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Thread: How good can a switch switch?

  1. #1
    Forum Member Don Wiklund's Avatar
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    How good can a switch switch?

    For all you mod guys out there. Please forgive my ignorance but I've been wondering about this. I keep hearing folks suggest that it's a good idea to change over to a "Switchcraft" switch if you don't have one. Common sense tells me that all a switch does is turn things on and off. Is it really worth the effort to make the change?
    THROUGH ALL OF OUR SENSES WE ARE AT THE END OF THE DAY JUST GODS WAY OF TASTING THE UNIVERSE

  2. #2
    Formerly Tele-Tubby TT100's Avatar
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    Re: How good can a switch switch?

    In what?

    JMO, but reliability is the reason for the switch.

    But what are we really talkin'? 1,000 cycles or 100,000 before failure? Really, don't switch until you need to if what you have works.

    I'll buy (or pull out of my stash) Switchcraft and other quality parts if I'm making something from scratch, otherwise, what works is good enough.

    Until it doesn't.

    I'll leave you with this bit of wisdom from my 9th grade science teacher and former Alaskan tug pilot.....

    "Every time you use something, is one less time it's going to work."

    Words to live by.

    TT
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    "Once men turned their thinking over to machines in the hope that this would set them free. But That only permitted other men with machines to enslave them." Frank Herbert.

  3. #3
    Forum Member Kap'n's Avatar
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    Re: How good can a switch switch?

    Switchcraft stuff is good. Not as good as it used to be - the tooling is getting worn out, but it's not made from pot metal and other garbage.

    It's stuff designed in an era when things were meant to be repaired rather than everything fail at once, and you chuck it.

    Both viewpoints have their merits - who wants to pay for a cell phone that lasts 50 years, but I want my amps, guitars and fx to last my lifetime.
    Several guitars in different colors
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  4. #4

    Re: How good can a switch switch?

    IMHO, its either on or off, right?
    Care and feeding in my experience.
    Lube your stuff and take care of it and it will
    last as long as its gonna last,
    Until it breaks!
    Then get the best quality you can afford
    Stratocaster-ghettoblaster
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  5. #5
    Forum Member Don's Avatar
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    Re: How good can a switch switch?

    There is some benefit from replacing a switch that functions fine.

    The Jimmie Vaughan Strat that I used to own had an Oak Grigsby switch with small detents and it had a very vague feel. I could hardly tell when it was in position and it move accidentally.

    My other Strat has a CRL switch- the type with an extension spring on the side of it and much more positive detents. I can always tell that it's in position.

    When I built my USACG T-Style, I made sure to put a CRL switch in it for feel.

    If I had kept the JV Strat I would've put a CRL switch in it.

  6. #6

    Re: How good can a switch switch?

    I just put a megaswitch in my showmaster and it IS better, to me anyways
    Who Knew ?
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  7. #7
    Forum Member Offshore Angler's Avatar
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    Re: How good can a switch switch?

    Unless you are looking at transient responses in milliseconds and micro or even pico Ohms of resistance, a switch is a switch.

    For a guitar it's about reliability and longevity.
    "No harmonic knowledge, no sense of time, a ghastly tone, unskilled vibrato, and so on. Chuck is one of the worst guitar players I know" -Gravity Jim

  8. #8

    Re: How good can a switch switch?

    It just feels better to me, really, and that's what matters.
    I think the better sound, and yes, more clearly defined transients, are due to the new CTS pots and new bone nut recently installed along with the switch
    Its a tri-fecta major mojo in the right direction for me and my Showmaster HH

    Quote Originally Posted by Offshore Angler View Post
    Unless you are looking at transient responses in milliseconds and micro or even pico Ohms of resistance, a switch is a switch.

    For a guitar it's about reliability and longevity.
    Stratocaster-ghettoblaster
    www.MySpace.com/EdMcLaughlin

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