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Freeway 6 way switch?

RocknRollShakeUp

Active member
Joined
Jul 7, 2006
Messages
766
Does anyone have any experience with the Freeway 6 way switch, sold by stew Mac?


I think you need 4 conductor hook up wire for the pickups in order to use this.

Sometimes I want to go into "versatile" land, which I usually don't want to visit, as I like different guitars for different applications, but man, this 6 way switch would be pretty awesome, especially when I'm recording, so I could have a bridge single coil, and a tele style single coil middle position with the ability to blend the neck and bridge, with the flick of a switch.

It wouldn't be a tone sucker in any way would it? I can't see how, but I'm not exactly well versed in guitar electronics so I have to ask.

And yes I know it wouldn't be a vintage set up...and so I'd have to get a new set of pickups that have 4 hookup wires. Would I be able to keep what 50's wiring does (which I way dig) with this?
 

tubejockey

New member
Joined
Apr 9, 2015
Messages
11
I have used one on a 2 p90 guitar. It works well. Make sure you plan ahead and order the one you need.
 

zacknorton

Active member
Joined
Aug 26, 2011
Messages
731
I’ve installed them on 3 pu guitars

They work great!!! And I would highly recommend them.

HOWEVER you’ve got to be careful with the heat. I’d suggest using the smallest gauge hookup wire you can practically use on the switch.

The solder tabs are small. I don’t think you’re going to get many second chances with the solder tabs on these switches....and at $35 and up mistakes will be expensive.
 
Joined
Aug 8, 2001
Messages
62
I've fitted them to several LP's .
They're not difficult to work with.
Great versatility with 4-conductor pickups, and more
intuitive to use than an array of PP pots.
My soldering station has an adjustable temp control, so no problem
with over-heating the solder pads on the switch.
The only caveat I can remember, is the unusual counter-bore
in the selector switch cavity of 1 guitar. It made the top a bit thin
in the switch area, so I turned a 30mm aluminium spacer to take up the excess
thread length and add a bit of reinforcement behind the switch.
The threads on the switch are not the same as the original Switchcraft selector.
 

RocknRollShakeUp

Active member
Joined
Jul 7, 2006
Messages
766
Gosh I lost track of this thread, easy to do on this forum it seems like.

But many thanks Gents for the replies and tips!

I've decided not to do the mod on my R7, mainly because I would have to switch the single wire pickups on a guitar that sounds brilliant. But I would love to have a Les Paul with this switch. With the cool new USA Standards I may get one and do a "project" Les Paul with one of these, sort of like my version of a recording Les Paul!

Edit: I thought the 2019 Standards were going to be more like the Traditional models, IOW like a vintage style Standards, but nope, they are the modern Les Pauls with push pull pots and dip switches...oy vey...that do achieve what the Freeway 6 way switch would largely achieve but in a much more complicated and inefficient way and with a salad of electronic guts in the control cavity.
So I looked at the Traditionals but they are boat anchors. Maybe I'll find a used 2013 or 2014 Historic for a good price for my project.
 
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