New Here -rotary selector?

[nathan]

Wow, I was on Guitarnutz 1 a couple years ago and I really don't recall there being so much specialized info. This is an awesome site! I've leaned alot since then too, building a few guitars and modding everything in sight.

But on to my question: I want to use a rotary switch for my S-H guitar and I never wired one before. Sadly the humbucker is only 2-conductor so I'm wondering what kind of fun sounds I can coax out of it. As of now, I figure I can easily get the 4-way tele mod sounds with series/parallel for both pickups, but maybe out-of-phase too?

What do you recommend? Got schematics? I can get the right switch when I know how to wire it.
Thanks!

[ChrisK]

Welcome aboard!

What type of guitar is it? Is it the Squier '51?

What controls are there?

What type/make of pickups are on it (and the wire leads)?

Is the humbucker single conductor plus shield (I presume so)?

Hopefully the neck isn't also single conductor plus shield. Shields make for messy out of phase wiring.

A 6 position, 3 pole switch would be required to realize the possible combos (in whatever order that you like). 6 position 4 pole rotary switches are about $10 and common in the guitar parts industry.
www.stewmac.com


1. Bridge
2. Neck
3. Bridge in parallel with Neck
4. Bridge in parallel with OOP Neck
5. Bridge in series with Neck
6. Bridge in series with OOP Neck

[nathan]

Very cool Chris, thanks for that info. I knew there were those different possibilities, but are those sounds all usable and/or different?

Sad to say it is a Squier 51 and I'm putting a GFS lipstick and a TV Jones filtertron + in it. I gave alot of thought to a Varitone, but I decided I could use it for all my guitars if I put that in a seperte housing (so I did). However, there's a spot on the 51 that is just asking for a chicken-head knob, so I want to do a master vol, master TBX and rotary select. The wires will be fine, 2 conductor plus shield. Any idea how to wire up that scheme you mentioned?

[ChrisK]

However, there's a spot on the 51 that is just asking for a chicken-head knob, so I want to do a master vol, master TBX and rotary select.

OK, but I only see two knob locations on the '51. I presume that you'll be a drillin' a third "well".

The wires will be fine, 2 conductor plus shield.

OK, be sure, however only one needs to have 2 wire plus shield.

Any idea how to wire up that scheme you mentioned?

Yep!

We'll do a 3 pole design.
Pole 1. Bridge hot output (Bh). Bridge return lead to common (ground).
Pole 2. Neck hot output wire (Nh)
Pole 3. Neck return wire (Nr)
Pole 4. Like a different tone cap value for each position or sumpthin'. Be creative (after you get the basic circuit to work).

We have these other designations:
Vol hot lug (VhL)
Vol wiper lug, goes to Jack tip
Vol common lug, goes to common (ground), Jack sleeve

Jack Tip, the terminal that attaches to the tip end of the cable

Jack Sleeve the terminal that attaches to the barrel of the cable

The TBX, which I presume you'll use the Fender documentation for.

(Do you see where this is leading?)

I will state the connectivity for each of the 6 combo's. You can put them in whatever order you like on the actual switch.

1. Bridge
PBh - VhL
PNh
PNr

2. Neck
PBh
PNh - VhL
PNr - Common

3. Bridge in parallel with Neck
PBh - VhL
PNh - VhL
PNr - Common

4. Bridge in parallel with OOP Neck
PBh - VhL
PNh - Common
PNr - VhL
(You might want to try a 0.022 uF cap between PNr and VhL here for that parallel 1/2 out of phase as on the Jerry Donahue Tele.)

5. Bridge in series with Neck
PBh - PNr
PNh - VhL
PNr - PBh

6. Bridge in series with OOP Neck
PBh - PNh
PNh - PBh
PNr - VhL

but are those sounds all usable and/or different?

1. Bridge
2. Neck
3. Bridge in parallel with Neck
4. Bridge in parallel with OOP Neck
Hollow, weak, and tinny sounding, may be improved with cap in series with neck (or bridge) pickup to vol pot.
5. Bridge in series with Neck
Hotter, middy sounding
6. Bridge in series with OOP Neck
Hollow sounding, one of my favorites


I don't know what the actual switch wiring looks like, but with it being an exposed wafer switch, you can just physically look at it and learn. I will also presume that you posses a digital multimeter and will measure things as needed.


Here's a nice reference document for general guitar wiring info:
www.stewmac.com/freeinfo/I-3200.html


?'nuff info?