One very odd pickup switch...

[Mincer]

I have a 1982 The Strat. Details about this odd model can be found here.

This is a 2 position switch under what would be the 2nd tone knob on my 1982 The Strat. While replacing the volume pot, I noticed that 41 years has this switch looking pretty corrode-y. Thing is, I realized that if I ever wanted to replace this, I have no idea what I'd replace it with, as I haven't come across a switch that does the same thing.

So, with this weird switch in position 1, the regular 5 position switch works likes a normal Strat. In position 2, it does:

1. Bridge
2. N+B in parallel
3. N+M in series
4. N+B in parallel, with the middle in series
5. M+B in series

Diagrams online are scarce. There is a diagram in the Fender Stratocaster book, but it is small. I did manage to find this:


Attached is a scan at too low a resolution to see details as well as a pic of my actual switch.

Anyone ever seen a switch that does this? Was this some kind of strange switch made up for this model of guitar?

 

[beaubrummels]

I'm only finding three options...

1. Make this guy an offer on his $225 NOS switch - https://www.ebay.com/itm/1550047802...1291&msclkid=10ad5776e56816568813330f29da304c
2. Improvise something with a Mouser or other rotary switch, if you've figured out how the current one is wired
3. Sell your broken switch for $13,805.02 plus $11.18 Shipping, and buy a whole nother The Strat; like this guy - https://reverb.com/item/50556319-fe...rotary-switch-2022-blue-spare-part-production

 

[beaubrummels]

FWIW I think it might be one of these series. I'd call CTS directly, give them the part number off the switch (I believe it's 0128-017862) and ask if they have a current equivalent and which distributor might have one.

https://www.ctscorp.com/wp-content/uploads/212.pdf

 

[Mincer]

Wow, thanks, man! I didn't anticipate the help on this.
My switch does work just fine, but it doesn't look great, and if something is going to fail on a 40+ year old guitar, you better bet it is going to be the hardest-to-find part there is.

 

[GuitarDoc]

I'm only finding three options...

1. Make this guy an offer on his $225 NOS switch - https://www.ebay.com/itm/1550047802...1291&msclkid=10ad5776e56816568813330f29da304c
2. Improvise something with a Mouser or other rotary switch, if you've figured out how the current one is wired
3. Sell your broken switch for $13,805.02 plus $11.18 Shipping, and buy a whole nother The Strat; like this guy - https://reverb.com/item/50556319-fe...rotary-switch-2022-blue-spare-part-production

That listing is very weird. He lists it as "used-mint", but in his description he says that they are new production. And is that price for just one switch or is it his cost for the 25 that he is ordering? Even if it is his total cost, $550 for one switch is outrageous.

Wouldn't the current S-1 switch do the same thing? Plus you'd get a push switch instead of a rotary (in my opinion that is a much easier switch to use).

 

[larryguitar]

Wow, thanks, man! I didn't anticipate the help on this.
My switch does work just fine, but it doesn't look great, and if something is going to fail on a 40+ year old guitar, you better bet it is going to be the hardest-to-find part there is.

I'd hit that thing with some Deoxit and say my prayers...that's going to be a girl doggie to replace.

Larry

 

[beaubrummels]

That listing is very weird. He lists it as "used-mint", but in his description he says that they are new production. And is that price for just one switch or is it his cost for the 25 that he is ordering? Even if it is his total cost, $550 for one switch is outrageous.

Wouldn't the current S-1 switch do the same thing? Plus you'd get a push switch instead of a rotary (in my opinion that is a much easier switch to use).

I thought of suggesting an S1 or some other generic rotary, but then I couldn't think of how the second position of an S1 would get this on the 5-way:

1. Bridge
2. N+B in parallel
3. N+M in series
4. N+B in parallel, with the middle in series
5. M+B in series

 

[Artie]

I think Doc is correct. An S-1 switch should work here. And thanks to beau for those links. That helps to figure out the contacts.

It appears to be a 4PDT rotary switch. An S-1 is a 4PDT push switch. Here's what I've figured out so far. The top wafer is easy to see. The bottom wafer is a little harder, but I'm fairly sure this is correct. A meter could verify.

 

[Artie]

I should've used a different color than yellow on that diagram. :headache:

On the blue switch, Cx connects to 1x in one position. Cx connects to 2x in the other.

 

[Mincer]

Thing about an S1 (I use a few in other guitars), is that the knobs for these guitars are pretty special and wouldn't allow the S1 to work (look at the page I linked to in the first post to see what I mean).

 

[Mincer]

BTW, I have a call and an email in at CTS, to see if they have anything like this still in production. I was also thinking that a switch like this might have been used for something else outside of guitars. I know Fender didn't make a ton of these instruments, so there is a chance they didn't get it custom made.

 

[Artie]

I believe the CTS-212 pdf document that Beau linked to is what you want. You want the "T" style switch, and I'm pretty sure you want these parameters:

 

[Artie]

The last number of that part # should probably be a "2", for 30-deg's rotation. That's what your switch has now. (As measured by the "blue" pic.)

 

[Mincer]

Also, while we are here, I'd like to say how much I love this switching for a Strat. I don't have another Strat now, but if I get one, I would absolutely consider trying to do this with an S1. I might need help on the wiring though.

 

[jeremy]

those are some interesting options for sure. im sure id use 1, 2 & 5. how do 3 & 4 sound?


1. Bridge
2. N+B in parallel
3. N+M in series
4. N+B in parallel, with the middle in series
5. M+B in series

 

[beaubrummels]

BTW, I have a call and an email in at CTS, to see if they have anything like this still in production. I was also thinking that a switch like this might have been used for something else outside of guitars. I know Fender didn't make a ton of these instruments, so there is a chance they didn't get it custom made.

For what it's worth, while I was searching, a lot of the results for this type of switch appeared to be for the aerospace industry, though I don't know what that kind of switch would be used for.

CTS is a big operation. They do 10s to 100s of thousands of part runs for individual customers, and they have a lot of customers. There's a bit of bureaucracy to get through to get answers for us 'little guys' with our guitar hobbies, but they will answer as soon as they can. When I went through this, I had to call the HQ, who routed me to a local office, who routed me through 2-3 people in that office, just to answer my first question, then routed me back to HQ to discuss how to find, order and/or spec a part, who then routed me to the Taiwan division to actually get some parts made. (I realize you aren't making parts, but just saying, it's a big org and prepare to be routed all around the country to get your answers.)

 

[Mincer]

those are some interesting options for sure. im sure id use 1, 2 & 5. how do 3 & 4 sound?


1. Bridge
2. N+B in parallel
3. N+M in series
4. N+B in parallel, with the middle in series
5. M+B in series

Thicker. Like putting the tone knob on 6, and boosting the volume 30%.

 

[Artie]

those are some interesting options for sure. im sure id use 1, 2 & 5. how do 3 & 4 sound?


1. Bridge
2. N+B in parallel
3. N+M in series
4. N+B in parallel, with the middle in series
5. M+B in series

I did something similar with my boys' mini-Strat, just to give it a different flavor. It used a standard 3-way, and a SPST on-off switch. (Diagram shows a DPDT because that's what I had on hand.)

You get, with switch off:

1. Bridge
2. Bridge / Neck parallel
3. Neck

With the switch on:

1. Bridge & middle in series
2. Bridge & neck parallel, with them in series with the middle (Same as Mincers #4.)
3. Neck & Middle series

(Tone control not shown.)

 

[LukeW]

You can get a lot of those combinations using a Freeway Switch if you are looking for a way to get this on a new guitar. I have one on my HSS strat. You move the switch to either side to get 10 positions instead of 5.

Mine is
1. Bridge humbucker split
2. Split Bridge and middle in parallel
3. Middle
4. Middle and neck parallel
5. Neck

1. Bridge humbucker
2. Split humbucker, middle, neck parallel
3. Neck Split Bridge series
4. Neck Split Bridge parallel
5. Neck middle series

 

[Mincer]

For what it's worth, while I was searching, a lot of the results for this type of switch appeared to be for the aerospace industry, though I don't know what that kind of switch would be used for.

CTS is a big operation. They do 10s to 100s of thousands of part runs for individual customers, and they have a lot of customers. There's a bit of bureaucracy to get through to get answers for us 'little guys' with our guitar hobbies, but they will answer as soon as they can. When I went through this, I had to call the HQ, who routed me to a local office, who routed me through 2-3 people in that office, just to answer my first question, then routed me back to HQ to discuss how to find, order and/or spec a part, who then routed me to the Taiwan division to actually get some parts made. (I realize you aren't making parts, but just saying, it's a big org and prepare to be routed all around the country to get your answers.)

Yeah, looking around their website, it is amazing how big of a company it actually is. By comparison, most musical instrument specific companies are tiny. I would imagine back in 1982, the choice of types of switches for guitars (especially a 4PDT type) was almost non-existent. The S1 switch might be a more elegant way to do this today, but back then, they probably needed to look at a switch that might have been on Skylab.