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1 x Oak Grigsby Lever Switch
1 x Oak Grigsby Lever Switch


 
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Main Description

The gold standard when it comes to guitar lever switches, Oak Grisby have been used on pretty much every Fender® Stratocaster® and Telecaster® since the early 80s (with the exception of some custom shop models, and prior to eightiers, there a CRL switch was used!)

In terms of functionality, the Oak Grisby and CRLs work exactly the same (and are infact, now owned by the same company either way), with both the 3 and 5 ways sporting 2 banks of terminals, each with 1 common and 3 inputs.

Be aware that the 5 way is the same, but the switch will connect inputs 1 and 2 in position 2, and 2 and 3 in position 4 - so on a Stratocaster®, giving that characteristic parallel wiring tone.

Oak Grisby switches are also available in the 4 way version (2 banks of 1 common, 4 inputs) which is a common modification for the Telecaster®, allowing the standard settings as well as a series wiring option.

And, to complicate matters even more - they now come in a 6 way version! This is EXACTLY the same as the 5 way version, in that it jams inputs in positions 2 and 4 - but you get an extra input on each bank, which, when in the 6th position, will jam signal with the 3rd positon. Depending on how you're using the switch, you can use it for a few different jobs, but the one that jumps out to us is as a Bridge + neck setting on Stratocaster® gutiars.

We supply these switches with both Dome Head and Recessed screws for mounting, and a wide range of tips for you to choose from if needed.

Fender®, Squier®, Stratocaster® and Telecaster® are registered trademarks of Fender Musical Instruments Corporation and Axesrus® has no affiliation with FMIC

The common problem!

Lever switches like these, whoever making them, have one main "pitfall" - because of the way they work, its possible to "flood" the terminals and cause the "jaws" where the wiper blade passes, so lose their "spring" (in worst cases, sealing them shut and blocking the path entirely)

In some cases, it'll mean a dead switch - everything will lock up tight when you hit the blockage, and you'll end up pulling the switch to pieces to clear it.

In less dramtic instances, you'll just drastically shorten the life of the switch.

Basically, the way these switches work is like this.

The wiper blade is moved through its path by the lever, it passes through a pinch point, which is under tension. And that tension is set by the length of the terminal. As the wiper blade passes through that pinch point, it pushes the split open, and stops (at the preset) within the pinch, making the connection.

If you increase that tension, by flooding the sprung section with solder, essentially, shortening the spring, then the wiper blade has to force its way into the pinch point.

So - if you've got a switch, and the solders flowed further then the very top of the terminal? Your on borrowed time with it! Simple as.
And, as such, switches that have been flooded, aren't covered by any sort of warrenty - its not a manufaturers fault, its an install error.

A flooded guitar lever switch

Whats going on?

You can see here, moving left to right.

Terminal 1 is correct, Solder is contained on the "terminal" and none has flooded the track.

Terminal 2 is border line - we're starting to flood a little, but its unlikely to really effect the "spring" - no hard to foul for my money.

Terminal 3 is flooded, but still works... but it wont work for long (whilst testing this switch, i actually saw how much tighter that position was, and how little the jaw was capable of moving as the wiper passed... it'd have days before it failed)

Terminal 4 is completely flooded, even to the point where the solders got onto the wiper blade.

1 and 2 are good as gold, 3 and 4? You've goosed it i'm afraid.

Soldering a Guitar switch the a wire in place

What causes it?

Well - in short? Its poor soldering technique - but, i cant be too hard on that to be honest. Guitar electronics are pretty robust, and we normally dont have to worry about heat sinking - but with switches, we should maybe keep it in mind a little more.

When soldering, heat wants to flow into "something" - and the solder follows the heat.

So, its actually very difficult to cause a switch to flood when you've got a wire in the terminal - the heat is flowing into the wire, its disipating, and its generally, pretty safe - so (and this is bad practise for "normal" soldering too!) - dont bother with tinning the terminals. Get the wires in there, and then solder everything. Keep the timing as quick as you can, and remember - you can add more solder, but you cant take it away!

Its worth remembering, too, to never solder to the terminal the switch is currently connecting to - because thats heat sinking the wrong way - you'll heat up the wiper blade, and the solder will want to flow right down the jaws quicker then you think. It is, however, unavoidable on the common terminal. Just, go steady with it eh?

Remember too, that the smaller the terminal, the faster it'll heat up! (So, super switches are nutoriously fussy, and CRLs are actually pretty rugged, being slightly larger)

A Lever switch with the wiper blade broken

Worst case?

Well? Your switch will fall to bits - either the terminal/jaw will work loose or be deformed, and in the worst cases, the wiper blade will come away from its housing - This is a dead switch. Simple as.

Now, without wanting to sound the grizzled old shop keep - we see a fair few of these coming back as "manufacuring fault" or "it just fell apart in my hands" - and i promise you, if a switch blows up like this? 99 times out of 100, its someone trying to force a closed jaw open with brute force - that isn't a manufacturing fault. Thats user error i'm afraid.

I'm not saying switches dont fail, even when soldered perfectly - but i will say, please, dont be offended if you flood a switch and we tell you that its installer error (after seeing some photos), and there isn't a great deal we'll be able to do. If its worth anything, i break about 10 a week doing exactly this - less speed, more haste needed!

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