Schematic for Concentric pot wiring options

[zdf]

I have a Frankenstrat I've been building for some time and feel the need for more speed out of it. It was originally a EVH set up but now I want to add a Fender Noiseless (bridge) pup at the neck. In addition, I've purchased a concentric pot and knobs (Vol/Tone) to retain the one pot only hole space, and I want to wire it to a pair of mini on/off toggles OR a mini 3-way switch...can anyone help me

[newey]

zdf-

Hello and Welcome to G-Nutz2!

can anyone help me

Yes, you're in good hands.

The V and T pot wiring is a cinch. The real question is what you want those toggles to do . . .

Have you purchased said switches yet? If you're willing to pop for a pair of On-On-On 3-way toggles, DPDT, there are a number of added possibilities. If it's a EVH set-up, that implies a bridge HB, right? So, one three way could give you the HB in series or in parallel, with an "off" position. Another such switch could give you the neck pickupo on-off-OOP (i.e., out-of-phase). But that's just one suggestion, there are other possibilities.

Or, if you just want individual on/off switches for each pickup, that is easily accomplished as well.

[zdf]

Newey...I've decided on one (1) 3-way (Gibson SG/angled) for my switching. How do I wire it to the concentric pot? The volume is the bottom portion of the pot and uses the TOP knob...Tone is the TOP pot and uses the ring for adjustment...I would also like my Tone portion to cover BOTH pups...I'm ready, soldering gun's warming up, and I'm ready to R&R!!!

[newey]

I would also like my Tone portion to cover BOTH pups..

Yes, we're talking about both a master tone and a master volume.

The volume is the bottom portion of the pot and uses the TOP knob...Tone is the TOP pot and uses the ring for adjustment.

Err, no. A pot is a pot, and can be wired to be either a volume or a tone control. The tone pot gets the capacitor, and wires to only two of the three pot lugs. The volume pot uses all three lugs, without a capacitor (that is, unless you install a "treble bleed circuit" on your volume control, optional to do so but recommended by many)

And, a concentric pot is just two separate pots nested together via the concentric shaft. So, you can choose which half you want to be the volume or the tone. If you have a multimeter (and, you should), check to see which half of the concentric pot is controlled by the ring and which by the center knob. I'd trust a manufacturer's data sheet for that info, but I wouldn't rely on what some guitar parts seller said, I'd test it. (Actually, I test all components before 1nstallation anyway)

SO, if you're going to use a standard Gibson 3-way toggle, with 2 pickups connected to it, and master V and T, any standard Gibson-style wiring diagram for an LP or SG will do the trick, just find the ones that have a single V and T (not an LP deluxe or similar). For example, there is a 2-pickup version of the LP JR that uses single V and T. You will wire your guitar exactly like such a diagram, just treat each half of the concentric pot as if it were a separate piece from the other half and wire it up as per the diagram.

Essentially, your pickups will be grounded at one end, with the "hot" output wires going first to the three-way, each to a side, with the center switch lug wired to the V pot, and with the output jack wired off the V pot's wiper (the center lug). The T control gets wired, daisy chain-ish-ly, off of the volume pot.

So, find a diagram like the one we're discussing; repost it here with any questions you have. You will need to correlate your pickup wire colors to the diagram, of course.

[zdf]

Newly, first of all, THANK YOU!!! You've made my life very simple...how would I post a picture here? How would I post a Schematic? Sorry, I'm an analog guy living in a digital world...perplexed often!!!

[newey]

how would I post a picture here? How would I post a Schematic?

Image Posting

This method works both for pictures and pictures of schematics.