Korean toggle switch

[markanini]

I got a korean made 3-way toggle switch replacement part(WSC is the manufacturer I think).
Looks indentical to this one sold by StewMac:

Anyone fammiliar with this part? Switching action feel nice except one of the outer positions feel slightly more firm than the other. Also while the frame is metal the inner end of the rod is fitted with a piece if plastic which holds two sheets of metal together in outer positions. The plastic concerns me for long time reliability.

So I'm holding off installning it as I found there a japanese made part I may want to try that looks identical except with gold plated terminals. Perhaps it's a higher mechnical quality? The japanese part is made by Hosco.

The intention is replacing a stock no-name sealed box type switch and avoiding the hassle of drilling a multiadiameter hole required for a real switchcraft.

[ES350]

In my limited experience with these in the last two decades or so, the switches shown in the picture can be defective out of the box or go bad within a short period. They get intermittant, start shorting out, or bind up mechanically. I know they are in a lot of Epi's and other guitars and maybe they last forever for some people, but I have stopped using them. In contrast, I have Switchcraft parts in a few guitars that are nearly 60 years old that still work just fine. Your choice...YMMV.

[H.E.L.Shane]

My biggest problem with them is the hinge pin for the lever.. its utter crap.. I bought 10 of them a few years back..... three of them never made it to the guitars because they failed during checkout (ie.. the pin broke and the switch became useless as i was flipping it back and forth a few times before soldering it in....