HSS wiring - neck and middle in series

[shift]

Hey there.  I have a HSS strat with an s1 that just splits the humbucker. I've been dabbling in modding my guitar and I've had this idea but I don't really know how to make it work
What I'm looking for is -

Position S1 not pressed 

1) Bridge

2) Bridge + Middle (parallel)

3) Middle 

4) Neck + Middle (parallel)

5) Neck

Position with S1 Pressed


1) Bridge (coil split)


2) Bridge (coil split) + Middle (parallel)  


3) Middle



4) Neck + Middle (series)



5) Neck


If anyone could help that would be awesome

[newey]

shift-

Hello and Welcome to G-Nutz2!

I have a HSS strat with an s1 that just splits the humbucker.

Was this the stock wiring scheme? If so, we may be able to use the stock wiring diagram as a starting point. If you rewired it yourself, or added the S-1 yourself, do you have a diagram of what you did?

I assume that your description of positions 1 and 2 with the S-1 pushed (i.e., bridge split HB) is the same as it is now, and that the only change you want is, therefore, at position 4, where you want series instead of parallel neck and middle? (There is no standardized way of designating series versus parallel connections, but we tend to use a "+" for parallel and a "x" for series, so we would normally write your position 4 as " N x M").

At first blush, I think what you want to do can be done with the S-1, but before we put pen to paper, working from the wiring you have now will simplify things considerably.

[newey]

At first blush, I think what you want to do can be done with the S-1,

At second blush, well of course it can . . .

In the absence of knowing exactly how your HB is wired to the S-1 now, I had to make some assumptions. First, I'm assuming that your 5-way switch is the standard Strat-type 5-way switch, not a Superswitch or some other type. Also, the numbering and designation of which poles are used is arbitrary- I show your HB as being wired into Pole 1, but any of other the other poles might have been used instead. Assuming your HB wiring looks like my diagram on one of the poles, whichever it is, then you should be able to adapt my diagram accordingly. Just pay attention to the "A" and "C" lugs as the up and down settings need to be consistent from pole to pole.

And, as I always say, I make my share of mistakes (perhaps more than my share . . . ), so let's get other eyes involved here before you fire up the soldering iron.

[shift]

Whoops I should've added my current scheme. Pickups are Seymour Duncan for the color code. Sorry for the crude drawing.  

[newey]

OK, so it's a regular 5-way switch. My drawing should be fine, but again, let's get a second opinion. On the diagram you posted, the third lug of the volume pot seems disconnected, and I can't really see how that coil split is wired. Also, the N/M tone pot isn't connected to anything. I didn't know whether you omitted those things just to focus on the switching, but just so we're clear.

[reTrEaD]

Dec 29, 2022 23:41:57 GMT -5 newey said:

OK, so it's a regular 5-way switch. My drawing should be fine, but again, let's get a second opinion.

I don't see a way of getting what shift specified in his OP with a regular 5-way. For instance, what happens in position 3 of the 5-way, when the S-1 connects the (+) of the Middle pickup to make a series link with the (-) of the neck pickup rather than to lug 2 of the 5-way? Looks like no sound in that position.

You could probably accomplish the goals using a superswitch but I haven't worked that out to be certain.

[newey]

reTrEaD is right, with the S-1 pushed, positions 2 and 3 will be dead. I didn't spot that.

Ugh. Thought I had it.

[sumgai]

newey,


Sorry to have to say, you made the same error about the standard 3-way switch way back in March of 2012.  But don't worry, old age and loss of memory can happen only once in a person's life, so you're good to go! 

HTH





sumgai

[shift]

So I opened up my guitar to make sure what I actually had wired up to what, so here's and updated picture

I also did try it the way you diagramed it and yeah there's a few dead spots. I don't mind buying a Super Switch if that'll help with the build 

[MattB]

I think this will work.

With your current wiring scheme, both tone controls are active in position two. With this scheme, only one control can be active in position two. I made it the bridge control, but it could be either.

If you really want to have both tone controls working in position 2 it can be done. I think you would need a Fender Discrete 4 pole switch, which is probably a bit more expensive and harder to find than a regular superswitch.

[Yogi B]

Dec 31, 2022 2:12:50 GMT -5 MattB said:

If you really want to have both tone controls working in position 2 it can be done. I think you would need a Fender Discrete 4 pole switch, which is probably a bit more expensive and harder to find than a regular superswitch.

I agree that it could be made to work with Fender's "Discrete" switch, but you can also make it work with a normal superswitch by wiring the bridge tone pot permanently in parallel with the bridge pickup.

---

It's mostly irrelevant in this situation, since we have the four poles of an S-1 switch, but I think there's a way to get the same result using only a DPDT. Schematic to follow...

EDIT: (This also shows the moved bridge tone control.)

SPOILER: Click to show

[jhng]

Hello -- Just a quick point which hasn't been mentioned. When using the standard Fender 5-way, it is generally much easier to do series combos in positions 1, 3 or 5.

So, if Shift was willing to consider having the NxM combo in a different position on the switch, it could be much easier and with no need for different or extra parts. E.g.

Alternate positions:

1) Bridge (SC)
2) Bridge (SC) + Middle (parallel)
3) Middle
4) Middle
5) Neck x Middle (series)

That can be done by using a spare pole of the S1 switch to move the ground of the Neck pickup from ground to the hot of the Middle. A relatively minor tweak to the existing wiring with no extra parts.

[bushwackermark]

Dec 31, 2022 20:06:41 GMT -5 Yogi B said:

Dec 31, 2022 2:12:50 GMT -5 MattB said:

If you really want to have both tone controls working in position 2 it can be done. I think you would need a Fender Discrete 4 pole switch, which is probably a bit more expensive and harder to find than a regular superswitch.

I agree that it could be made to work with Fender's "Discrete" switch, but you can also make it work with a normal superswitch by wiring the bridge tone pot permanently in parallel with the bridge pickup.

---

It's mostly irrelevant in this situation, since we have the four poles of an S-1 switch, but I think there's a way to get the same result using only a DPDT. Schematic to follow...

EDIT: (This also shows the moved bridge tone control.)

SPOILER: Click to show

[jimcorliss]

How did it turn out ?
Thanks,