Superswitch vs. Standard 5-Way

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Does the standard Fender 5-way Strat switch have any advantages over the Superswitch other than being cheaper and slightly quicker to wire if you want the standard switching options?
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  • RolandRoland Frets: 8592
    I’m presuming that the Fender 5 way is single track. A Superswitch is double track, which allows you to do parallel/series switching.
    Tree recycler, and guitarist with  https://www.undercoversband.com/.
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  • thegummythegummy Frets: 4389
    Roland said:
    I’m presuming that the Fender 5 way is single track. A Superswitch is double track, which allows you to do parallel/series switching.
    The Superswitch has loads of benefits, I'm just asking if there are any cons other than price and the fact it would take slightly longer to wire up standard Strat wiring.
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  • Winny_PoohWinny_Pooh Frets: 7735
    edited June 2019
    The Fender branded oak grigsby super switch is single wafer and allows you to have neck and bridge together on a strat. (I have a brand new one spare) The double layer version more commonly refferred to does alot more, series parallel etc and is especially useful with one or two four conductor humbuckers. 
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  • RolandRoland Frets: 8592
    Cons:

    It’s bigger, and some control cavities aren’t deep or wide enough. If fact some bodies aren’t deep enough. I bend the tags flat after soldering up, and put a strip of tape along the bottom and side of the cavity to prevent short circuits at some later date.

    The blade moves a bit further, so you may need to lengthen the slot in the control plate and/or replace dome headed machine screws with flatter ones.

    The man to give you chapter and verse on this is @ICBM ;
    Tree recycler, and guitarist with  https://www.undercoversband.com/.
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  • paulnb57paulnb57 Frets: 3044
    If I understand the original question correctly, you want to wire a Strat in standard configuration with either a standard or superswitch?

    Standard switch IMHO is the one to go for, as I inderstand it the superswitch allows more options, but would be a waste of money for standard wiring...

    Stranger from another planet welcome to our hole - Just strap on your guitar and we'll play some rock 'n' roll

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  • ICBMICBM Frets: 71963
    The really big con in use is that a Superswitch has a drop-out between the positions if you move it slowly or accidentally knock it slightly so it sticks in just the wrong position. A traditional 5-way is actually a make-before-break 3-way with two extra mechanical detents, so it doesn’t. A Superswitch is a true 5-way switch. This causes extra switching noise, and if you’re unlucky, silence!

    The same problem occurs with Tele 4-way switches. So if you only want the traditional switching options or any other that can be done with the traditional switch, you’re better to use one.

    "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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  • FunkfingersFunkfingers Frets: 14324
    ICBM said:
    make-before-break
    For me, the best thing about the traditional selector switch is the spring. This makes it possible to nudge the lever between adjacent detents. The spring completes the switching action automatically. 
    Be seeing you.
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  • thegummythegummy Frets: 4389
    paulnb57 said:
    If I understand the original question correctly, you want to wire a Strat in standard configuration with either a standard or superswitch?

    Standard switch IMHO is the one to go for, as I inderstand it the superswitch allows more options, but would be a waste of money for standard wiring...

    Not wanting the standard configuration, but I can get my main sounds using the standard switch and an S1. Just want to know what cons there are of the Superswitch to weigh up against the benefits of a more complicated setup.
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  • thegummythegummy Frets: 4389
    ICBM said:
    The really big con in use is that a Superswitch has a drop-out between the positions if you move it slowly or accidentally knock it slightly so it sticks in just the wrong position. A traditional 5-way is actually a make-before-break 3-way with two extra mechanical detents, so it doesn’t. A Superswitch is a true 5-way switch. This causes extra switching noise, and if you’re unlucky, silence!

    The same problem occurs with Tele 4-way switches. So if you only want the traditional switching options or any other that can be done with the traditional switch, you’re better to use one.
    Cheers man, had a feeling you'd have the good info :)

    While I have this thread, I'd be grateful if someone could check out the wiring diagram I've designed. I am more confident in my schematic designing these days but certainly can't hurt to have expert eyes spot any issued I've missed before taking the time to wire it all up.



    Bridge pickup is the @OilCityPickups Diamond Geezer with a coil tap.

    Aiming for the following:

    S1 switch up:

    1 - Hot bridge
    2 - Tapped bridge & middle
    3 - middle
    4 - neck & middle
    5 - neck

    S1 switch down:

    1 - Tapped bridge
    2 - Hot bridge & middle
    3 - middle
    4 - middle & neck
    5 - Tapped bridge & neck

    Cheers!
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  • ICBMICBM Frets: 71963
    One issue straight away is that you’ve forgotten to connect the rotors of the top two switch poles :).

    You also have the tone controls marked as Lin - you need Log.

    I think the S1 switching is right, but it’s better to switch a tap by shorting the tap to the hot rather than selecting between them, which leaves the hot connection floating as an aerial in the tap mode.

    "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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  • thegummythegummy Frets: 4389
    ICBM said:
    One issue straight away is that you’ve forgotten to connect the rotors of the top two switch poles :).

    You also have the tone controls marked as Lin - you need Log.

    I think the S1 switching is right, but it’s better to switch a tap by shorting the tap to the hot rather than selecting between them, which leaves the hot connection floating as an aerial in the tap mode.
    lol I like to think I'd have noticed the first one when it came to wiring but maybe not so glad you pointed it out!

    The Lin thing seems to just be added by default by the software, wasn't paying any attention to it, I'll be using the existing pots which are the correct type.

    The last thing you say is something I'll need to sit and work out. At the moment, position 1 of the 5-way is the hot and position 4 is the tapped (& middle) then the S1 switch reverses those; would it still be possible to have that using the shorting method? Would it possibly involve some more complex interraction between the Superswitch and the S1?
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  • ICBMICBM Frets: 71963
    I think so... basically you just leave the Hot connected all the time, and use the S1 to link the tap to the hot in positions you want it tapped. You can use any of the four main poles to connect to the S1 if the rotors are all connected to the volume control.

    "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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  • thegummythegummy Frets: 4389
    Hopefully I've got it this time (?)


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  • ICBMICBM Frets: 71963
    I think so. Give it a go, and report back if something doesn't work right... 

    "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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  • thegummythegummy Frets: 4389
    ICBM said:
    I think so. Give it a go, and report back if something doesn't work right... 
    Will do (might not be till next week though).

    Appreciate the help my man.
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  • thegummythegummy Frets: 4389
    Been trying out an HH config with my Strat the past few weeks so put this on hold but now ready to wire it up with a bit of a change.

    Would be extremely grateful if one of the senseis/gurus could have a quick look at this to see if there are any obvious mistakes before I wire it up and have to take it apart again:



    The idea is to have a fairly standard switching setup with the bridge being full in position one and tapped when combined with middle in position two but when the S1 switch is pressed, those are reversed.

    Also when the blender is turned when in position one, the neck will be blended in with either the full or tapped bridge, depending on the S1 switch; I think in position five the blender would always blend in the full bridge pickup, which is fine.

    Thanks in advance if any of you can be bothered having a quick look :)
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