I’ve just bought a San Dimas HH with a 3 way blade switch and a push-pull coil split on the volume. Pickups are the usual JB/59 combo.
The coil combinations are as follows:
(with push-pull *in*)
Bridge Humbucker
both inner coils (not hum cancelling)
neck humbucker
(with p-p out)
Bridge outer coil
both outer coils (not hum cancelling)
Neck outer coil
I like all these sounds *except* the both-inner-coils middle combination. I’d much rather have the Gibson-style both-humbuckers sound.
Is there a way to tweak the connections so I can get that sound while still keeping all the outer-coil split sounds as they are?
Comments
"Take these three items, some WD-40, a vise grip, and a roll of duct tape. Any man worth his salt can fix almost any problem with this stuff alone." - Walt Kowalski
"Only two things are infinite - the universe, and human stupidity. And I'm not sure about the universe." - Albert Einstein
Does this diagram show exactly what I need to do?
https://www.seymourduncan.com/images/wiring-diagrams/2H_3B_1VppSPL_1T.jpg
"Take these three items, some WD-40, a vise grip, and a roll of duct tape. Any man worth his salt can fix almost any problem with this stuff alone." - Walt Kowalski
"Only two things are infinite - the universe, and human stupidity. And I'm not sure about the universe." - Albert Einstein
"Take these three items, some WD-40, a vise grip, and a roll of duct tape. Any man worth his salt can fix almost any problem with this stuff alone." - Walt Kowalski
"Only two things are infinite - the universe, and human stupidity. And I'm not sure about the universe." - Albert Einstein
Anyone who rewires enough electric guitars eventually gets the most popular circuits burnt into memory. It becomes possible to juggle ideas from multiple known circuits into novel permutations.
There is also a theory which states that decades of exposure to lead fumes from solder soften the brain.
You may not be surprised that I have done this exact mod for someone else... but it was a while ago.
"Take these three items, some WD-40, a vise grip, and a roll of duct tape. Any man worth his salt can fix almost any problem with this stuff alone." - Walt Kowalski
"Only two things are infinite - the universe, and human stupidity. And I'm not sure about the universe." - Albert Einstein
I *think* I’ve got the push-pull volume pot wired up as per the diagram (except swapping the green pickup leads for black ones.)
I’ve also added a treble bypass widget between tags 1 and 2 (left to right as I look at them) on the volume pot.
I’ve now got a conundrum with the 3 way switch - see the photo in the link below.
Basically I’m presented with two wafers, each with 8 tags, some of which are currently linked horizontally with short leads.
Left 1 and right 1 are currently linked, and there’s a white lead running off right 1 to tag 1 on the volume pot (and then on to the time pot).
Left 2 is linked to left 3, and there’s a short green lead off left 3 which is now flapping around in the breeze - it was previously connected to the push-pull.
Right 3 is connected to right 4, and right 4 then has a short blue lead trailing loose (again, was previously connected to push-pull).
Left 4 has nothing connected.
Left 5 and right 5 have nothing connected.
Left 6 and right 6 are linked. Left 6 also has a black lead running to the casing of the tone pot.
Left 8 has a short red wire trailing loose (previously connected to push-pull).
Right 8 has a short white wire trailing loose (was on push-pull).
Also currently flapping loose are the both green pickup leads (I’m calling them bridge green and neck green).
Please could some superhuman, quite possibly @ICBM , advise me what connections I need to make now?
Edit: I’ve attempted to do a diagram in the hope of making this post slightly less surreal - NB the squiggle between L6 and L7 is just a crossed out mistake, please ignore
https://flic.kr/p/2jBmsYi
Here is a picture of the rat’s best for you to enjoy in the meantime:
https://flic.kr/p/2jBgooH
Profuse thanks in advance!
There are two easy(ish) methods -
1. Start by removing all the connections from the existing switch. Then you should be able to see which are the rotor connections - two of those need to be connected to the two pickup hots. If you take the switch out of the guitar it should be possible to see which connections each one needs to go to in each of the physical switch positions - either have a look at it as you move the switch, or use a multimeter with a continuity tester.
2. Easiest of all - just replace it with a standard CRL 3-way switch! Then you can use the standard Tele-type diagram. Obviously this will cost a little more, but it also has the advantage that you can simply cut all the old wires - leaving a short piece of the coloured plastic on each so you can easily see which goes where - so you could put it back to stock if you ever wanted to. (Or to include in the case if you sell the guitar...)
"Take these three items, some WD-40, a vise grip, and a roll of duct tape. Any man worth his salt can fix almost any problem with this stuff alone." - Walt Kowalski
"Only two things are infinite - the universe, and human stupidity. And I'm not sure about the universe." - Albert Einstein
"Take these three items, some WD-40, a vise grip, and a roll of duct tape. Any man worth his salt can fix almost any problem with this stuff alone." - Walt Kowalski
"Only two things are infinite - the universe, and human stupidity. And I'm not sure about the universe." - Albert Einstein
https://www.premierguitar.com/articles/27090-mod-garage-meet-g%C3%B6ldos-double-wafer-3-way-switch
If it is then the easiest is just to use one wafer, connect all four of the middle terminals to the volume control, and then the two end ones to the pickup hots, each at the same end as the pickup physically is.
In fact I think that's what I might have done, since I think I remember leaving the link wires in place to the other wafer, as they don't matter.
"Take these three items, some WD-40, a vise grip, and a roll of duct tape. Any man worth his salt can fix almost any problem with this stuff alone." - Walt Kowalski
"Only two things are infinite - the universe, and human stupidity. And I'm not sure about the universe." - Albert Einstein
Terminals L1-4 and R1-4 are already doing the basic Telecaster neck/both/bridge thang.
L1 and R1 are the common/collector/wiper terminals for their respective poles.
L2/3 should the hot conductor from the bridge pickup.
R3/4 should be the hot conductor from the neck pickup.
•
Terminals L5-8 and R5-8 govern the automatic coil split when both pickups are selected.
L6/R6 is the ground for the coil splittage.
My preference would be to have this bridged connection at L8/R8. The individual series/split connection for each pickup could then go to L6 and R6, respectively.
If you are already inclined to remove the stock selector switch, it might be wiser to change to a five-way Superswitch wired like either a Fender Double Fat Stratocaster, the Musicman Axis Supersport or the ever-popular Ibanez five-way HH circuit.
L1: neck pickup green wire
L2: nothing
L3-6: bridge a wire across all of these, and run it to volume pot tag 1
L7: nothing
L8: bridge pickup green wire
(Or is it L1-2 neck, L7-8 bridge?)
basically adapting the switch to be like a normal tele one?
Funkfingers said: ICBM’s suggestion of a sprung CRL two-pole selector switch plus a push-pull coil split is by far the simplest and most durable wiring option.
Having automatic AND push-pull coil splittage switching only makes sense if one of these options is partial splittage via a capacitor and/or resistor.
If you are already inclined to remove the stock selector switch, it might be wiser to change to a five-way Superswitch wired like either a Fender Double Fat Stratocaster, the Musicman Axis Supersport or the ever-popular Ibanez five-way HH circuit. I do actually quite like the single coil bridge and neck sounds, having spent a bit more time with them. There’s something pleasingly brash and cutting about them.
I’ll have a crack at the wiring @ICBM described with the current switch, and plan B will be getting a 2 pole 3 way.