CRL 1452: Pickup Selector for the First Fender Guitar
CRL 1452 was the 3-way pickup selector for the first Fender guitar manufactured in 1950
Electroswitch Electronic Products has manufactured all CRL 1452s since 1992 in Raleigh, NC, USA
1 2
Buy New
Electroswitch Factory Direct (Min qty 500)
Nacho Music US$14.50
Mojotone US$15.00
Mouser Electronics $16.44 (500)
Warmoth Custom Guitar Parts $18.00
The Art of Tone $19.99
Tone Shaper $19.99
Bitterroot Guitars $19.99
Swinger Parts $25.65
DiMarzio $28.99
920D Custom $29.99
StewMac $31.49
Allparts $31.99
Master Electronics $39.55
Online Components $39.55
WD Music Products $43.00
Solo Guitars (Canada) CAD$33.99
Next Gen Musical (Canada) CAD$33.99
Bare Knuckle Pickups (UK) £17.75
Axesrus (UK) £22.98
Six String Supplies (UK) £23.65
Tube Amp Doctor (Euro Zone) €29.00
Goldo Music (Euro Zone) €36.00
Muztek (Korea) 40,000원
(Prices last updated November 5, 2025)
Catalogs
CRL 1452 in catalogs
Determine Age
Manufacturers
1922 Central Radio Laboratories founded (2)
The original manufacturer. Later, its name was shortened to CRL, also known as Centralab
1925 Globe-Union acquires CRL/Centralab (2)
The CRL 1452 was designed and manufactured starting in 1939
1980 North American Philips acquires CRL/Centralab (3)
Engraves extra upside-down alpha characters on the backs of the CRL 1452s
1992 Electroswitch Electronic Products acquires CRL/Centralab
Redesigned the CRL 1452 and manufactures it out of the Raleigh, NC plant
Sources
1. Duchossoir, A.R., The Fender Telecaster, 1st ed., Hal Leonard Publishing Company, 1991,ISBN 978-0-7935-0860-0, p. 63.
https://www.book-info.com/isbn/0-7935-0860-6.htm
2. Fehring, Thomas H., The Magnificent Machines of Milwaukee and the Engineers Who Created Them, January 2022 edition, CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform, 2022, ISBN-10: 1542549167, p. 257-9.
https://milwaukee.countycat.mcfls.org/Record/.b39745107
3. This Month in History: Centralab Electronics | Johnson Controls