Fender 4 way, a hum and a single. What to do?

[mlrpa]

Hey peoples, I'm looking for suggestions for the above delimma. I've got this really playable Squier Tele, with a 4 way switch for the Baja wiring. (Bridge, neck & bridge series, neck, bridge & neck parallel) Now I want to add a hum in the neck. What suggestions do you have to keep the 4 way, and still have some cool tones?
Thanky in advance.

[newey]

Question: when you say "Keep the four-way" are you implying keeping a totally stock appearance? Adding a switch opens up lots of possiblities if you can manage to cram a microtoggle into a tele control cavity- which I've not tried so space may be a problem there.

Paul

[mlrpa]

Newey, in my doddering old age, I want to keep it simple. I once had a BC Rich Bich with 11 different switches and knobs, and swore I would NEVER have more than I actually needed. I'd rather keep it the simplistic way it is now, but wouldn't be adverse to adding a push/pull if necessary.

[sumgai]

Paul,

............ if you can manage to cram a microtoggle into a tele control cavity- which I've not tried so space may be a problem there.

If you think that space will be an issue here, rest assured, ChrisK is on the case!





That should put your mind at ease, yes?




sumgai

[mlrpa]

Oh God, Kill me.

[ChrisK]

Oh God, Kill me.

Sure, but we're gonna do it reeeeaaaal slooooooooooooow.

(I assume that you're appealing to us board gods.)



and






Oh yeah, this.....



....is a superset implementation (piezo control added) of this



If you replace the middle and neck pickups with a 4 wire humbucker, you can do almost everything possible with three coils and some shiny objects.


What was your question again?


Actually, I'd consider adding a three position mini toggle switch for series/single coil/parallel on the humbucker. If I recall, the Baja has an S-1 switch in the volume knob, so there is a 4PDT switch for polarity reversal on the humbucker.

This is important because as can be seen, the S-1 is currently used for phase on the neck and the insertion of a 0.01 uF cap in series with the neck pickup that gives that "parallel half-out-of-phase" mode that I talk about. Fortunately, one additional pole of the S-1 IS NOT needed to do this, it can still be realized with a DPDT.

By using all of the 4 poles of the S-1, we can do a phase reversal on both coils of the neck humbucker and then realize hum cancellation in all parallel and series structures regardless of phasing (by selection of the proper RWRP neck coil for the bridge to connect to).


I've oft looked at the Baja Tele and wanted one. Since I don't like the body (no contours a'la my Proper TeleCopy), or the neck (too narrow, I use 1 3/4" nut width minimum), or the pickups, I don't have one. My Proper TeleCopy can do all that it can do as well as parallel and series blending.


Just go buy a spare Fender Tele control plate and drill a 1/4" hole smack dab (U.S. term for "precisely") in between the two control pot holes for the DPDT ON-ON-ON/ DPDT Center ON/SP3T toggle switch. If you're located near a Guitar Center, they carry both items.


If this is in line with your thinking (the ONLY new control thingy to learn is the coil select switch for the humbucker - oh yeah, you DO have to get a new pickguard and mount the humbucker).....let me know.


If I had a Baja, it'd be done already (nah, I'd have done something convoluted and most "knobular").


OK sez the blind man as he grabs his hammer and saw...........

I've got this really playable Squier Tele,

indicates that you don't actually have a Baja Tele. I've left the previous verbage (nounage?) in place since it makes for a neat modification to a Baja Tele.

And, you don't have an S-1 switch for phase reversal, so it's much simpler. Just use the aforementioned DPDT ON-ON-ON/ DPDT Center ON/SP3T toggle switch for series/single coil/parallel on the humbucker.

[newey]

Mirpa-

The Gods have spoken. However, I'm with you on the complexity issue (also with you on the doddering part . . .). From your post I take it that the switchophilia suggested by our esteemed glomod and admin is not the route you want to go. The "some cool tones" you seek doesn't need to be every tonal variation possible from 2 humbucs.

So my suggestion would be what it sounds like you're already leaning toward anyway. Wire the new pup into the 4-way the same as your current set-up, thereby keeping the series/parallel options, and swap out one of your pots for a push-pull, use that for a coil split option.

There's surely a schematic laying around this board already to do just that.

As for ChrisK, I bow down before your wiring prowess. I believe there is a 12-step program for switchophilics.

[mlrpa]

I thank all for the help, and I'm more than likely to go with the push/pull.

And New, I don't think there's a 12 step plan available for ChrisK. 12 position possibly, not step.

[sumgai]

And New, I don't think there's a 12 step plan available for ChrisK. 12 position possibly, not step.

Not gonna touch that, uh-huh, nosiree, not even gonna go there.


;D

[ChrisK]

And New, I don't think there's a 12 step plan available for ChrisK. 12 position possibly, not step.

Not gonna touch that, uh-huh, nosiree, not even gonna go there.

He CLEARLY indicates that, in my case, due to a most severe case of Compulsive (re)Wiring Dementia, a 12 POSITION (as in selector switch(s)'itis) is more apropos.

You must be a PREVERT to read anyhthing else into it (you were obviously born that way.) ;D

[ChrisK]

As I muse thereon, I see that a simple (to wire and operate) scheme may be appropriate for a Baja'fied Tele.

Hmm, methinks that I shall start a switching design called "Baja My Tele".


What I propose is using the DP4T Tele switch (it will, like, uh, also fit into a Strat) to realize the following Fender Baja combinations (S-1 up):

1. Bridge
2. Bridge + Neck (parallel)
3. Neck
4. Bridge * Neck (series)

Now the proper Fender BajaCaster makes use of 3 poles of a 4PDT S-1 switch for phase reversal of the neck.

This gives the following (S-1 down):

1. Bridge
2. Bridge + Neck (parallel, neck "1/2" out-of-phase thru 0.01 uF series cap)
3. Neck
4. Bridge * Neck (series, neck out-of-phase)


Now, this only gives two additional combinations. The #1 and #3 positions are the same.

Well, with some wiring mods, one can realize the following (S-1 down);

This gives the following (S-1 down):

1. Bridge (hmmm, what should I do here)
2. Bridge + Neck (parallel, neck "1/2" out-of-phase thru 0.01 uF series cap)
3. Neck (thru 0.01 uF series cap for a brighter/lighter sound)
4. Bridge * Neck (series, neck out-of-phase)

There are enough unused terminals that I could have a modified bridge sound as well for truly 8 distinct sounds. This probably entails the blending/bleeding in of the selected mode on the neck pickup or partial part of the neck dual-coil humbucker.


BTW, the beauty of using one less pole than Fender's S-1 implementation allows the use of a DPDT switch such as a push pull pot.

I would propose that a second push pull pole be used for parallel/single or parallel/series or series/single on the neck humbucker. Depending on just which splitting/tapping/shorting mode that you want for the neck humbucker, phase reversal that maintains RWRP with bridge may indeed require a 4PDT switch such as the S-1 or a mini toggle. The series/single will not, I haven't GeThunk aboot the others yet.


So, what do you think? Don't get too worried, I based my observations on the Fender Baja wiring diagram so it will be close to that in basis.