Toggle vs. Blade Switch - Which do you Prefer?

[László]

Since the only one I have has a toggle, I'll go with that. I don't however like the toggle in the new for PRS position on the upper bout. It's too LP for me and doesn't look correct, just me. It seems to destroy the flow of the lines for me.

Functionally, however, it’s fantastic. Right in the field of vision, no fumbling, just above the picking arc, etc.

As cute as a PRS may be, its primary purpose is as a device for musical expression. The switch placement on the upper horn or bout is a sensible ‘form follows function’ decision. Anyway, I like it for that reason.

I also like the blade switch on my PS 20 Ltd. As interesting as a toggle plus a couple of minitoggles can be conceptually, the blade is faster.

What I’d like to do away with are pull-up knob switches. There has to be a better way to accomplish coil tapping.

 

[Mozzi]

I agree re the Toggle on the upper horn. Whether the guitar is a Single cut or Double cut is irrelevant - its about the functionality and ease of use. Its been 'perfect' for Gibson Les Paul and its so easy to flick up or down as needed without affecting a strum rhythm pattern. The fact that the toggle happens to be in the same area on the DC 594 as the SC 594 shouldn't make a difference - its about the ergonomics of playing.

It's that philosophy that I want to see in Blade switch position and direction too. The angle and direction ought to be in the natural arc of the arm and positioned such to make it the most efficient place that it can be situated. I hate having switches generally behind the bridge placement unless they are not meant to be used frequently or at least not mid-solo. That's the other thing about the 3-way at the top horn that you can flick it very quickly and easily to jump between PU configurations mid-solo if you want...

I guess it really depends on what you are used to, what you have become accustomed to over the years but I find it far easier to get used to different options, different positions and placements etc if they are ergonomically placed and logical. By logical I mean that the position of the switch relates to the position of the PU's. I know that with time, you can get used to anything but if you switch between a few different instruments with different switch/blade positions - especially if they are differently wired, that takes a lot longer to adjust.

 

[Dirty_Boogie]

Functionally, however, it’s fantastic. Right in the field of vision, no fumbling, just above the picking arc, etc.

What I’d like to do away with are pull-up knob switches. There has to be a better way to accomplish coil tapping.

Yeah - that is an area for improvement. Spring-loaded push-push knob switches are a great alternative, as they're super-quick, with the only downside being that you can't tell (visually) if you're switched or not, as there's no "up" or "down" position.

 

[László]

Yeah - that is an area for improvement. Spring-loaded push-push knob switches are a great alternative, as they're super-quick, with the only downside being that you can't tell (visually) if you're switched or not, as there's no "up" or "down" position.

They also can get screwed up mechanically fairly easily, though they’re cheap to replace.

I guess I like a mini toggle approach best so far for that. Sigh.

 

[Screamingdaisy]

Functionally, however, it’s fantastic. Right in the field of vision, no fumbling, just above the picking arc, etc.

As cute as a PRS may be, its primary purpose is as a device for musical expression. The switch placement on the upper horn or bout is a sensible ‘form follows function’ decision. Anyway, I like it for that reason.

I also like the blade switch on my PS 20 Ltd. As interesting as a toggle plus a couple of minitoggles can be conceptually, the blade is faster.

What I’d like to do away with are pull-up knob switches. There has to be a better way to accomplish coil tapping.

Coming from Les Pauls, I found the DC 594 remarkably instinctive, but it does (IMO) look butt ugly.

Still, I think the McCarty position works just as well since it’s also in the swinging arc, has a rhythmic advantage that the swing is at the end of a beat and not on the top of the beat, and ergonomically it’s closer to the volume/tone control so I don’t need to jump to different parts of the guitar to make multiple changes. Since I primarily play PRS these days I find the LP control layout needlessly old fashioned and unnecessarily cumbersome. I never used to feel that way and understand why others will disagree, but now that I’ve become accustomed to having the volume on my pinky the LP controls seem soooooo far away.....

I don’t really like the blade because it’s awkward for me to get at with the bar attached, and depending on the way the bar hangs I may have to go over or around it, which I won’t neccissarily know until I try. Functionally, I don’t hate the 5 way, it’s the location I find awkward, and that when I play my Cu24 I occasionally grab the tone knob when I’m trying to switch pickups.

If they put the blade in the same position as the McCarty three way I’d have less to complain about.

 

[HANGAR18]

I like the layout on the Custom 24-08's where you have a blade switch AND two mini toggles.
Never been a fan of the rotary switch.

 

[László]

Coming from Les Pauls, I found the DC 594 remarkably instinctive, but it does (IMO) look butt ugly.

We all grew up looking at Les Pauls and other guitars with a switch on the big upper bout, and I think the fact that we’ve seen so many makes it seem like natural design.

We’re used to it.

I think it’s a matter of what we get used to seeing; anything out of the ordinary on a PRS often seems a bit jarring. At first I wasn’t crazy about it, but now that I have a couple I’ve lived with for a while, it looks “right”, and I couldn’t imagine this model any other way.

Thing is, with the 4 knob layout, there really isn’t a great spot for a switch on the lower bout of a carved top DC PRS.

 

[Screamingdaisy]

We all grew up looking at Les Pauls and other guitars with a switch on the big upper bout, and I think the fact that we’ve seen so many makes it seem like natural design.

We’re used to it.

I think it’s a matter of what we get used to seeing; anything out of the ordinary on a PRS often seems a bit jarring. At first I wasn’t crazy about it, but now that I have a couple I’ve lived with for a while, it looks “right”, and I couldn’t imagine this model any other way.

Thing is, with the 4 knob layout, there really isn’t a great spot for a switch on the lower bout of a carved top DC PRS.

Either way, looking at the current lineup of SE, S2 and Core guitars I suspect PRS is pretty committed to keeping the blade switch where it currently is regardless of the outcome of this thread.

And I’ll remain similarly committed to buying a used Custom 24 with a toggle switch in the right place.

 

[Alnus Rubra]

Yeah - that is an area for improvement. Spring-loaded push-push knob switches are a great alternative, as they're super-quick, with the only downside being that you can't tell (visually) if you're switched or not, as there's no "up" or "down" position.

LED on the knob for recognition of the coil tap/split?!

If it gets used, unless it’s already been invented, I want a penny per knob sold!

 

[Black Plaid]

LED on the knob for recognition of the coil tap/split?!

If it gets used, unless it’s already been invented, I want a penny per knob sold!

With a solar panel embedded in the top to power the LED so we don't have to go chasing down batteries all the time!

 

[Alnus Rubra]

With a solar panel embedded in the top to power the LED so we don't have to go chasing down batteries all the time!

The LED would run off phantom power from the guitar circuit!

 

[Boogie]

Spring-loaded push-push knob switches...there's no "up" or "down" position.

Mine do. Not sure of the brand, but it gives me a visual indicator by sticking up like the regular push-pull.

 

[BrianC]

I have 4 toggle and 1 blade. I prefer the toggle but if the blade was my #1 Im sure in time I would be more comfortable with it...

 

[Mozzi]

In my opinion, the Push/Push option is by far the quickest and easiest option rather than mini-toggles or the push/pull system. Not every push/push switch also stays at the same height regardless of which 'mode' is selected and stick out just as much as a pulled pot. I am sure everyone here is familiar with button presses that are at different heights to indicate the two different options (on or off for example) with each press. There are push/push buttons that have the ability to change colour, have text (on/off, red/green) etc as well as be at different heights without using LEDs or other method requiring a source of electricity to 'light' up.

Where you have just 2 states - like on or off, split/tapped or full, in or out of phase, a push/push is the easiest and quickest method - something that maybe important for some musicians to keep time with the music and/or band mates. You do not necessarily need a visual indication as you may have an audio clue as to which 'mode' you are in. In the case of splitting/tapping coils, the sound itself may be enough to know whether you are in the right mode you want without having to look at the mini-toggle, push/pull or push/push pot. The very act of having to look to see if the switch or pot is up/down and looking to find where these are can throw your timing off so having an audio clue and a method to switch back and forth incredibly quickly without 'needing' to look is more than adequate.

With a Push/pull, its incredibly quick to push down but to pull up is not always as easy - especially with sweaty hands. Trying to flick a mini toggle and just the mini toggle you want as they are often quite close the right way isn't easy without looking. A push/push option is like the Push part of the Push/pull - a simple tap is all that's needed. I know some push/push pots don't pop out or pop in so don't give a visual clue as to what 'mode' they are in, but the audio clue could be enough without resulting in the need for LED indicators.

Anyway, that's a bit off the topic of the Blade vs toggle. I much prefer both of these though over a Rotary switch to select Pick-ups. If you want to talk about something that doesn't provide an easy visual clue, then the Rotary has to be the worst option of all.

 

[littlebadboy]

Blade.

I'm worried sometimes that I switch in the wrong direction on my toggle.

 

[Mozzi]

Blade.

I'm worried sometimes that I switch in the wrong direction on my toggle.

Each to their own of course but I have never had that issue at all. I find it no different from a blade and whilst most are wired in the same way, there have been occasions when either moving a switch up or down or a blade from left to right has been counter-intuitive to what you may expect. Of course you can get used to the way its wired but, like the mini-toggles, push/pull or push/push options to split/tap - never knowing if up or down is split/tap - you have audio clues to help. Not sure if when the switch is up, the PU is on the neck, well its very obvious from the tone of the PU - even with effects. Gibson make it obvious with the bass/treble disc but play it enough and it becomes second nature which is why the most confusing situation is when its wired differently to expectation but that expectation is due to becoming used to a switch working one way from prior experience. If you got used to a blade working in the opposite direction, forward for the bridge PU for example, if you buy a new guitar that is wired 'logically' so forward is the neck, you would find that to be wrong because you have become accustomed to it being different.

Mini-toggles are like light switches - generally only have 2 positions - up or down (or maybe left to right) and these are incredibly easy and I can't see how anyone could be worried about switching in the wrong direction. I don't need to think about light switches, whether EVERY one in my house is up for on or not because I can see if the light is on or not and just use the switch which ever way its facing to turn on/off the light. In one room, I have two methods of turning on/off the light switch so its often changing the direction. If I press up on one to turn on the light but turn it off via a different switch, the next time I have to push down to turn it on. That never confuses me at all in fact I give it no thought at all - its a two way switch and I can see (in this situation) or hear (in the case of a guitar) to know that if I want the light on/off or a pickup active/not or even split/full, I need to move it to change the condition regardless of which way its facing.

A 3-way toggle isn't significantly different from a blade. Both only move in one plane but the switch is mounted into a slot indicating the direction of travel and has extra states whilst a 3 way still only travels in one plane and obviously only has 3 states, however its not immediately clear the direction of travel unless its in position 1 or 3 when you first see it. Gibson again makes it clear the direction of travel with their bass/treble markers making it obvious the travel is up and down. I have 5 PRS guitars of which 3 PRS guitars have Blades and 4 have toggle switches (if you include the mini-toggles too). My HBii for example has 2 '3-way' toggles - 1 for the 3 magnetic pick-up positions and the other to use just the magnetics, add or just use the Piezo. Two of my guitars have a 5 way blade and 2 mini-toggles to individual switch between split/tap or full humbuckers. Just my 594 and Custom 24 have either a single 3-way or a single 5-way and the other 3, the 509, HBii and Special have more than 1 switch/blade. My 594 has push/pull pots so technically these are a form of switch as if they are up hey are split or full HB's when down - not that different from a mini-toggle that could be up for split and down for full but mini-toggles are a bit easier to see the mode/state they are switched to than a push/pull (or Push/push) pot. In any case, they are very easy to work out either by looking and/or hearing the different tones that ALL these switches, toggles, blades, push/pull, push/push etc give when you are using them.

What I struggle with the most is the positioning of all of these relative to other guitars I have. The 594 was the easiest - not only because it was my first PRS but also because I was a Les Paul player so the position and direction was 2nd nature. Swapping to all the other PRS I have, the thing that takes me the most time is getting used to the positions of every thing.

 

[dogrocketp]

I prefer whatever is in my hands when I'm playing. I have about 30 seconds between songs to modify my tone before the singer counts the tune off. I make the decision , go with it, and then modify at the end of a chorus, verse, or solo. I'd be screwed if I was playing trio. When I used to play standards on an archtop, it was set it and forget it.

 

[Lakeman2200]

Are the Pick up Toggles on all PRS select at an angle or is mine twisted ??

 

[dogrocketp]

Angled towards the player.

 

[Lakeman2200]

Neck toward player Bridge points toward the input jack ??