Was a five way switch an option before 1977 when they became the stock factory switch?

Thank you

Not that I am aware of...although lots of folks notched the three ways into five ways to get that in between sound before it was available.

T2

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What time is it? It's Fender Time.

My 1976 has a 5 way and the original owner claims it was stock that way.

To the best of my recollection, I started seeing them in Strats around '75.

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You dig?

+1

Prior to that (around 1970 or 1971 IIRC) it was Allparts who marketed the first purpose-designed 5-way switch for a Strat. It may in fact have been their first commercial product.

Arjay

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"Here's why reliability is job one: A great sounding amp that breaks down goes from being a favorite piece of gear to a useless piece of crap in less time than it takes to read this sentence." -- BRUCE ZINKY

My 76 Strat came with a 3 way... I have switched it to a 5 way.

The thing I preferred about the 3-way in my '64 was there were a few different o-o-p sounds to be found between the indents - not just the one available with the 5-way.

On the other hand I also had a '75 (Jan neck stamp) which had a 3-way but I seem to remember that one didn't have the same range of o-o-p tonal options.

P.