Telecaster build with 4 way blade switch and two hum buckers

[angelodp]

Hello, after a long hiatus I humbly ask for some assistance on a build that is giving me some trouble. I made a customized tele of my own liking in terms of shape and neck. I happen to have a DeMarzzion T Chopper for the Bridge and SD Hot Rail 16k for the Neck pick-up. Both clearly hum canceling.
I realize the imbalance here and this just a starting point to get the guitar playing and settled in with the setup. Currently it plays but the switch is no doing what I thought it would do. 1 is bridge, 2 is Bridge Neck //, 3 I get nothing and 4 is Neck

Here is the layout which is an altered SD diagram as I have built it. The North South issue on the pickups is out of wack, I think and I believe I should flip the Neck pickup. If you happen to know these two pickups and can lend a hand.

Thanks Ange

[newey]

Welcome Back, angelodp! Been a long time for sure.

There are issues with your diagram, mainly that the bridge pickup's + connection is not connected to anything at position 3. As far as if it's out of phase, it could well be, switch the connections for the neck pickup and see. With two different pickups, there are no guarantees on the North/South coils being the same.

sumgai did this schematic for a 4-way Tele switch:



His is sort of the mirror of yours in that your version has the bridge pickup permanently grounded for the end of the"series chain" while his permanently grounds the neck pickup. Also, yours has the series connection at the 4th position, his puts the parallel and series connections on the middle of the switch (which is, to me, a more logical switching order, since the single-pickup selections are at the ends, where we would expect them to be on a regular 3-way switch).

My advice would be to rewire it using his diagram, but if you'd rather stick with what you started doing, holler back and we'll try to correct what you've got.

[reTrEaD]

Jan 6, 2024 23:45:44 GMT -5 angelodp said:

Here is the layout which is an altered SD diagram as I have built it. The North South issue on the pickups is out of wack, I think and I believe I should flip the Neck pickup.

There shouldn't be a North/South issue because each of your HBs always has its two coils wired in series. No need to flip the neck pickup.

Your drawing is simply a proper adaptation of the SD drawing for a 4-way Telecaster. The (+) red of the Bridge pickup goes to the common on the upper right of the switch. The (-) green of the Bridge pickup goes directly to ground. The (+) black of the Neck pickup (ultimately) goes to the CW lug of the volume control. The (-) green of the neck pickup goes to the common on the lower left of the switch. This is all correct, as is the rest of the wiring.

IF your switch looks exactly like the switch in the drawing AND you have the wiring exactly as you've drawn, your circuit should give you the four selections exactly as the are listed on the drawing. The only possibilities I see are: the switch is defective or your wiring isn't exactly as you've drawn it.

I've tried to imagine how you could get the selections you listed in the text of your post if one of the pickups was open or shorted. Nothing seems to fit the pattern in your text.

[angelodp]

Hi Guys and thanks for the quick reply..... well Ochims razor - I had it wired at the switch incorrectly. On the left side all the connections were up (north) one tab for the first jumper, I had not gotten the left side correct. But now I still have a problem

for Pos 1 - 8.5k and tap test is correct Bridge alone

Pos 2 - 5.6k and tap is correct Bridge nd Neck in //

Pos 3 - 15.6k and tap is correct Neck alone

Pos 4 - 15.6k Tap does not have the neck on - this should be series for the two pickups


I now do have what I am showing in the graphic correct. The Series connection is not being made on 4??

Best A

[reTrEaD]

Jan 7, 2024 12:38:09 GMT -5 angelodp said:

Hi Guys and thanks for the quick reply..... well Ochims razor - I had it wired at the switch incorrectly. On the left side all the connections were up (north) one tab for the first jumper, I had not gotten the left side correct. But now I still have a problem

for Pos 1 - 8.5k and tap test is correct Bridge alone

Pos 2 - 5.6k and tap is correct Bridge nd Neck in //

Pos 3 - 15.6k and tap is correct Neck alone

Pos 4 - 15.6k Tap does not have the neck on - this should be series for the two pickups


I now do have what I am showing in the graphic correct. The Series connection is not being made on 4??

Best A

Hi Angelo, I made a copy of your drawing and added two heavy lines in BLUE to indicate the internal connections of the switch, in position 4. That will make it easier for us to trace the path in that position.

We should be able to determine what the problem is according to the resistance measured in position 4. Since the Bridge alone measures roughly 8k and the Neck alone measures roughly 16k, we would expect something like 24k in position #4. Since it's only 16k (same as the neck alone) I'd look for a short to ground at the jumper indicated by the red arrow or either of the two lugs that jumper is connected to.

[angelodp]

Ok so there is a short. The switch (not an Oaks Grisby), when screwed in tight does not allow the blade to travel fully to one side or the other. This causes a short as the internal tab catches the lug next to it and shorts. Grrrr.. I suppose I could either notch the blade or expand the plate opening to allow the switch to travel fully??? Have not encountered this before. Maybe the switch should be 180?? Or get an Oaks switch.

Anyone encounter this before?

I did some work on the shoulders of the switch so it would engage. It's fixed now and hits all the required positions and various readings are in line. I will almost assuredly play around with some more balanced pickups in the neck, but I do like the Chopper, having never played one....we'll see.

Lots to do on this build as the neck is bit chunky and have yet to finish the body. Its tele with Strat like contours and its chambered. It a carry over started in the ole Pandemic. Fun.

I do appreciate you collective input and concern, always a pleasure and inspiration to stop by here.



Ange

[ssstonelover]

4-way switches (whatever brand) have a wider overall throw (rotation) than a comparable 3-way. I always lengthen the slot (at both end about ~2mm per end [of a metal plate or pickguard]) to avoid the issue you had (not falling into the 4th position but hanging up just short) as I've had the same issue in the past. Overall the slot needs to be about 31.2mm long instead of about 28mm.