McGrath Guitars has officially announced the launch and commercial release of the McGrath Switch, an advanced, patent-pending, relay-driven pickup selector designed to unlock unprecedented tonal possibilities for active bass guitars.

Originally designed for our flagship Thunderhorse basses, the McGrath Switch is now available for retrofits and custom builds via , offering game-changing versatility for both 3-pickup instruments and 2-pickup configurations like Music Man and Jazz bass layouts.

14 Distinct Analog Tones, Pure Signal Integrity

Unlike standard blade or toggle switches, the McGrath Switch delivers 14 discrete analog pickup combinations using high-grade internal relays to maintain an ultra-clean, uncompromised signal path. Players can instantly select between thick series growl, punchy parallel configurations, individual pickup isolates, and hybrid voicings tailored specifically to their pickup layout.

Smart Performance & Failsafe Design

• Instant Favorite Recall: A long-press saves your primary setting, while a single push toggles between your active configuration and favorite tone on the fly.
• Triple-Tap Feature: Quickly tap the switch three times to instantly jump right back to Position 1 without breaking your stride mid-performance.
• Power Failsafe: In the event of battery loss, the switch automatically defaults to Position 1 to keep your signal alive on stage.

Expanded Control via the McGrath App

Alongside the hardware, McGrath Guitars released the companion McGrath App, which allows players to fully customize switch behavior from their mobile devices. Bassists can program the hardware to cycle through custom positions, tailoring the switch specifically to their live performance setlist or studio needs. You can have 1 to 12 saved positons.

• Wrap Mode: Continuous rotation cycling past the final position instantly rolls back to Position 1 for fast, endless scrolling.
• Stop Mode: Hard boundaries at the ends prevent accidental wrapping during live performance, keeping critical low-end setups predictable under pressure.

Availability

The McGrath Switch is available on our bass builder, in-stock instruments, and direct from Fret Nation

For more visit: McGrath Guitars