Is there *any* way at all...

[mattmayfield]

...to get 5 different sounds out of ONLY ONE POLE of a standard five way switch (the "actually only a 3-way" kind), using two four-wire humbuckers?

It's OK if one of the 5 functions is a dead spot - the challenge here is to get *something* different out of each of the five positions.

So far all I can think of is four (splitting one of the HBs) similar to this old thread:
guitarnuts2.proboards.com/index.cgi?action=gotopost&board=wiring&thread=1798&post=17174

Is there a "lateral thinking" style way to make it 5 different functions? Again, it doesn't matter what they are, as long as they are all different, and a dead spot counts OK as one of the functions.

Thanks very much for any assistance.

[mattmayfield]

I spoke too soon...

GND----(Coil.1)---\
..................+---------(pole.1)
.../---(Coil.2)---/
...|
...+------------------------(pole.3)....<------HOT
...|
...\---(Coil.3)---\
..................+---------(pole.5)
GND----(Coil.4)---/
(imagine the dots are empty space)
Should give:

1st position: 1+(2x3x4)
2nd position: 1+(3x4)
3rd position: (1x2)+(3x4)
4th position: 4+(1x2)
5th position: 4+(1x2x3)

So there's 5 functions... but can anyone think of anything with more useful/standard combinations?

[JohnH]

so why not use the other pole too?
J

[mattmayfield]

It's another Variax transplant so only one pole is available. Plus I'm a glutton for punishment.

[newey]

John-

Per Matt's other post (from 2007!) the other pole is being used for some sort of variax setup.

Matt-

The only other thought I had was to wire the Bridge HB (or the neck, your choice) as a std series-connected HB, and treat the other HB as if it were 2 SCs. IOW, coil #1 hot goes to lug #1, coil#2 hot goes to lug 3, Coil#3 hot goes to lug 5. Coil 4 hot joins coil 3 neg, coil 4 neg is grounded, as are the neg leads from 1 and 2 coils.

This would give:

1) Coil 1
2) Coil 1 + Coil 2 (neck parallel HB)
3) Coil 2
4) 2 + (3 X 4)
5) 3 X 4 (Br. series HB)

Whether this is more "useful" or more "standard" I leave to you. I was thinking this would be just like a HSS set-up, but then I remembered most of those schemes split the Br. HB at position 4 (by using the other pole of the switch, which you ruled out.)

[JohnH]

Based on using half of a standard 5-way switch, the following could be done:


1. Four sounds, with two spots with the same neck single:
Bhb
Bhb + Ns
Ns
Ns
Nhb

When I combine bridge with neck, my guitar sounds best with the neck cut to a single, hence position 2 above.

2. As 1, but full humbuckers in parallel:
Bhb
Bhb x Nhb
Nhb
Ns
Ns

3. Here’s five sounds, which I find are the most useful ones on my LP
Ns
Ns x Bhb
Bhb
Bhb x Nhb
Nhb

Having the bridge pup in the centre position is a slight ergonomic challenge, but I think one could get used to it and its worth it to get 5 good sounds.

All are possible. I’m sure you can work out the diagrams!........ (Mwah..ha.ha.ha!!...)

J

[mattmayfield]

Ooh, a puzzle! ;D Thanks for the ideas.

[Yew]

This is stupid, you can NEVER have too many switches

[newey]

Here's JohnH's version 1 above.



Here's what I had in mind, although I didn't explain it correctly. . . .



Mine would probably be better if it was reversed so the SC shunting was at the Bridge position.

[newey]

Not sure I've got this one right, but yet another variation, with the 2 SC sounds (Tele-ish):