Looking 4 schematic for 2 humbucker

[jr5522]

I have an ESP that I'm rewiring. It has 2 humbuckers and 1 volume pot...NO TONE.

I want to install one Mini toggle to switch both pups from series to parallel. Is it possible to have only one switch?

All the schematics on Stew Mac use a seperate minitoggle for each pup.....I want only one to operate both pups.

Does anyone have a schematic for this?

If so please post. Thanx in advance!

[fergus]

guitarnuts2.proboards45.com/index.cgi?board=modules&action=display&thread=3769

see post #6

i guess if you could find a 4pdt (on-on, or on-on-on for split in center pos) switch you could do it?

[newey]

jr-

Hello and welcome!

The link Fergus provided is to switch 2 HBs from series to parallel between the 2 pickups. I read your post to mean that you wanted to be able to switch the individual coils of each HB from series (normal HB wiring) to parallel. Do you also want series between the 2 pickups?

[jr5522]

Yes in about the middle of the page is a diagram A,B,C, and D.

this is what I want....1 mini..... to switch between series snd parallel.

But, a new problem:

I read on a site called Guitarwiring.com that I would need a switch with NO center position. This confused me as I assumed they ment CENTER OFF. So, I purchased 2 on/off/on switches today from radio shack.

Is this the type I need to do what I want? or, do I just need a DPDT on/on?

If I can do the job with the type I have already that would be great as I won't have to return them. HELP!!!!

[ashcatlt]

The link Fergus posted will switch the combination of any two things between series and parallel. It can just as easily be employed to determine the local combination of coils within an HB as anything else. I'm using something very similar to switch diodes in a distortion box I'm "working on".

With a 4PDT, you'll just do this twice - once for each pickup. It's the exact same wiring as 2 seperate toggles, only they're on the same switch.

I'm thinking you might be missing out on combinations where one HB is in local parallel while the other is in local series, but that's your call.

Edit - you ninja'd me!

I'm pretty sure that in this case the on/off/on, or "Center Off" switches will give you exactly that - in the Center position, that HB (both coils) will be off. If these two switches and the volume pot are all you've got, this is a good thing. Otherwise, how you going to get just one pickup or the other? There is the issue that one coil from whichever pickup is off will be hanging from hot, which might add noise.

[jr5522]

I just relized I desperatly need to clarify....

I don't want to seperate the coils individually.
I just want Neck HB or Bridge HB (as wholes) to be able to switch from a series or parallel.

I also have a 3 way toggle for pickup selection (Neck / south-north or center , and Bridge.)

so to recap: Ive got 1 volume, 1 3way togggle, 2 HB's

I want to add: 1 minitoggle to control both HB's in a series or parallel.....<---- if at all possible

Can I do this with an on/off/on? or do I need a on/on? or an on/on/on?

I'm confused!

[fergus]

Im confused too ;D
do you want to the mini toggle to switch between:

N+B in parallel with each other and
and
N+Bin series w/ each other

or

N in series + B in series
and
N parallel + B in parallel

the 1st option needs a DPDT toggle and will only have an effect when both pups are selected, the second a 4PDT toggle.

[ChrisK]

I don't want to separate the coils individually.
I just want Neck HB or Bridge HB (as wholes) to be able to switch from a series or parallel.

1A. I understand this to mean that when in series, the neck coils are in internal series and the bridge coils are in internal series, and both of these intra-pickup structures are combined in inter-pickup parallel by the three-way pickup selector switch.

1B. I further understand this to mean that when in parallel, the neck coils are in internal parallel and the bridge coils are in internal parallel, and both of these intra-pickup structures are combined in parallel by the three-way pickup selector switch (all four coils are in parallel).

This requires a 4PDT two position toggle switch.


2. However, if you really meant that you wanted both of the intra-pickup series structures (normal internal humbucker structure) to combined in parallel by the three-way pickup selector switch, but also to be selectable as both pickups in inter-pickup series (all four coils will be in series), this can be done with a DPDT toggle switch regardless of the position of the three-way pickup selector.


Since this is an override selection, one can essentially have a two-voice guitar, with the series selection mitigated by a single switching movement (speed is). This is because the pickup combination selection process is meaningless in series mode as both pickups are required for "series" to have meaning.

Fun with switches, take 1 section "E". This shows an LP-type selector used with two volume pots. If the volume pots are assumed to be at full-on, and then removed schematically, this section teaches the series override function. This does require that at least one of the pickups be two wire plus shield.

Obviously, both pickups must also be passive, and not active like EMGs or such. Series mode has NO tonal meaning with active pickups. It also isn't generally possible as they share a common power supply and ground.

[ashcatlt]

Mar 27, 2009 18:33:27 GMT -5 ChrisK said:

This does require that at least one of the pickups be two wire plus shield.

It doesn't require the shield. Any two wires will work. In fact, it'll work with one wire and a shield, though it might be noisy. I've never noticed a problem with my LP.

[ChrisK]

It doesn't require the shield. Any two wires will work. In fact, it'll work with one wire and a shield, though it might be noisy.

Yep.

However, touching an elevated shield connection (if it is connected to a metal pickup cover) can be somewhat problematic if not downright aurally distressing for the audience when occuring at full amplifier output power.

[sumgai]

Gang,

Mar 27, 2009 0:50:51 GMT -5 jr5522 said:

.....
I don't want to seperate the coils individually.
I just want Neck HB or Bridge HB (as wholes) to be able to switch from a series or parallel.

I understand this to mean that jr doesn't want to monkey around with the innards of his pickups, he plans to just leave them alone.

Mar 27, 2009 0:50:51 GMT -5 jr5522 said:

.....
I want to add: 1 minitoggle to control both HB's in a series or parallel..... if at all possible

And I understand this to mean that he wants to modify the tonality between his two unmodified pickups.


Cart, meet horse. Sorry for the view, but things just work out better that way.




sumgai

[ChrisK]

Yep, that's why I posted both solutions.

[jr5522]

okay thanks to everyone for the help....

But, things have already changed.

I've decided to go with 2 DPDT switches to switch each pup individually. Thing is, I'm still concerned about the behavior of the pickup selection switch in this set-up.

In normal operation without the minitoggles. The 3 way middle position activates ( and i'm only guessing here) the south coil on neck and the North coil on the bridge.

if the minitoggles are installed and say for instance I have the neck pup in parallel....and the bridge pup in series position. THEN, I decide to put the 3 way in center....what's going to happen?

Will I get only series on both?

I tried to post a link to the diagram I'm making my own plan from but its turning out to be a bum link.

I wish I could post the diagram here so everyone could take a look and see if its all good and help answer some questions I had.
I'm not totally incompitent with soldering and understanding electronics...but I'm not an electrical engineer either!

I also plan to shield the control cavity and star ground everything and I'm a bit "foggy" on the connections.

if there is some way I could post the image and provide a link I'll be back in here to provide it. Probably via photobucket. The sooner I lift this preverbial fog the sooner I can get this accomplished and play the damn thing!

[jr5522]

Okay here is the link:

If everyone could take a look and let me know everything is good to go I'd appriciate it. I just need the opinion of someone who's done this type of thing before so I can feel confident before I go drilling holes and whatnot.

i132.photobucket.com/albums/q27/jrusch73/ESPwirediagram.jpg

If you cant get a direct link please just copy and paste it. The sooner I can get an "okay looks good" from someone I can get going on this. I've got limited time between work and other things so I'd like to get started ASAP. Thanks in advance.

[jr5522]

I forgot to mention this has passive pups...the neck is an EMG, and the bridge is a Dimarzio 207. The lead colors are exactly the same for both pups.

[ashcatlt]

Mar 28, 2009 21:31:19 GMT -5 jr5522 said:

In normal operation without the minitoggles. The 3 way middle position activates ( and i'm only guessing here) the south coil on neck and the North coil on the bridge.

I'm not seeing this to be the case. As far as I can tell, the center position on the 3-way gives you the outputs from the toggles in parallel with each other. There's no tapping going on at all.

It'll work fine as is, though.

[jr5522]

Happy DAys Are HERE AGAIN!!!

Just wanted to thank everyone for their help....got the ESP wired up today. Took 8+ hrs....but its done and sounds great!
Star grounding is awesome! I did find an unusual problem though. The jack plate wasn't grounded properly, was causing noise. I just added a bit of copper foil left overs to overlap the hole....checked for continuity and noise is virtually eliminated!

The HB's select in series /Parallel just like they should. One toggle is selected for each HB and center position on the 3 way
is basically the same as it was before the mod. I'm happy and I learned alot of new things along the way...can't say I'd like to do it again...but ya never know.