Post by stevewf on Nov 14, 2022 12:43:12 GMT -5
This is a fwd from a previous request for help, in a thread titled Challenge: Coil select, Phase swap, Series. This thread, then, is Part 2.
It's about the same guitar that's mentioned in the previous thread. I now have new hardware and more experienced ears, so my hopes have been refined. It means I'd like help again, with a tweaked version. The tweak involves Half Out of Phase.
It may be easier to explain what I want by comparing it to what I already have. So:
Here's a mug shot as it is today:
Here's the wiring behind that:
And here are some details about what that wiring does:
Notation: [-MidS/2] means "the middle pickup's South coil, phase-swapped, Half Out of Phase".
"Half out of Phase" means: When in parallel mode (controlled by S2), the Middle coil has a capacitor in series with it; when in series, the Middle coil has a capacitor in parallel with it.
The Fader control (P4 & P5): when in parallel mode, there's a variable resistor in series with the Neck (or Bridge) coil; in series, there's a variable resistor (to ground) in parallel with the Neck (or Bridge) coil.
Problems include:
- The Coil/Phase select switch (S1) is not consistent: Sometimes, Up=OutOfPhase, sometimes Up=InPhase
- Some OutOfPhase combinations are not HOoP (combos with the Bridge coil).
So what I'd like instead is:
- All combinations of In-Phase coils have the Phase/Coil select switch in the same position.
- All Out-of-Phase combinations should be HOoP. The HOoP capacitor may always be 68nF.
Gotta go now; if I think of more, I might edit this post to include it.
[EDIT] I should mention pots, constraints, available hardware, my preferences and some pitfall warnings.
General: I'd like to keep the pickup type and position as it is currently. Likewise, I'd prefer to keep a 5-way and 3 knobs; adding a pair of little toggles seems to be the way to go. I'm not married to the slider switches; in fact, they're a pain to incorporate into the pickguard, and I'd prefer round-shaped holes, like toggle switches use.
Pots: I'm inclined to keep to 3 knob. I want a volume with JohnH's Better Treble Bleed, which takes a dual-gang pot. I also really like the fader, also a dual-ganger. I do use the tone knob, so it looks like I'll stick with Master Vol, Master Tone and Fader.
Switches: I have a new 6P5T Strat selector switch to play with. I also have some 4P2T mini toggles (on-on and on-off-on varieties). I'd prefer well-placed mini toggles instead of the current 4P2T sliders; the sliders occupy very little real estate (good), but are hard to use while playing and hard to solder (bad).
Pitfalls: Space: If the 6-pole switch is to be used, there'll be less room in the cavity for other components, like bulky 4P2T toggles.
Design: I've found that switching between PHOop and SHOoP, while depending on the 5-way's position (due to phase/noisecancel), to be tricky. That's really the reason for this current cry for help.
Moving the HOoP capacitor from series to parallel requires itself at least 2 poles. If two more poles are used for serial/parallel coil switching, then that's a whole toggle right there. Given only one more 4P toggle, I couldn't make it work right. Almost, but not quite. Can anyone?
[/EDIT]
It's about the same guitar that's mentioned in the previous thread. I now have new hardware and more experienced ears, so my hopes have been refined. It means I'd like help again, with a tweaked version. The tweak involves Half Out of Phase.
It may be easier to explain what I want by comparing it to what I already have. So:
Here's a mug shot as it is today:
Here's the wiring behind that:
And here are some details about what that wiring does:
| S3 (5-way) | S2 (Ser/Par) | S3 (Mid Coil) | Result |
| Pos#5 | Up | Up | Neck Only |
| Dn | Neck Only | ||
| Dn | Up | Neck Only | |
| Dn | Neck Only | ||
| Pos#4 | Up | Up | Neck + [-MidN/2] with fader |
| Dn | Neck + MidS with fader | ||
| Dn | Up | Neck x [-MidS/2] with fader | |
| Dn | Neck x MidS with fader | ||
| Pos#3 | Up | Up | Neck + Bridge with fader |
| Dn | Neck + Bridge with fader | ||
| Dn | Up | Neck x Bridge with fader | |
| Dn | Neck x Bridge with fader | ||
| Pos#2 | Up | Up | Bridge + MidN |
| Dn | Bridge + [-MidS] | ||
| Dn | Up | Bridge x MidN | |
| Dn | Bridge x [-MidS] | ||
| Pos#1 | Up | Up | Bridge Only |
| Dn | Bridge Only | ||
| Dn | Up | Bridge Only | |
| Dn | Bridge Only |
"Half out of Phase" means: When in parallel mode (controlled by S2), the Middle coil has a capacitor in series with it; when in series, the Middle coil has a capacitor in parallel with it.
The Fader control (P4 & P5): when in parallel mode, there's a variable resistor in series with the Neck (or Bridge) coil; in series, there's a variable resistor (to ground) in parallel with the Neck (or Bridge) coil.
Problems include:
- The Coil/Phase select switch (S1) is not consistent: Sometimes, Up=OutOfPhase, sometimes Up=InPhase
- Some OutOfPhase combinations are not HOoP (combos with the Bridge coil).
So what I'd like instead is:
- All combinations of In-Phase coils have the Phase/Coil select switch in the same position.
- All Out-of-Phase combinations should be HOoP. The HOoP capacitor may always be 68nF.
Gotta go now; if I think of more, I might edit this post to include it.
[EDIT] I should mention pots, constraints, available hardware, my preferences and some pitfall warnings.
General: I'd like to keep the pickup type and position as it is currently. Likewise, I'd prefer to keep a 5-way and 3 knobs; adding a pair of little toggles seems to be the way to go. I'm not married to the slider switches; in fact, they're a pain to incorporate into the pickguard, and I'd prefer round-shaped holes, like toggle switches use.
Pots: I'm inclined to keep to 3 knob. I want a volume with JohnH's Better Treble Bleed, which takes a dual-gang pot. I also really like the fader, also a dual-ganger. I do use the tone knob, so it looks like I'll stick with Master Vol, Master Tone and Fader.
Switches: I have a new 6P5T Strat selector switch to play with. I also have some 4P2T mini toggles (on-on and on-off-on varieties). I'd prefer well-placed mini toggles instead of the current 4P2T sliders; the sliders occupy very little real estate (good), but are hard to use while playing and hard to solder (bad).
Pitfalls: Space: If the 6-pole switch is to be used, there'll be less room in the cavity for other components, like bulky 4P2T toggles.
Design: I've found that switching between PHOop and SHOoP, while depending on the 5-way's position (due to phase/noisecancel), to be tricky. That's really the reason for this current cry for help.
Moving the HOoP capacitor from series to parallel requires itself at least 2 poles. If two more poles are used for serial/parallel coil switching, then that's a whole toggle right there. Given only one more 4P toggle, I couldn't make it work right. Almost, but not quite. Can anyone?
[/EDIT]
