Fender Telecaster 4 way switch

crunchman

Alegree said:

4 way always.
I don't understand the mentality of 'I don't like having choices'.

It's the ease of changing settings on a 3 way.  To get the neck on it's own you just knock the switch all the way back.  With a 4 way, you have to be a lot more careful about it.

I've had two Teles with 4 ways and didn't really use the series setting on either.

Having a 4 way with a hotter bridge with a tap like @TheGuitarWeasel uses might make more sense, but if I was going to get another Tele I'd probably just get a 3 way.

earwighoney

Alegree said:

4 way always.
I don't understand the mentality of 'I don't like having choices'.

Agree.  

IMO if Tele pickups are too noisy then the 4th position can be a decent back up option. 

dcg

My 3 cents...I have now had 6 Teles, all with 4 ways.  However...I have them wired differently from the usual bridge/bridge+neck in parallel/neck/bridge+neck in series layout that practically all online schematics feature.  There are two reasons; firstly, I believe you need to know where the bridge only and the neck only options are to be found; IMHO, it's best to have these two positions at the extremities of the switch's travel.  Secondly, I have become completely used to my preferred configuration; bridge/bridge+neck in series/bridge+neck in parallel/neck.  This is because I mostly use the series selection for rhythm, and the bridge for lead; they're of course next door to each other in this configuration.  Both Bill Callaham and Charlie Chandler have ventured to suggest that this version of the Tele 4 way may be (whisper) 'better'...however, there's no monopoly on wisdom, and although I happen to really like this way of wiring a Tele, it's completely down to the individual.

OilCityPickups

Alegree said:

4 way always.
I don't understand the mentality of 'I don't like having choices'.

I have two Esquires for when I want my choices more constrained :-)
Mind you, both are fitted with push pull bridge taps and Eldred cocked wah mods ... each with a different filter cap for a different 'neck' tone. 

crunchman

TheGuitarWeasel said:

Alegree said:

4 way always.
I don't understand the mentality of 'I don't like having choices'.

I have two Esquires for when I want my choices more constrained :-)
Mind you, both are fitted with push pull bridge taps and Eldred cocked wah mods ... each with a different filter cap for a different 'neck' tone. 

You have a Tele and 2 Esquires and you are talking about constrained choices?

OilCityPickups

CasperCaster said:

Also remember that one or other of your pickups must be 3-wire (typically the neck pickup for most of the published diagrams). If it's a standard 2-wire neck pickup the cover would constitute part of the pickup when in series and that would be very noisy.

Just clip the link wire between the cover and the coil end eyelet (on the pickup back) this takes the cover out of circuit completely and is no noisier.

Alegree

crunchman said:

Alegree said:

4 way always.
I don't understand the mentality of 'I don't like having choices'.

It's the ease of changing settings on a 3 way.  To get the neck on it's own you just knock the switch all the way back.  With a 4 way, you have to be a lot more careful about it.

I've had two Teles with 4 ways and didn't really use the series setting on either.

Having a 4 way with a hotter bridge with a tap like @TheGuitarWeasel uses might make more sense, but if I was going to get another Tele I'd probably just get a 3 way.

Surely then you could just wire it as neck -> series -> both parallel -> bridge? I would have thought that'd be possible.

DulcetJones

Not sure if this is relevant, I have a Mustang with a 3 position slide switch for each of the 2 single coil pickups.  I've read a little about these but not enough to say for sure, I do know the mid setting on each is "off", pushing the switch either way from there produces a different sound from each pickup.  I find it sounds best with both switches pushed toward the neck, both on and in phase?  All other settings and combinations are interesting but noisier.

crunchman

Alegree said:

crunchman said:

Alegree said:

4 way always.
I don't understand the mentality of 'I don't like having choices'.

It's the ease of changing settings on a 3 way.  To get the neck on it's own you just knock the switch all the way back.  With a 4 way, you have to be a lot more careful about it.

I've had two Teles with 4 ways and didn't really use the series setting on either.

Having a 4 way with a hotter bridge with a tap like @TheGuitarWeasel uses might make more sense, but if I was going to get another Tele I'd probably just get a 3 way.

Surely then you could just wire it as neck -> series -> both parallel -> bridge? I would have thought that'd be possible.

Not worth it for the amount of time I used the series setting.

As others have said, it's a muddy tone, and you are better off stepping on a boost pedal.

OilCityPickups

crunchman said:

Alegree said:

crunchman said:

Alegree said:

4 way always.
I don't understand the mentality of 'I don't like having choices'.

It's the ease of changing settings on a 3 way.  To get the neck on it's own you just knock the switch all the way back.  With a 4 way, you have to be a lot more careful about it.

I've had two Teles with 4 ways and didn't really use the series setting on either.

Having a 4 way with a hotter bridge with a tap like @TheGuitarWeasel uses might make more sense, but if I was going to get another Tele I'd probably just get a 3 way.

Surely then you could just wire it as neck -> series -> both parallel -> bridge? I would have thought that'd be possible.

Not worth it for the amount of time I used the series setting.

As others have said, it's a muddy tone, and you are better off stepping on a boost pedal.

Certainly not muddy on my Tele ... I think that depends on what pickups you have. Alnico 3 neck on mine and split alnico 2/5 on the bridge. If you have a brass cover (known as a 'mud shield' in some quarters) then ditch it for a nickel one.

koneguitarist

The Cocked wah sounds terrible clean in my opinion,, but using it with a tube screamer which I would never use with a std tele and it comes into its own.  Really fat but with a mid range honk to cut through the mix. 

Chalky

Never understood how using a 4way on a Tele is hard for some people, who presumably handle a 5way on a Strat with no problem.  Am I missing something here?