Free-Way Pickup Switch

I put my gold Free-Way in my old heavy 2001 Les Paul Studio I modified with a middle pickup and didn't like the electronic set up it had. Now I get all kinds of useful tones and have NOT experienced any bad issues with it like some stated. It's not a shifter you can bang 2nd gear like a car so if you treat it like that of course it will bust. ONLY thing I did not approve of is the big price jump on gold? But it was needed to make my late buddy's guitar come out of its case more and onto the stage. Miss you my Brother from another Mother. GREAT PRODUCT, Thank You Stew!

Work great . Adds a new dimension to an already great guitar. Keeps me from having to bring 2 guitars to rehearsal. I've read some complaints on here about them but mine works very well . A little stiff at first but a wee bit of lube on the bearing freed it up fine . For me ... Money well spent.

I like this switch. I needed a shallow/compact switch for a thinline project guitar I'm working on and most 5 way blade switches were just way too tall to fit. This fit in just fine, and gives a nice assortment of tones. It's in an HSH system, so having that extra "1 coil from each" option is a nifty added feature. It was very easy to wire, all of the solder lugs were easy to get to and the instructions were very clear. Labeling on the switch itself was clear as well. It seems like a reasonably durable switch. I couldn't understand a few other reviewers concerns/comments regarding durability... seems fine. You can bat the slightly over-sized toggle around with no issues. The one thing I would say is that the 2 and 5 positions can be a bit tricky to hit on the fly, but I think that's more just something to be aware of than a con, per se. The upside of the arrangement is that you can get from one setting directly to any other setting easily with a bit of practice... not something that you can do with a blade-style switches linear arrngement. All in all, I'd buy it again to use in a future project or if this switch was damaged.

After 3 switches, I'm done with this thing. Like the others, I have had issues with the switch mechanism, and simply cutting out and not functioning. It's so disappointing because I expect so much from StewMac. They replaced the defects without question, which I do appreciate. I find it hard to believe these are the switches used on the Gibson models because they are so poor quality and unreliable. I regret routing my Les Paul for this plastic junk!

Before installing this switch, my Black Beauty and I just didn't click. It sat on a stand and was relegated to be my backup LP. Then I put this switch in and my BB became part of the family in the regular rotation. We clicked. We bonded. The 'unlocked' tones I get now are fantastic. Each of the three pups have their voice back. I love using the switch...
...But I don't love a couple of things about it. I hated having to cut into my Black Beauty, even if the mod is covered in the end. A more compact version, if possible, would be great. Even after cutting out the new space, I found it hard to put the switch in, just barely squeezing it in while fearing the contacts would snap off at any time. On that note, the contacts are also pretty weak. I actually managed to break one off fairly easily but was lucky to still get the switch working. The switching is also a little stiff. There is also no way to isolate the middle pickup but the Jimmy Page Black Beauty didn't have that option either so I guess I shouldn't have expected it.
Overall, the switch is fantastic. But it could have been even better.

An excellent switch! the wiring diagram is idiot-proof, and this switch gives the kind of tonal choices that can only be surpassed by extremely complex wiring alternatives.

I installed this switch on an Epiphone Les Paul Studio, with a set of Seymour Duncan P'ups, and now I have the choice of single coil or humbuckers in all 3 positions. This gives me 6 different sounds...nice. The wiring was a bit of a challenge, but the instructions were very clear and easy to follow.

This switch and the customer service at Stew-Mac are nothing short of AWESOME! I would recommend this to anyone who needs the look of a toggle and the versatility of a 6-way switch! Great product folks -buy one today!

Used this to replace a push-pull I had in my Indie Double-cut semi-hollow. On stage with sweaty hands I could never "pull" the switch! I use it to change between piezos (all 3 positions on the left) and the usual magnetic options on the right. Switches reliably, but the PCB moves around a lot so not sure how long it will last. Loving it for now though :)

Quite weak construction and does not allow fast switching. It is flimsy and weak, as the previous reviewer wrote about it. A more robust design would not hurt to replace this mediocre solution. Once you're used to the switch (means switching carefully), it delivers nicely with a 3 PU Les Paul. If you are not ready for this kind of challenge with a rather weak, inaccurate selector switch in a Les Paul, then go with a P&P pot for the middle PU, or with the "3 volumes-1 tone" setup. Anyway, I am gonna keep it, though it is not the ultimate stuff for live performance.