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I have had the idea of cleaning up my wiring schematics for a while now but when I stumbled upon the Freeway 2x5 position switch, I couldn't help myself and got one. I was just too darned curious to see how it works IRL! I have used their 2x3 way toggle and I hated that thing. So, why buy this one? Well, guitars are my job ánd hobby so I felt I should splurge the 30 bucks on this switch.
What does it do? Simultaneously a lot and very little. It's a 5 way switch, twice. You can move from position 1 to 5 easily, like usual, but if you click the switch to the left position, you get 6 through 10. (Or right, if you're on the left side
). Both directions of the switch are very defined, much more so than with the freeway 2x3 position toggle. This switch is bulky, so you might lack the space in your guitar but that's no problem on mine, to be honest.
It has a pre-set set of internal connections, on the circuit board. The switch internals are more akin to 2x 4 wafer switch if I recall the patent correctly and the PCB (like a schaller megaswitch!) is premade to allow for one or two sets of options. I have been working closely with these guys to make another kind of switch for the Fluence pickups and I have those prototypes in my hands; they will be offering more options, but for now, they only offer this.
I hooked this switch up to a Seymour Duncan SH5 Custom with an Alnico III plus two Alnico2pro singlecoils and I have to admit, the tones are absolutely great. I don't know how usable they ALL are, but the three singlecoil tones are truly great, the lone humbucker works really well on its own and the 2 singlecoils in humbucker/series mode work very well too. I will review this later on and might change my mind because I want even more brightness from the bridge humbucker, so I'll install hex polepieces instead of these slugs (plus reverse the phase because I want the screw coil when it's split, not the inner coil).
When in use, you don't have to fear that you accidentally switch from right to left, you really have to give it some force, which is good! This system feels so much more elegant than a push pull pot or an extra toggle like Ibanez' dyna mix 10 system. Just take a look at all the jumpers in this schematic versus how clean and easy the Freeway wires up. Really, it took me just 2 minutes to wire up this switch! I've had worse, believe me.
What does it do? Simultaneously a lot and very little. It's a 5 way switch, twice. You can move from position 1 to 5 easily, like usual, but if you click the switch to the left position, you get 6 through 10. (Or right, if you're on the left side
). Both directions of the switch are very defined, much more so than with the freeway 2x3 position toggle. This switch is bulky, so you might lack the space in your guitar but that's no problem on mine, to be honest. It has a pre-set set of internal connections, on the circuit board. The switch internals are more akin to 2x 4 wafer switch if I recall the patent correctly and the PCB (like a schaller megaswitch!) is premade to allow for one or two sets of options. I have been working closely with these guys to make another kind of switch for the Fluence pickups and I have those prototypes in my hands; they will be offering more options, but for now, they only offer this.
I hooked this switch up to a Seymour Duncan SH5 Custom with an Alnico III plus two Alnico2pro singlecoils and I have to admit, the tones are absolutely great. I don't know how usable they ALL are, but the three singlecoil tones are truly great, the lone humbucker works really well on its own and the 2 singlecoils in humbucker/series mode work very well too. I will review this later on and might change my mind because I want even more brightness from the bridge humbucker, so I'll install hex polepieces instead of these slugs (plus reverse the phase because I want the screw coil when it's split, not the inner coil).
When in use, you don't have to fear that you accidentally switch from right to left, you really have to give it some force, which is good! This system feels so much more elegant than a push pull pot or an extra toggle like Ibanez' dyna mix 10 system. Just take a look at all the jumpers in this schematic versus how clean and easy the Freeway wires up. Really, it took me just 2 minutes to wire up this switch! I've had worse, believe me.
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