Freeway Switch 5B5-01 Black & White Tip

I installed the Freeway Switch on my Sterling by Music Man Cutlass CT50 SSS, which already clicks all the boxes for me in terms of what makes an S-type guitar an amazing instrument, and the results were awesome as expected. All 5 extra positions complement the classic 5 Strat combinations perfectly, and if someone doesn't know that there's a new pickup switch on my guitar, they simply cannot see it (it's that cleverly constructed, and easily used on the fly). If you love the feel of your S-type instrument and the sound coming from its single coil pickups, then it's like getting a new guitar actually (which has the same features and feel that you love, but different sounds), and for a ridiculous amount of money.

In total, the 5 new combinations you can get are the following:
a) a warm and thick neck pickup tone (neck >> middle in series)
b) a twangy Tele-like middle combo (neck + bridge in parallel)
c) a more aggressive combo reminiscent of a Les Paul middle selection (neck >> bridge in series)
d) an open sounding combo which is close to the 2nd position of the Strat, with a touch of mellowness coming from the neck pickup (neck + middle + bridge in parallel)
e) a thicker bridge pickup tone, reminiscent of a bridge humbucker (middle >> bridge in series)

The main reason I decided to buy the 5B5-01 was because I wanted to have the option to have a bit more body on the bridge pickup for some of my overdriven tones, and I can get exactly that by the (e) selection. I also love to have the ability to use selections (a) and (b) every once in a while (for Strat lovers who like Teles but don't want to spend money buying one, that (b) selection will totally get you a piece of that T flavor you like), and finally although I don't have any reasons to use (c) and (d) that much, it's not bad to have them at my disposal as well.

Overall, the unit is very well made and highly recommended. Easily the best Strat pickup switching system out there.

This switch has transformed my guitar.

I have an HSS Washburn which I've had many years and it has given me most of my strat-like tones plus a few others. The pots and switches were getting crackly, despite cleaning them, so I thought I would replace them. While I was looking for replacement parts I came across this switch and thought it might be nice to try it out.

Since fitting the switch I have all the tones I had before plus some new ones. It has added some beefy series-connected sounds plus a Tele-like bridge-plus-neck sound. The versatility is great for recording.

What was a good guitar for tones is now a great guitar. The transformation is as big as changing pickups , but you have all your old favourite tones still on tap.

It appears to be well built, and it should for the price you pay. It allows you to have 10 different pickup combinations without dpdt switches.
Pros:
1. 10 pickup combinations
2. Pads with holes for easy soldering
3. No need for additional switches, you can use plain audio pots.
4. Schematics on their website: fits my Yamaha Pacifica
Please, check the size of the switch on the manufacturer website against your guitar cavity. It is possible that your guitar cavity is not deep enough, which is likely for the new strat-type guitars, or that your guitar is too thin.

I use this product in a Fender Player Strat. It was not exactly a drop in replacement as it does not allow for same tone pot wiring, instead you have to choose which pickup can not be wired to tone pote. My tech found a brilliant solution and added a G&L-like PTB wiring. Now i have master treble and bass cut which comes really handy with the humbucking options of the freeway swtich.

I did experience a glitch once where the switch got stuck somewhere in the middle and i had to rock it out into a default position.

Pro: tonal options. So many tonal options. It really is like having another guitar. I love it.

Con: Well the glitch I experienced makes me feel a bit uneasy. I hope it does not happen often or leads to switch failing.

I do recommend this product to anyone who wishes to add versatility to his guitar for a low price.

It doesn't have to go in a Strat! I fitted one of these to my Reverend Triad bass (a three pickup bass with a 5 way switch as standard).

Physically, it fit in the control cavity and the control plate without modification.

Wiring up was relatively straightforward, the diagrams you can download are really clear and the provision of PCB holes instead of traditional terminals I found made the wiring up really easy. One word of caution - use a fine tipped soldering iron as the pairs of PCB holes are quite close together.

Overall, it's a quality product, the switch is feels very sturdy and definite when you flip between the two banks of options. I like how one side is exactly the same as typically found on a Strat (N, N+M, M, M+B, B), and all the alternative options are on the other side. Visually, once installed you would be hard pushed to know that it's there.

A very clever product, well made and opens up all kinds of new tones from your three pickup instrument.