Are blade switches any more reliable or durable than toggle switches?

[Dave Locher]

I have had three-way toggle switches that were decades old and worked fine, but I have also had problems with a few, including a '62 SG and a '78 335.
Im getting ready to start building a second from-scratch guitar and I am just wondering if a Fender-style three-way or 5-way blade switch is more reliable and/or durable than the Gibson-style three-way toggle switch? The contacts are so small on a toggle!

 

[Clint 55]

Re: Are blade switches any more reliable or durable than toggle switches?

The only switch I've broken so far has been the Fender style. I had to use pliers to pull off the cap to get the switch out of the pickguard and that broke it. (It took me hours of soldering to figure that out.)

 

[Dave Locher]

Re: Are blade switches any more reliable or durable than toggle switches?

I don't plan to yank on it with pliers, I just wonder is the design itself inherently more reliable?

 

[Clint 55]

Re: Are blade switches any more reliable or durable than toggle switches?

Well eff. After fiddling with and soldering with horrible technique, it seems like most electronics are pretty solid.

 

[ChAoZ]

Re: Are blade switches any more reliable or durable than toggle switches?

Much easier to drill a hole for a toggle than to make a slot and line the holes up for a blade

 

[kramersteen]

Re: Are blade switches any more reliable or durable than toggle switches?

Much easier to drill a hole for a toggle than to make a slot and line the holes up for a blade

Yeah that had me worried the first time i slotted one. I actually think i asked you for advice.

 

[ehdwuld]

Re: Are blade switches any more reliable or durable than toggle switches?

mechanically they are pretty much the same
the toggle has contacts that snap together, think clothespins
the blade has a wiper that slides from one contact to the other, I think looking closely these actions are obvious

 

[RogerMexiko]

Re: Are blade switches any more reliable or durable than toggle switches?

my experience togge switches are much more reliable than blade. Look at each and it seems to me that the blade is more fragile looking and solder points are very close to switch mechanism resulting in some chance of damage during initial soldering and definitely a problem when resoldering for mods.

 

[VinceT]

Re: Are blade switches any more reliable or durable than toggle switches?

In 39 years of playing and modding guitars, I find the only preference comes from ergonomics (where it is on the guitar, and does it make changes easy while playing) and aesthetics (does it look right n the particular guitar). BTW - I've never had a switch of any kind fail.


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[GuitarDoc]

Re: Are blade switches any more reliable or durable than toggle switches?

...I had to use pliers to pull off the cap...

Are you kidding me?!!!

 

[GuitarDoc]

Re: Are blade switches any more reliable or durable than toggle switches?

my experience togge switches are much more reliable than blade. Look at each and it seems to me that the blade is more fragile looking and solder points are very close to switch mechanism resulting in some chance of damage during initial soldering and definitely a problem when resoldering for mods.

In over 55 years of playing, I've never damaged a blade switch from soldering, resoldering, re-resoldering, etc. I'd question your technique if you are having such a problem.

 

[GuitarDoc]

Re: Are blade switches any more reliable or durable than toggle switches?

I've had some toggle switches get "crackly" when switching. Just due to slight corrosion over the years. Very simple fix to clean the contacts with very fine grit sandpaper pulled through a couple times. But I've never really had either switch fail (if we are referring to the Fender type blade switch). Some import blades have failed, but I usually replace those as soon as I see them (even if they are currently working fine).

 

[RogerMexiko]

Re: Are blade switches any more reliable or durable than toggle switches?

In over 55 years of playing, I've never damaged a blade switch from soldering, resoldering, re-resoldering, etc. I'd question your technique if you are having such a problem.

Exactly! Solder, resolder, spell and play with little technique just reckless abandon.

 

[JB_From_Hell]

Re: Are blade switches any more reliable or durable than toggle switches?

I've seen both broken, but I think it was abuse. Neither has ever failed me personally.

 

[BriGuy1968]

Re: Are blade switches any more reliable or durable than toggle switches?

I think that both toggles and blades are relatively inexpensive and easy to replace... definitely a lot easier to drill a hole than to make a slot, though, if you're starting from scratch!

 

[Clint 55]

Re: Are blade switches any more reliable or durable than toggle switches?

Are you kidding me?!!!

Bwa ha ha

 

[Dave Locher]

Re: Are blade switches any more reliable or durable than toggle switches?

I guess I didn't word my question very well. I've never had a toggle "fail" either, but the SG would get dirty fast and lose power until I cleaned it, which was way too often. The 335 just got scratchy from time to time.
I have been playing for 35 years and have only owned one guitar with a blade switch, and that was 33 years ago. I just thought the wiping process of a blade switch might keep the contacts clean and/or the design might allow more metal-to-metal contact than the teeny little points in a toggle switch.
But if it's really about the same either way then I'll stick with toggles.

 

[Jacew]

Re: Are blade switches any more reliable or durable than toggle switches?

...the SG would get dirty fast and lose power until I cleaned it, which was way too often. The 335 just got scratchy from time to time.
I have been playing for 35 years and have only owned one guitar with a blade switch, and that was 33 years ago. I just thought the wiping process of a blade switch might keep the contacts clean and/or the design might allow more metal-to-metal contact than the teeny little points in a toggle switch.

I'm not talking by experience, but I'd say you're right with this. Technically blade should be much more tolerant against corrosion and dirt.

Well eff. After fiddling with and soldering with horrible technique, it seems like most electronics are pretty solid.

Based on my experience, Fender (CTS?) pots are not. I have never broken Alpha or Bourns pot, but out of three fender pots I bought some time ago, I've already broken two.

 

[Rand-O-Monium]

Re: Are blade switches any more reliable or durable than toggle switches?

I don't any of my own work(),but I've had both crap out...

 

[beaubrummels]

Re: Are blade switches any more reliable or durable than toggle switches?

I haven't noticed one 'type' fail more than the other, but I have had certain brands fail more than the other. Using CRL for blades and Switchcraft for toggles, I've never had a problem with either.