The Classic w/switcheroo- a review of the pu settings

[quadrophenia]

Hi. I own a TA Classic with the Switcheroo. The pickups are the SO1R, SO1, and HO1+. I have found that some of the settings are unusable.

For example, any setting with 2 adjacent pickups on- neck+ middle, or middle +bridge- sounds muffled and dull.

Any setting with all 3 pickups on also sounds dull and unusable.

It is as if the pickups in these unusable combinations cancel each other out.

Any setting with the neck or middle on by themselves sounds fantastic.

Any combination of both the neck and bridge pickups on together also sounds wonderful.

The bridge pickup on by itself in either humbucking or split sounds okay, but not great.

I have not experimented with any setting that uses the parallel option yet.

What are your experiences and opinions with your Switcheroo Anderson?

[bruce]

Dull and unusable are not good. Sounds like something is wrong. I suggest that you to send the guitar back to the factory for us to check it out. I've seen some pretty ugly things under the hood from "luthiers" feeling they need to change something.

[Son of Anderson]

if you are normally a two pickup guitar guy, those combo sounds may be a bit washed out sounding.

[quadrophenia]

Dull and unusable are not good. Sounds like something is wrong. I suggest that you to send the guitar back to the factory for us to check it out. I've seen some pretty ugly things under the hood from "luthiers" feeling they need to change something.

Thanks for the offer to hep, Bruce but I bought the guitar brand new; no one has changed anything on this guitar. I think it might be me. I've just never liked the "quack" settings on three pickup, Strat style guitars. As Son Of Anderson said, they sound weak or "washed out" to me.

If someone could explain the appeal of the quack settings, I might appreciate them more.

[sylvanshine]

I too don't use the "quack" settings in a normal band situation. I'm pretty much a hot bridge humbucker for rhythm, neck for solos, and a third pickup combo for cleans.

But if you plan on playing any country or some of the biggest songs in classic rock you'll be glad you've got that "quack" in your back pocket. "Layla" just doesn't sound right otherwise.

So you found 5-6 sounds out of a possible 14 that you like. Congrats, that's 2-3 more than Gibson players could muster.

What amp/pedals are you using? Those in-between sounds need a little compression/drive to really pop IMHO.

[quadrophenia]

I too don't use the "quack" settings in a normal band situation. I'm pretty much a hot bridge humbucker for rhythm, neck for solos, and a third pickup combo for cleans.

But if you plan on playing any country or some of the biggest songs in classic rock you'll be glad you've got that "quack" in your back pocket. "Layla" just doesn't sound right otherwise.

So you found 5-6 sounds out of a possible 14 that you like. Congrats, that's 2-3 more than Gibson players could muster.

What amp/pedals are you using? Those in-between sounds need a little compression/drive to really pop IMHO.

I'm using a Victoria 20112, a Fender Tweed Deluxe clone. No pedals, just straight into the amp. On anything but the quack settings, my Classic rings clear, bright and true. Playing this morning, I've even grown to love the bridge settings, positions I first rated merely "okay."

The quack, or out of phase settings, I just don't understand the appeal. They sound weak or hindered.

[tom]

tweed fenders don't have a strong high end. i think the quack sounds need good high end definition to cut enough. all the el84 class a amps do well with them.

[quadrophenia]

tweed fenders don't have a strong high end. i think the quack sounds need good high end definition to cut enough. all the el84 class a amps do well with them.
Yea, it might be the amp. But I think it's the quack sound, what's it all about? It sounds like Donald Duck is singing when I use these settings.

[olectric]

Man, I love those out-of-phase single coil tones. I think they're best for really percussive rhythm playing.

Listen to some Krantz--he practically lives on those settings. I don't see how anybody could still hate those tones after listening to him.

[BFC]

Those settings are useful when you need to step back and sound smaller. Various funk and reggae rhythm styles come to mind.

[njjessee]

I have an HDTC that originally came with an H2+/SA1R/SA1 and B5 switching. Looking for a beefier sound from the neck, I changed out to H2/SA1R/H1- and switcheroo.

The guitar sounds really great in any combination and I've found all the different combinations useful. Even changing between split or parallel is pretty cool.

I really like having the blower switch which allows me to move from any combination to the bridge for a solo. The H2 is my favorite in the bridge, but I'm really warming up to the H2+, has a little more "sing" to it. Splits extremely well.

Noah

[GaryMcT]

I really love the quack sound, especially with a Blackface Twin Reverb-ish amp with lots of tube compression going on. I suppose it's an acquired taste. Listen to a lot of Dire Straits and see if it grows on you. :)

I could definitely see not liking those sounds with a tweed Fender. For the module that is more like a Blacface Twin with my amp, I end up cranking the treble pretty high and cranking the volume to make the in-between sounds really pop out with the tube compression.

[guitarzan]

+1 on the Wayne Krantz assignment


also, I thought they made a usable cop of an acoustic for any kind of clean intro, whether picked or strummed. I practically lived on those out of phase positions and contemplated having the blower switched to the neck full because I only used full output for solos. Especially because I was able to turn the middle pup off and then just have either the bridge or neck on split and it gave me the feeling that I was channel switching right from the guitar. There are so many shades of tones with the switcheroo that it's just sick- and it smoothly travels from crispy clean all the way up to full output of the blower...

Also, on this week's GOTW, Roy (maybe) lists out the pup configurations/options with the switcheroo. He lists 14. I thought there were a lot more than that. Because not only can you choose to have each of three pickups on or off (and combinations of on/off) but you can choose if you want the pickup on split or full (and any combinations of between the 3 pups) AND you can use the mini switches on the back of the guitar to designate how you want each of the pups to split- in either series or parallel. Once you make those changes, you start counting the above combinations over again. So there may be 14 combinations at your fingertips during a gig, but if I'm counting right, the actual tally of options is a lot higher.

I better shut up before I decide to take my HDTC off the auction block :o

[bruce]

Thanks for the offer to hep, Bruce but I bought the guitar brand new; no one has changed anything on this guitar. I think it might be me. I've just never liked the "quack" settings on three pickup, Strat style guitars. As Son Of Anderson said, they sound weak or "washed out" to me.

Why did you buy the guitar if you never liked a three pickup Strat style guitar?

[Suriel Zayas]

+1 on the Wayne Krantz assignmentyou had to metion wayne krantz!!!! i'm really, really busy, but i'm gonna have to go and see him once again at 55 bar. pretty cool rhythm section also, anthony jackson on bass and anton fig on drums.

[quadrophenia]

Why did you buy the guitar if you never liked a three pickup Strat style guitar?

Please tell me when I said that, Bruce.

[bruce]

I think it might be me. I've just never liked the "quack" settings on three pickup, Strat style guitars. As Son Of Anderson said, they sound weak or "washed out" to me.

Did I read it wrong??

[bud]

Yea, it might be the amp. But I think it's the quack sound, what's it all about? It sounds like Donald Duck is singing when I use these settings.

Sorry, late to the party.

I would refer you to Edgar Winter/Rick Derringer Freeride, various and sundry Lynyrd Skynrd, SRV, Eric Johnson, Dire Straits, Hendrix, Steve Miller Band..... to understand the appeal.

[quadrophenia]

Did I read it wrong??

Yes Bruce you did. It's not necessary to love every pickup setting on a specific guitar before you buy it. The original Strats only had 3 settings anyway.

[Duotones]

Quadrophenia,

I remember your last thread about Anderson bridge humbucker and I felt that you are not satisfied with Anderson pickups. (But I really love them. :) )

There are some guys who do not like out-of phase parallel sound. As you know, without this kind of setting, you may suffer from hum (This can be trouble in some kind of environment.). Out of phase settings usually produce bright, but slightly weak tone with sparkling high-end. If you had tried 5-way selectors in Fender 57 vintage reissue guitars, they produce in-phase sound on setting 2 and 4 because the middle single pickup is not RWRP. IMHO, tones produced by in-phase settings usually have more mid and bottom than those by out-of phase settings.

But I feel that out-of phase setting is good enough to satisfy me. I think it's great for rhythm play and also eliminates hum.

If you don't like out-of phase sound, change pickups and avoid out-of phase sound.

Please forgive my horrible English.

Thanks,

Jinwon Seo

[sylvanshine]

Yes Bruce you did. It's not necessary to love every pickup setting on a specific guitar before you buy it. The original Strats only had 3 settings anyway.
I took your statement the same way Bruce did and had the same question.

With your reply above, I think you might have answered your own question. You don't have to love every pickup setting. That's the beauty of the Switcheroo...all those choices. So choose not to "quack". Cool?