the switch, as long as you aren't too worried about the look.  If you find decent looking washers, I don't think they look that bad.

On the knobs, an easy way is to get a twin strand wire (like a bell or speaker wire), and split it in the middle and push one wire under one side of the knob and the other under the other side.  You should be able to get them off with that.  Another approach is to use a spoon as a lever, but you need to protect the body when you do that.   One last thing, I'm assuming that these are push on knobs.  Just check that they don't have a screw locking them onto the shaft!

[Philly Q]

Another approach is to use a spoon as a lever, but you need to protect the body when you do that.   

Yeah, protect the body with a fairly thick piece of card or something, or you will end up with shallow indentations in the finish!  Also watch out for the sharp edges of the spoon, they may mark/cut the underside of the knobs.

As you're levering it, keep turning the knob a a bit so you're not putting all the pressure on one side, which might break the knob.  Take it gently!

It's very unlikely that the knobs are glued on, unless it was done by a previous owner.

[Kiichi]

Thanks for the advice guys!

On the switch I will go and get washers tomorrow, stupid that it did not cross my mind. I think look whise it will go quite well as it will be easy to get one in the same look as the knobs on the pots here.

The Ibby I bought new, so no glueing from the previous owner. Guess they really are just stuck as heck. I already tried levering with a screwdriver, but I will give it another, more intense shot and if that fails try the wire method.

Edit: Got it off! Took me about 15min to even be able to use a spoon but now it is done!
Ordered a push pull poti and have a BKP pot lying around.
Now I just gotta decide what to do with the push pull. Ditch the autosplit? Keep the autosplit and use the push pull for something else? What are options sides a phase reversal for the middle? Questions, questions...

[Dave Sloven]

I get the Gibson style knobs off with a shoe lace.  You wind the shoe lace around under the knob and then pull up.  Also avoids scratching the paint.  The flat style of lace you get with running shoes