CRL or Oak Grigsby?

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I'm putting together a parts order, and I've noticed that nice Mr Axecaster has 3-way Oak Grigsby switches for £9, & a very similar-looking CRL 3-way for £13.50.

I seem to remember a thread a while back where someone suggested one brand was very good, whilst the quality of the other had dropped off somewhat lately. If anyone could please advise on which to buy, that would be great - I'm hoping the cheaper one, but doubtless that will not be the case :)
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  • Crl.

    Oak grigsby was my first time choice and it quite literally fell apart, both a 4 way and 3 way.

    Crl switches are built differently, and are super reliable.
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  • SassafrasSassafras Frets: 30273
    I seem to remember ICBM recommending CRLs. That's good enough for me.
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  • dchwhitedchwhite Frets: 182
    Thank you both - I KNEW it would be the pricier one :) Does make me fear for the OGs I already have in other builds, but not much I can do other than cross fingers for those...
    Stonevibe: 'The best things in life aren't things'.

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  • FelineGuitarsFelineGuitars Frets: 11497
    tFB Trader
    Are they not made by the same people?

    I tend to use CRL as I like the spring loaded style

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  • ThePrettyDamnedThePrettyDamned Frets: 7472
    edited June 2015
    FelineGuitars;684053" said:
    Are they not made by the same people?

    I tend to use CRL as I like the spring loaded style
    No idea. But they're built differently - as you say, the crl has the spring.

    I tried two oak switches in my jazzmaster and both broke. I was miffed, they're not cheap but it only took a few months of use to get them "floppy" feeling - they were literally falling apart.

    Touch wood, the crl in the jazzmaster and the strat are both fine. They feel very positive. I'd sooner use an import switch than an oak as they've lasted longer! I may have just been very unlucky, to be fair.
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  • ICBMICBM Frets: 71963
    CRL every time.

    Oak Grigsby used to be as good - although I've never liked the feel of them as much - but I've come across a lot of quality problems recently, both personally and other people's reports.

    All the ones I've had trouble with out of the box have had the contact 'fingers' mis-formed so they don't make proper contact and in one case was the *wrong side* of the rotor. Fixable with a little care and some needle-nose pliers, but you shouldn't have to do that on a brand new switch.

    I've heard of them falling apart very quickly as ThePrettyDamned said too. I have seen several broken ones but don't know how old they were.

    "Take these three items, some WD-40, a vise grip, and a roll of duct tape. Any man worth his salt can fix almost any problem with this stuff alone." - Walt Kowalski

    "Just because I don't care, doesn't mean I don't understand." - Homer Simpson

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  • ICBM;684109" said:
    CRL every time.

    Oak Grigsby used to be as good - although I've never liked the feel of them as much - but I've come across a lot of quality problems recently, both personally and other people's reports.

    All the ones I've had trouble with out of the box have had the contact 'fingers' mis-formed so they don't make proper contact and in one case was the *wrong side* of the rotor. Fixable with a little care and some needle-nose pliers, but you shouldn't have to do that on a brand new switch.

    I've heard of them falling apart very quickly as ThePrettyDamned said too. I have seen several broken ones but don't know how old they were.
    I think I kept my oak three way, if I did I'll take pictures - it's almost funny, it was cracking and the switch lever was able to rock parallel to its usual movement a lot. And it hadn't be hit hard or anything! Just went like that over a period of a few months, I think the board bit of it was cracked as well. Really saddened me, it was my second oak as Internet wisdom suggested they were good at the time, but that does appear to be changing.
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  • MattGMattG Frets: 170
    had an oak grigsby 4 way in my tele for 6 years and never had an issue with it although its possible the quality has dropped since then
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  • stickyfiddlestickyfiddle Frets: 26754
    I've had several CRL and never any trouble. The one OG I tried was rubbish and didn't work
    The Assumptions - UAE party band for all your rock & soul desires
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  • ICBMICBM Frets: 71963
    MattG said:
    had an oak grigsby 4 way in my tele for 6 years and never had an issue with it although its possible the quality has dropped since then
    Yes, that's from before they went down the pan.

    "Take these three items, some WD-40, a vise grip, and a roll of duct tape. Any man worth his salt can fix almost any problem with this stuff alone." - Walt Kowalski

    "Just because I don't care, doesn't mean I don't understand." - Homer Simpson

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  • streethawkstreethawk Frets: 1631
    No problems with Oak switches here. They solder just fine for me and work as expected.

    Fender use them in their production guitars.

    There are cheaper Oak style switches on the market 'built to the same specs', and I'm assuming manufactured off shore - and I dunno if they have found their way into Fender guitars or not. You'd have to assume so. 

    Some people find CRL more positive or Oak smoother, in operation. Smoother, flimsier feeling? 
     
    CRL don't make a 4 way - which is a shame for CRL fans!




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  • dchwhitedchwhite Frets: 182
    edited June 2015
    Thanks very much everyone - seems fairly conclusive that CRL is the way to go. To be fair, it's unlikely to shift beyond the neck position more than twice a year, but still... :)
    Stonevibe: 'The best things in life aren't things'.

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  • streethawkstreethawk Frets: 1631
    edited June 2015
    dchwhite said:
    Thanks very much everyone - seems fairly conclusive that CRL is the way to go. To be fair, it's unlikely to shift beyond the neck position more than twice a year, but still... :)
    Dude I'll send you a brand new Oak for free and you can come back and tell us what you think.

    I've got one in my strat here and it clicks like a good un. 

    PM me your address if interested, I'm at the post office tomorrow. 
    :)
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  • dchwhitedchwhite Frets: 182
    dchwhite said:
    Thanks very much everyone - seems fairly conclusive that CRL is the way to go. To be fair, it's unlikely to shift beyond the neck position more than twice a year, but still... :)
    Dude I'll send you a brand new Oak for free and you can come back and tell us what you think.

    I've got one in my strat here and it clicks like a good un. 

    PM me your address if interested, I'm at the post office tomorrow. 
    :)

    That's very kind of you - thank you very much! Pm incoming...
    Stonevibe: 'The best things in life aren't things'.

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  • streethawkstreethawk Frets: 1631
    Hmm. Just checked through my bag of Oaks and some of them have contacts that have bent in transit.  :-O

    (don't worry DC, I picked you out a good one).

    These are obviously salvageable but not going in any of my customer builds.

    Would this occur with a bag full of CRL switches sent across the ocean? I dunno. But it looks like my next order is going that way. 
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  • streethawk;686736" said:
    Hmm. Just checked through my bag of Oaks and some of them have contacts that have bent in transit.  :-O

    (don't worry DC, I picked you out a good one).

    These are obviously salvageable but not going in any of my customer builds.

    Would this occur with a bag full of CRL switches sent across the ocean? I dunno. But it looks like my next order is going that way. 
    Not surprised. I thought fender used crl switches now, too.

    I think I binned my oak switches when tidying, but if one crops up I'll take a picture. It's almost funny how badly it's fallen apart. It's a "proper" oak switch, presumably USA made?
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  • streethawkstreethawk Frets: 1631
    streethawk;686736" said:
    Hmm. Just checked through my bag of Oaks and some of them have contacts that have bent in transit.  :-O

    (don't worry DC, I picked you out a good one).

    These are obviously salvageable but not going in any of my customer builds.

    Would this occur with a bag full of CRL switches sent across the ocean? I dunno. But it looks like my next order is going that way. 
    Not surprised. I thought fender used crl switches now, too.

    I think I binned my oak switches when tidying, but if one crops up I'll take a picture. It's almost funny how badly it's fallen apart. It's a "proper" oak switch, presumably USA made?
    Pfft. Who knows in this day and age! I have read something referencing Korea. 

    You can buy unbranded Oak's and I bet they are essentially licensed and built up in the far east. Fender would want a piece of that action if it saved them a few cents - until any problems arose... that's business.

    Electrosocket own CRL and OAK and they're based in N.Carolina. Are they all made there? I dunno.

    I'd be happy using GOOD Oak switches but when buying in bulk it doesn't look like it will be worth the hassle of passing on the odd one. A shame.






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  • gavin_axecastergavin_axecaster Frets: 526
    tFB Trader
    Electroswitch make both and CRL are definitely still made in the USA. I can't say for sure where Oak are made - I assume USA but have never had a definite answer.
    Someone on TDPRI bought a Fender 4 way switch and received it in Fender packaging stating made in Mexico. I don't believe it said Oak Grigsby anywhere on it though. Fender may well make their own for cost reasons  - they are putting Alpha pots in the "lower" end guitars.

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  • dchwhitedchwhite Frets: 182
    Thanks @streethawk - switch arrived today. Really good of you, thank you :)
    Stonevibe: 'The best things in life aren't things'.

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  • JohnPerryJohnPerry Frets: 1616
    Necro bumping this thread only because my second Oak 5-way Tele switch fell to bits tonight! Got looser and looser, finally stopped working and the innards then just fell out.

    Have ordered a CRL. Never had problems with ANY Tele switch before these two Oaks

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