Parallel/Series/Parallel Circuit?

[dazzerr]

Helloooo!

I was wandering, I have an on/off/on mini switch and was wandering how I could wire it up with a Parallel/Series/Parallel Configuration. The catch is, both Parallel options would act upon a different pickup! So I have 2 Dimarzio pickups (4 wire) and a Dual pole mini switch, and would much like some assistance upon doing this if anyone could help please?

Just to explain once more -> Parallel (Neck)/Series (Both)/Parallel (Bridge)


Other information, I also currently have 2 switches wires for coil taps too. One for the Neck, and one for Bridge. These are only on/on switches.


If anyone could help, I'd much appreciate it Thankyou for your time

[asmith]

A puzzle. I like puzzles.

To clarify. You want:

Position	Result
Up	Neck HB Coils in Parallel
Middle	(Neck HB Coils in Series) in Parallel with (Bridge HB Coils in Series)
Down	Bridge HB Coils in Parallel

Or another scheme?

[dazzerr]

That is indeed correct

[newey]

dazzerr-

Hello and Welcome!

This is more of a guess than anything else, but I don't believe that's doable with just a 2-pole switch. Seems to me you'd need at least 4 poles (and 5 wouldn't surprise me).

[asmith]

Newey's correct.

If you have a an On-Off-On switch, you've got two poles to play with, but three functions (Neck Series/Parallel, Pickup Selection, Bridge Series Parallel). Essentially what you'd need to do is figure a way of doing a series/parallel switch with just a one-pole on/off switch - which isn't possible. Also you'd need to use the other pole to do an "On-On-On" function to select one or both pickups, which isn't your switch.

There are plenty of fun things you can do with an On-Off-On if you still want to tinker. And, should you want some help on realising your dreamscheme another way, I'm sure we'd be happy to help.

And as I didn't say before, welcome to GN2.

[dazzerr]

Ahh that is true, Quite silly of me to not realise but i tend to forget it is only an on/off/on switch. I need to buy more switches today actually!

I keep forgetting this but nethertheless I will check out the wiring diagrams I have already seen and see what other cool things I can do with this

Also another quick question. If I have a wire from the pickup going to my standard 5 way switch, and I add a miniswitch mod like this which required that "Wire" I was referring to, I dont unsolder/resolder onto the miniswitch do I? That would completely remove the functions of the 5 way switch! So, Do I simply solder another wire from the Pin that this "Wire" is on on the 5 way switch, to the required pin on the miniswitch?

Thanks

[asmith]

Yup. As long as you want to use both the five-way switch and the On-Off-On switch at the same time always, that's absolutely fine.

[JohnH]

Just a small note of potential simplification:

(neck coils in series) in parallel with (bridge coils in series) is electrically and tonally the same as (neck coils in parallel) in series with (bridge coils in parallel), provided the two pickups are similar. So if that was all you needed, just hard-wire the pickup coils in parallel, and do N, NxB, B,

J

[asmith]

Jun 22, 2011 3:16:36 GMT -5 JohnH said:

(neck coils in series) in parallel with (bridge coils in series) is electrically and tonally the same as (neck coils in parallel) in series with (bridge coils in parallel), provided the two pickups are similar.

Buh? That is some voodoo magic right there.

Realising that the "+" and "x" symbols aren't their mathematical equivalents:

(N1+N2) x (B1+B2) = (N1xN2) + (B1xB2) ?

EDIT: This is a genuine question, not a sarcastic response.

[ashcatlt]

Jun 22, 2011 3:16:36 GMT -5 JohnH said:

...provided the two pickups are similar.

There's probably a range of similarity where you wouldn't be able to hear much difference. If the two pickups are way different it'll be quite different, but still worth a try.

Let's say you've got two HBs which both measure 10K DC resistance when in local series. These two in parallel will be 5K.

Since each coil is half of the whole HB, each coil will be 5K by itself, and each HB wired in local parallel you'll get 2.5K. Put these two parallel structures in series and you get 5K.

It's really the inductance that matters, but if they're the same construction and the same DC resistance they will also likely be the same inductance, and inductances add the same as resistances, so...

Now, on the other hand, my guitar has a mini HB in the neck with a DC R = 7K when in local series. The bridge is an SC-sized rail HB which measures 15K in local series. In this case

(N1 + N2) * (B1 + B2) = 5.5K
(N2 * N2) + (B1 * B2) = 4.7K

Doesn't look like much difference, but it's not exactly the same.

Of course the inductances will be completely different. How different is impossible to say for sure without measuring, and I don't have the equipment to do that.

I actually have access to both of these combinations, and there is definitely a noticeable difference in terms of both tone and overall output volume.

[asmith]

Incredibly informative as always. Thanks Ash. Interesting topic. I'll chalk up another point on my Must-Educate-Self-In board.

Now to see whether this is of interest to Dazzerr.

[ashcatlt]

Posted a sample of the two different configs on my guitar. The difference is not exactly night and day, but I can hear it.

[dazzerr]

Okay guys I'll bear this in mind. I'll have to read this a few times, but I have a vague idea of what I need to do now.

Thanks for your help! ;D