bjsa06
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Post by bjsa06 on Oct 1, 2011 5:58:11 GMT -5
I have a standard tele on a 4 way switch and like the 'series' wiring sound (position 1) I have set up. My latest build (see below) has no pickguard, is rear routed and is currently wired to a 3-way toggle Gibson style switch. The pickups are x2 tonerider hot for tele. I want to put the same fat sound on this guitar also by putting the 2 pickups in series. However, I do not want to add a standard fender style 4-way switch as this would not suit the look (and it's too late!). What are my options? - Keep the 3-way switch and add another 2-way? - add a 4-way toggle, if there is such a thing? - push/pull something-or-rather? I'm pretty new to wiring, so step by step would really be appreciated. Thanks as always.
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Post by newey on Oct 1, 2011 9:56:59 GMT -5
bjsa- No 4-position toggle that I'm aware of- such a thing may exist, but I've never seen one. Stew-Mac does sell something they call a "freeway" toggle that has 6 positions, in an "H" pattern like a stick shift. We had some discussion a while back on that. That would probably work but would have more positions than you need. It's also pretty sizeable, you might have fitment problems depending on how much cavity space you have. A push/pull could be used to override the 3-way toggle and put both pups in series, IOW, with it down, you're on the 3-way settings, up overrides the toggle and puts both pups in series. Same thing could be done with another toggle if you dislike P/P pots.
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bjsa06
Rookie Solder Flinger
Posts: 14
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Post by bjsa06 on Oct 1, 2011 21:23:48 GMT -5
Thanks for that infomation. I'd like to add a 2 way switch to compliment the look of the other switch that is there now.
Dare I ask....Anyone got a wiring diagram where the 2 way would be: for example, Position UP allows standard Tele pickup config (using the existing 3-way switch) Position DOWN cuts out all combinations except 2 PU's in series. Thanks
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Post by JohnH on Oct 2, 2011 15:31:54 GMT -5
That diagram is very possible. If we cant find it existing, I can sketch it. J
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Post by JohnH on Oct 2, 2011 19:45:22 GMT -5
I was surprised, but could not find such a design. So this should do it: The extra toggle is a DPDT - a mini toggle, or a larger one if you prefer. Other alternatives are a slide switch, or part of a push/pull pot. The scheme could be easily adapted to standard Tele 3-way switches. I think, with a normal Tele layout, the toggle would go best between the pots. The pots are usually 250k on a Tele, and that will work fine but for a bit more clarity in series mode, I'm suggesting a 500k tone pot. There is a dashed green wire - which is completely optional, but one of my favorite features on series wiring. If you put it in, it will bypass the neck pup with the tone cap, when series mode only. when tone is at max. This keeps the bass of the neck pup and brings more sparkle from the bridge treble. Also, as you turn down the tone from 10 to 9, it reverts to standard series sounds - so its an extra sound for free and extends the tone control range. There is no difference from normal wiring in parallel mode but if you don't like it, just leave this wire off. good luck! John
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Post by asmith on Oct 3, 2011 5:35:25 GMT -5
I'm fully aware this has been banded about before. If you include the green dotted wire to get that extra bit out of the tone control - and let's be clear here, I fully recommend you do - will it not play havoc with the loads on the pickup? Here comes the science. This is how the pickup configurations would be laid out. If you use a 500k volume pot, it would alleviate this problem - the total resistance across the pickup inside the guitar would be 250k in parallel, a smidge more in series. But as John said, to get more clarity out of the series setting, you'd want 500k in parallel with the pot. What I'd suggest doing is having a go at making that 500k tone pot a slight variation on a "no load" pot. Here's how a pot actually works: If you scratch out that section marked with red, then you result in a pot with the following characteristics: Setting | Parallel | Series | "10" | No high-cut | Neck with cap in parallel | "9.5" | No high-cut | No high-cut | "9"-"0" | Regular Tone Control | Regular Tone Control |
Or, you could swap that DPDT switch for a 3PDT and use the extra pole to wire it a little differently. ~!~!~!~!~ Of couse, this may all prove to be needless advice should someone with a qualification in this business chime in and nix it. That should go without saying.
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Post by newey on Oct 3, 2011 5:45:53 GMT -5
asmith-
I can't imagine that a difference between 166K and 178K will be audible.
Also consider that the pots used for guitar are usually made to 20% (i.e., crappy) tolerances, meaning that your nominal 250K pot could be anywhere from 200K to 300K in real life.
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Post by asmith on Oct 3, 2011 6:02:38 GMT -5
I can't imagine that a difference between 166K and 178K will be audible. Agreed. That's not my point though. Without the "green dotted" wire, with a standard tone pot, the resistance in parallel with the Bridge pickup within the guitar would be ~250k in "Parallel mode," ~25Xk in "Series mode." With the wire and a standard tone pot at 500k, the resistances in parallel would be ~166k and ~178k. In short, with less total resistance across the pickup, it would dull the tone. In my twisted little interpretation of electronic theory.
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Post by JohnH on Oct 3, 2011 6:09:26 GMT -5
The no load idea works, and Ive done exactly that with a similar circuit on my LP, which needed some load taken off since it had 250k pots with humbuckers.
With a 500k pot, I found it works fine as drawn here, and that is what I have on my Strat. I should make a sound sample to demonstrate...
J
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