Anybody have or use a Fender S1 switch?

[Rockstar216]

Is it basically a Push/push knob but just built differently? Also does anyone have a spare or one their not using that I could get from them? I didn't want to shell out $30 for just one and figure I could buy one off of somebody here.

 

[Mincer]

Re: Anybody have or use a Fender S1 switch?

It is a push push knob, and I use mine to split 2 humbuckers at once on a Music Man SUB1. I don't have an extra, but I have to say, if your guitar uses Strat-style knobs, it is the coolest switch ever. Much better than push pull, which are hard to grab on Strats, or a regular push push, which has never impressed me with their quality. The reason they are so expensive is because Fender is the only one that makes it, so they can charge what they want. I got mine on Ebay, and I think I paid about $25 total for the switch, the knob and cap (all sold separately- blah).

 

[beaubrummels]

Re: Anybody have or use a Fender S1 switch?

FWIW - I found out the hard way that having any custom component/pot made costs $25 - $50 per unit if the volume of the run is low. I had a run of concentric long-shaft 500k and pan/blend 500k long shaft pots for some Les Paul experiments and that's about what it was per unit.

 

[DreX]

Re: Anybody have or use a Fender S1 switch?

The S-1 is a 4 pole/2 throw, so it's like two push/pulls in a single button. One cool thing I did with one, which can't be done with a typical push pull, is split three rails (or tap three coils) with a single action. I also think they're more ergonomic than a push/pull, and they look cool, IMO. They are expensive and having to buy the plastic parts separately is annoying, but it's worth it for the benefits.

 

[Red_Label]

Re: Anybody have or use a Fender S1 switch?

My American Deluxe Strat has the S1 switching system. I think that it's a pretty cool idea, but so far I don't care for the tone with the switch pushed-in. Too dark and compressed. I much prefer the normal strat tones in terms of clarity and timbre. Not exactly sure what the switch comes wired from the factory to do. But would like to maybe alter it to do something different than what it does. I do like the noiseless SCN pickups though. I've got another Strat that I wouldn't mind putting the same pickguard on if I can find a prewired one for sale.

 

[DreX]

Re: Anybody have or use a Fender S1 switch?

My American Deluxe Strat has the S1 switching system. I think that it's a pretty cool idea, but so far I don't care for the tone with the switch pushed-in. Too dark and compressed. I much prefer the normal strat tones in terms of clarity and timbre. Not exactly sure what the switch comes wired from the factory to do. But would like to maybe alter it to do something different than what it does. I do like the noiseless SCN pickups though. I've got another Strat that I wouldn't mind putting the same pickguard on if I can find a prewired one for sale.

It puts pickups in different combinations of series with each other, so that they're hot like humbuckers. It's good for a "lead boost" type of thing, but you're limited to the sound of pickup combination. I think using the S-1 switch to split three hotter humbuckers, such as Hot Rails or DiMarzio's hot rail models creates a Strat that truly does everything with very little compromise, because you get single coil or humbucker tone with all five standard pickup selector modes. If I'm going on vacation and have to choose one guitar to take with me, I'll take a three humbucker Strat with the ability to split all three pickups. When I was performing, my main Strat was wired that way, with three Little '59's.

 

[philthis]

Re: Anybody have or use a Fender S1 switch?

I have the S-1 switch on my Lonestar deluxe strat. It sounds great and works very well too. I refuse to use little toggle switches on a strat as its not my thing. The S-1 switch on my guitar just splits the humbucker and the standerd 5 way still assigns the pickups wether they be split or not. Ya I really like it. Its on the volume knob and very handy when I want to split the humbucker.....just press the top of the volume knob in and its split. easy, simple, and fast and thats what I want when I am trying to focus on playing instead of looking down to search for a little toggle switch when I want to split my tone in the middle of a song....I have had this setup before on a Kramer I used to have and I hated it. The S-1 switch is slick and worth every penny to me. All my future strats will have it too.

 

[ehdwuld]

Re: Anybody have or use a Fender S1 switch?

I have never seen an S1 switch
But if it's a push push pot
I got.one.from mojotone

*(Sent from my durned phone!)*

 

[Rockstar216]

Re: Anybody have or use a Fender S1 switch?

I have a push/push pot installed already but broke it when I tried to take the knob off so now it just stays in the up position. So instead of buying another one or a push/pull i'd figure i'll go with the S1 switch to replace it. Unless I find a deal or come into some cash it will probably be a couple months before I can get it.

 

[retro2]

Re: Anybody have or use a Fender S1 switch?

Is it basically a Push/push knob but just built differently? Also does anyone have a spare or one their not using that I could get from them? I didn't want to shell out $30 for just one and figure I could buy one off of somebody here.

I don't know what's best, I thought I would install a "push-pull" switch on my new Stratocaster to activate the three pickups at once, but if a good quality switch comes out for a similar price I'd probably install an S1 that I suppose is more comfortable to be just "push-push".

 

[Silence Kid]

Re: Anybody have or use a Fender S1 switch?

I have one on one of my Strat pickguards (the stock one.) I like it a lot; I under-use it to only split the bridge humbucker.

...That said. I've heard the stock Deluxe wiring has the S1 circuitry wired in a way where individual pickups sound worse through it, although that is correctable by removing a wire somewhere? Any truth to that? Mine had the wiring butchered when I got it, so I was never able to try it with the stock S1 selections.

 

[Jacew]

Re: Anybody have or use a Fender S1 switch?

if your guitar uses Strat-style knobs, it is the coolest switch ever. Much better than push pull, which are hard to grab on Strats, or a regular push push, which has never impressed me with their quality.

I fixed this by supergluing a bottle cap on top of regular strat knob. Using push/pull is now ease, and it's much more accurate than regular strat knob. Looks cool too, if you select one with cool logo...

but you're limited to the sound of pickup combination. I think using the S-1 switch to split three hotter humbuckers, such as Hot Rails or DiMarzio's hot rail models creates a Strat that truly does everything with very little compromise, because you get single coil or humbucker tone with all five standard pickup selector modes.

I prefer the strat pickups in series. They make very good overdriven growl when balanced right. But I don't think you can get that clean sparkle from halved bucker.

S-1 seems very interesting concept.

 

[Mincer]

Re: Anybody have or use a Fender S1 switch?

See, I don't think singles in series sounds very good. There is no attack, and you can't really play any chords other than basic power chords without it sounding super muddy. In any case, I still use my S1 switch- it is a really cool idea that is invisible until you need it.

 

[Jacew]

Re: Anybody have or use a Fender S1 switch?

See, I don't think singles in series sounds very good. There is no attack, and you can't really play any chords other than basic power chords without it sounding super muddy. In any case, I still use my S1 switch- it is a really cool idea that is invisible until you need it.

Having no attack is what i'd thought about every covered humbucker i've tried (not too many though), I haven't noticed anything similar with series singles. And I think muddiness is most likely caused by strats tone circuit and 250k pots.

I posted about this earlier, but there's no hint of series muddiness in my strat; that has SSL-7, SSL-5, SSl-1 setup, 500k pots, and subtle tone circuitry (switchable small caps behind a resistor).

 

[Mincer]

Re: Anybody have or use a Fender S1 switch?

Oh I believe it...
I have a 1982 'The Strat', which has several series combinations stock. All are pretty muddy with no attack at all. It uses 250k volume and 250k master tone for all pickups.

 

[philthis]

Re: Anybody have or use a Fender S1 switch?

I agree with Red_Label on this. I had one in a strat to split a humbucker to a single coil. for position 2 which is the bridge and middle split I thought when I pushed it in it didnt sound nearly as good as if I just left the humbucker on full and split it with the middle. In fact I actually thought the full humbucker and middle together got a much better "quack" sound then most single single splits on other strats. I guess it would be cool for country on like a clean setting where you would split the bridge humbucker to twang it up a little but to me all it did was make the humbucker split sould kinda thin and crappy. somebody else on this forum complained about the same thing earlier but each to their own. like I said, a country guy make try to use it more and may have the right pedals to make it work well but I ran it straight into a Fender Twin and thought it sounded kinda weak and thin

 

[Little Pigbacon]

Re: Anybody have or use a Fender S1 switch?

My Deluxe Roadhouse Strat has an S-1 switch to take the preamp in and out of the circuit.

 

[philthis]

Re: Anybody have or use a Fender S1 switch?

I will say its a very handy switch and very close to your picking hand for whatever application you are using it for. for sheer ease of use its a 10 out of 10. I dont know, maybe for a kill switch instead of another giant abnoxious nob on the face of your guitar.

 

[Wattage]

Re: Anybody have or use a Fender S1 switch?

I removed it from my Tele for a few reasons. It was linked to the 4-way switch that had to go, I need to go from bridge to neck without worrying wear the neck position is, drove me nuts. I was going to keep the S1 in so I'd have the out of phase thing available but I just don't need it.

Went back to a 3 way and a 250k pot. The guitar sounds a little more "open" now fwiw, probably as much to do with simpler wiring as anything.

The switch itself is pretty cool though, I may put it back in and make it a killswitch at some point.

Funny thing I found though with my guitar Fender didn't follow their own wiring diagram and they wired the neck pickup the reverse of how they document it (blk and wht wires were reversed).