H/S/H opinions

[flateric]

New build coming up, solid walnut prs-type carved top body, I'm thinking Swamp ash special type stuff, with maybe a strat 5-way switch, but with all the different combos of H/S/H configs possible I wondered if anyone with one of these type of configs would share some experience on their preferences.

[flateric]

Hmm, ok, what I'm after is advice from experience on a strat-type 5-way switch controlling a H/S/H combination, such as
pos 1 = nech,
2= neck coil tapped + mid
3=mid
4=neck and bridge HB's together
5=Bridge

Maybe add a push-pull tone coil cut as well? So many different combinations possible, I wondered if anyone had put together this sort of scheme and has some input or opinions as to which tones were the most usable?

[UnklMickey]

hi ^bEric,

i never actually played a H/S/H so i can't really say for sure.

the basic 5 you have seem pretty good.

i like that you have a 'strat pair' as well as the 'gibtone'

if you set up the push-pull to split both HBs, you can also get the 'Tele-tone'

you won't be able to get that sequence if you are using a stock 5-way. you'll need a superswitch.

with a stock switch the sequence would have to be:

• mid
  
• neck and mid
  
• neck
  
• neck and bridge
  
• bridge
  

either way, with the push-pull that would give you 9 different sounds.

looks pretty good, unless someone else has a better idea.




unk

[JohnH]

I have not had an HSH, but the possibilities are mind boggling. What are your favorite single pup or combo settings on other guitars?, and which are you most likely to want to move between quickly with a single switch flick?

J

[flateric]

I guess i'd like to replicate the sound combos you can get on a PRS Swamp Ash Special, only I'm also thinking of throwing in a fishman piezo bridge for a fake acoustic sound I can blend in anywhere, like the Power Strat has fitted.

Here's the SAS wiring from their site. I guess the push-pull tone allows the centre s/c pup to be switched in whenever it's pulled?
I'd like to add another push-pull pot on the vol to activate either/both HB's to coil tap, then add another vol pot to blend in the piezo bridge independantly.
So you would end up with 1 master vol for the 3 conventional pups, push-pull for coil-tap, one master tone with push-pull for centre s/c switching in-out and a second vol pot for the piezo. Would that be possible?

[UnklMickey]

i don't know much o nuthin' about either of those.

is the PRS a derivative of their new '513' ?

[flateric]

PRS 513

- 513 Pickup System (patents applied for)
- 5 single coil pickups/13 sounds
- Volume control, tone control
- 5-way blade pickup selector
- 3-way blade tone selector - heavy humbucking, clear humbucking, single coil

3-WAY BLADE TONE SELECTOR

* Down - Heavy humbucking
* Middle - Clear humbucking
* Up - Single Coil

5-WAY BLADE PICKUP SELECTOR

* the 5-way pickup selector remains the same in all 3 modes
* Position 1: Treble Pickup
* Position 2: Treble and Middle
* Position 3: Middle
* Position 4: Middle and Bass
* Position 5: Bass Pickup

[flateric]

SWAMP ASH SPECIAL ELECTRONICS (2006 - Current)

- PRS Swamp Ash Bass and PRS Swamp Ash Treble pickups with a Seymour Duncan Vintage Rails in middle position
- Volume and push/pull tone control (splits the humbucking pickups to single coil) with 5-way blade pickups selector

PUSH-PULL DOWN POSITIONS

* Position 1: Treble Humbucker
* Position 2: Treble Humbucker with Vintage Rail Single Coil
* Position 3: Vintage Rail Single Coil
* Position 4: Vintage Rail and Bass Humbucker
* Position 5: Bass Humbucker

PUSH-PULL UP POSITIONS

* Position 1: Treble single coil
* Position 2: Treble single coil with vintage rail single coil
* Position 3: Vintage rail middle
* Position 4: Bass single coil with vintage rail single coil
* Position 5: Bass single coil

[flateric]

The 513 would be a nightmare to gig with, I'd be so busy flicking through all the controls I'd forget what key to play in.

[flateric]

SWAMP ASH SPECIAL ELECTRONICS (Mid 2003 - 2005)

- 2 PRS McCarty humbuckers with a Seymour Duncan Vintage Rails in middle position
- 3-Way toggle, master volume and tone pot with push-pull
- The push-pull pot, in the up position, activates middle pickup and renders the treble humbucker to a single coil

PUSH-PULL DOWN POSITIONS

* Position 1: Treble Humbucker
* Position 2: Both Humbuckers
* Position 3: Bass Humbucker

PUSH-PULL UP POSITIONS

* Position 1: Treble single coil and middle pickup
* Position 2: Treble single coil, middle pickup and full bass humbucker
* Position 3: Full Bass Humbucker and middle pickup

[UnklMickey]

hmmmm.

i don't think you can do, what they seem to be doing, with a 2-pole blade (like a Tele selector).

it sounds as if they're doing a series/parallel/split (down/middle/up)

wouldn't be a problem to do one pickup like that with 2 poles.

but they're doing both at the same time.

either they're using 4 poles, or unk is missing somethin'

(i aint as good as i once was..............)

the 5-way could be a stock Fender.

you can do that with a single pole of the stock Fender 5-way.


EDIT: holy moly! ya slipped in a few posts while i was typing.

my post refers to the 513.

[flateric]

LOL! I have faith in you, unk. I have a stock strat 5-way blade, and 2 push pull pots. I'd be happy with the 2006 SAS scheme and the addition of a piezo bridge.

[UnklMickey]

flateric said:

... I have faith in you, unk....

i have faith in you too!

grab a standard strat wiring diagram, and change the neck and bridge to HBs.

connect the dual HB split switch from the modules thread on the schematics page:

guitarnuts2.proboards45.com/index.cgi?action=gotopost&board=schem&thread=1145315219&post=1155342546

that will be the push-pull on your tone pot.

there is no point in having 2 separate switches.


the colors will be for SD pickups, if you use something else we will have to change them.

also, we will need to change the colors of ONE of them so they both match.

we won't know which, until we determine the polarity of your middle pickup.


after you make the preliminary drawing, i'll explain how to wire your volume control "backward".

you'll need to do this, to keep it from affecting your piezo output.



i don't have any experience with piezo pre-amps, but i think they are probably connected similar to using active pickups.

we'll have to ask Chris for some "input" on the piezo output.



see ya Monday.


unk