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Post by 4real on May 24, 2007 20:41:38 GMT -5
OK...you may know me from the sustainer thread at progect guitar as psw... Now, since that thread has been going there have been quite a few developments in DIY sustainer technology and it's getting close to time that I built a new version... I have a squier strat with a bridge HB ("duncan designed" JB) and two alnico single coils... here's the tight control cavity... Now...the next generation of the DIY sustainer is a mid driver...that means I have to loose the middle pickup. The first stage then is to remove the middle pickup and convert this to a two pickup tone monster... BTW...I love the 2 and 4 position sounds on a standard strat but the bridge middle on this is not a useful because of the HB/S combination. Also, the power of the HB means there is a big volume difference between the SC and the HB (as you would expect) which is sometimes useful, but more often not... So...I have a five way switch and need to work out a great selection of sounds from these pickups and a standard five way (maybe swap out for a super switch) and preferrably maximising humcancelling. Now...for interests sake, the concept of the mid driver is really (as far as I'm concerned) to make installation easier. Wiring a conventional sustainer means that any other pickups (the middle and neck) need to be completely disconnected (both the hot and ground) the power to the circuit truned on, and the bridge pickup auto selected...on my guitar that means at least a 4PDT switch and a lot of wires... With a mid driver, it may be treated as a single pickup guitar and so only power SPDT switch can be used to activate the sustainer...you could even have a mini momentary switch that could add controlled feedback on the fly for as long as it is held down...cool... The other benefit is that either or both pickups can be used with the sustainer on and that both pickups could be used to source the signal (if you want to get tricky with it)... A mid driver has been a little elusive and requires a design a little more sophisticated than the basic single coils but this development is well underway. Basically a rail type of driver with parrallel coils seems to fit the bill...so a little harder to make, but not too bad... The circuit is still simple and may even get simpler...or you could opt for a more controlled circuit with more options if you wish...but I will be trying to maintain the KISS principle... As the strat is the most obvious candidate for a mid driver guitar, any wiring that compensates for the loss of the mid pickup may well become a standard for mid driver sustainer-strats... So...give me your suggestions and you may find your ideas posted on one of the biggest guitar related threads on the Web (188 pages and 108,000 view to date)...and really help me out with my own guitar.... Looking forward to your ideas... [glow=blue,2,300]pete[/glow]
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Post by UnklMickey on May 24, 2007 22:50:28 GMT -5
hey Pete,
long time, no see. hope things are better in your personal life, than the last time we talked. seemed life was handing you a few lemons.
as you know, this is the place for wiring ideas.
you'll get some differing opinions on how to do a hum-sing. all of them good. just mull it over, and see what suits your tastes best.
believe it or not, there are enough choices to overwhelm a superswitch. and that would be the heart of a proper design, IMHO. a standard Fender 5-way just doesn't give you all the possibilities.
two approaches I think are worth considering:
1 - have the superswitch as the selector, also have a DPDT, perhaps a push-pull to do series/parallel for the multi-coil selections. obviously it would have no effect on the singles.
2 - narrow the choices down to 5. stay with the superswitch as the selector.
now, to decide what selections for the tone pallete.
personally i like the idea of pairs. this is the most effective, in terms of hum-canceling.
JohnH likes neck single combined with bridge HB. I'll leave it to him, to extol the virtues.
singles: at most, i would have 2.
1 - Neck
2 - Bridge coil farthest from the bridge. (let's call that inner)
Pairs:
3 - both coils of the Bridge HB
4 - Bridge inner and Neck in-phase
5 - Bridge outer and Neck OoP
1 and 2, s/p is meaningless.
3 series (normal HB sound) and parallel (lighter, brighter) are both good.
4 series (more powerful tele) and parallel (normal tele) are both good.
5 series -- this tone is thin, but useful. parallel - too thin and wimpy, you probably won't like it, but some people do.
that would give you a total of 8 choices. the 2 singles won't be hum-cancelling. but the other six will be, if the Neck and Bridge inner are of opposite magnetic polarity.
you might cut the choices down to 5 and just use a superswitch. it might be possible to get the 5 you want, but i won't guarantee that can be done.
this is only single and pairs, thus far. we haven't even talked about 3 coil combos.
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setain
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Post by setain on May 25, 2007 23:57:48 GMT -5
I think the most simple and maybe most straight forward mod would be to wire a superswitch like the S-Tastic mod. The fact you're going to remove the middle pup simplifies it even more, since that way you won't need to rewire any of your pots (unless adding the sustainer requires it). Then, if you wanted more versatility, you could add an on-on-on DPDT toggle so the humbucker could be split, parallel, or series. I'll post the combinations that would yield if I have time tomorrow (someone else could easily do it if they have time).
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Post by 4real on May 26, 2007 5:28:33 GMT -5
OK...these are the type of suggestions I'm looking for...sounds like I need to get a superswitch... Meanwhile...here is a link to the DGB studio page of single/HB wirings...any of these take your fancy? www.geocities.jp/dgb_studio/index_e.htmUnk...I like the ideas there, but not sure if the switch order is quite where I'd want them... In particular, I like the series parallel HB options...the HB is great but it does tend to overpower and I tend to play with a clean tone mostly and miss the articulation of a typical strat (a little too middly at times)... My sustainer strat has a lot of switching options...I don't really want to get too fussy with the switching. I do like the bridge and neck sounds...not sure how this would sound with the full HB, but perhaps split or the HB in parralel could be useful... I guess with a super switch, there will be plenty of room for experimentation... This squier is my main guitar now...I got it cheap and it plays well, looks good and is an interesting twist on a typical strat (HB and mahogany body). I also got it to do another "next generation" sustainer guitar... The lack of a pickguard and the rear control cavity means that it is easy to do mods with the guitar in a playable condition....no need to remove the strat's whole pickguard, pickups and all! So...I can do a bit of experimenting with different sounds by changing a few wires and seeing what works best I guess, from the back... Push pull knobs are an option, but they do take up a bit of room in the already small control cavity. Another option, is to take a router (eek) and undercut the control cavity back towards the output jack and install mini switches behind the row of knobs (other side to the selector where they won't get knocked). My vision for the next generation sustainer is a greatly simplified installation brought about by the mid-driver, as well as added tones and effects from the choice of pickups at hand...and variations... As I went through in the other (sustainer) thread here, the harmonic function is achieved by reversing the phase of the driver. This effect can just as easily be achieved with the reversal of the phase of the signal (ie the pickups) and other harmonic effects and feedback flavours could be gained by varying the treble bias (eg, by running it from a split pickup, or the more rounded tones at the neck pickup)...A world to explore...and another reason to exploit the wiring potential of your guitar, that you guys are so good at... It sounds as if I won't mourn the loss of the middle pickup too much. While it may be possible to have a pickup/driver combo in this position (as I did with the neck pickup on my prototype guitar), it would most likey have to be a tricky mod to a rail style driver and would definitely require some tricky bypass wiring to implement, something I'm trying to improve for the project... Other expected developments in the sustainer project is a simplified modular circuit that will take up even less space, be more powerful and give a better performance...well that's the hope...they may well be room in the spring cavity for the battery, already the largest part of the whole thing...well at least in this guitar... So...first things first, find a suitable switch (any supplier suggestions...I'm in Australia by the way) and remove the middle pickup, rewiring so as to produce a fabulous sounding and versitile instrument... Then...I'll wory about the sustainer to fill that middle position...hehehe... pete
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Post by JohnH on May 27, 2007 3:57:55 GMT -5
Hi Pete - nice to hear from you again.
My suggesion for H/S, using a 4P5T superswitch would be to have
Bridge Bridge and Neck in series, out of phase Bridge and Neck in parallel Bridge and Neck in series Neck
Then use a push/pull or toggle switch to cut the Hb to a single coil. It can, I believe, be arranged so that the three neck and bridge single-coil combos are all hum cancelling (approximately - depending on coil properties).
cheers
John
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Post by ccoleman on May 27, 2007 5:50:15 GMT -5
JohnH's suggestion for H/S is exactly the same combos that I rewired my guitar to have (with his and sumgai's and unklmickey's and others' help.. ). Superswitch + push/pull to cut the bridge Hb to a single coil. I love the variety of sounds available.. and it is so easy to switch while playing "live" also.
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Post by 4real on May 27, 2007 6:34:16 GMT -5
That sounds cool...and nice to have a verification of it's effectiveness...I wonder though if the bridge HB in parrallel is a useful sound do you think? In this regard, Unk's scheme is attractive in it's own way...I imagine a little experimentation will be in order...
So, the middle pickup wont be missed? Is there a way of simulating that early dire straits type straty sound of the 2 or 4 positions with out it?
I'll be looking locally for a super switch soon to try this stuff out...still considering the push pull option or toggles with some undercutting of the control cavity to install them...
Now...so is there a wiring diagram for a H/S as described above??? ;D
I am also considering a buffer for the whole guitar that doubles as the sustainer preamp...I need to work out a way to have the phase reversed (with a switch) between the preamp and poweramp without reversing the signal to the instrument amplifier or shorting out the signal, any thoughts? This is to facilitate the harmonic function...
A part of the new sustainer scheme I am working on involves a new more powerful poweramp for the driver that will be modular, perhaps even built into the driver itself...the battery and preamp will need to be housed in the control cavity, or possibly with the trem springs...
Another feature may be a micro switch on the driver itself that activates the sustainer momentarily to add infinite sustain or feedback to notes at will...
These things will be possible with the development of the mid driver. It could be possible that various modes of drive are desirable by the selection of various source signals, perhaps with a rotary switch...so you could drive the sustainer from the neck pickup perhaps, even though selecting the bridge for the instruments sound, for instance...we'll see the effect pickup selection has on the sustainer...
Getting a little bit more enthusiasim for the project again... pete
PS
Thanks guys, been some very tough times, I am hoping things are turning around now and I can put my mind to some more frivolous things like guitars and wires for a bit...a good sign I hope...
BTW...I have to say you guys are the best in wiring ideas that I have come across (suck, suck) and I really appreciate this, much better help that you will find a PG, and more adventurous too...keep up the good work... p
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Post by JohnH on May 27, 2007 7:06:16 GMT -5
cc - have we discused that H/S design before? Ive forgotten if we have, but maybe you have a circuit diagram?' Nice to hear you have one going
Pete - theres probably nothing quite like position 2 and 4 on a Strat, but maybe your Bridge coil-cut, in para with neck combo would be closest.
If you get hold of a 4P5T superswitch, Ill be very interested in where you get it from. Do you klnow of a source down here, short of shipping from the US?
For your preamp, a stage for inverting, in which you can also chose not to invert, might be a JFET version of a phase inverter. A low gain stage, where you can get a non inverted x1 gain output fropm the source, or switch to the drain to get an inverted signal - scaling the output to match (does that make any sense at all?)
cheers
John
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Post by ccoleman on May 27, 2007 13:27:00 GMT -5
JohnH - I was taking the liberty of equivalating the H/H design I built (and you and the guys designed for/with me) with the H/S combos you are proposing. The pickup combos that I made a drawing for (and sumgai kindly optimized), they are the same as the combos you are now suggesting for 4real's H/S sustainer !! And I love how it sounds.. I must make mp3's of this (as soon as I have done the QTB mod shielding)...
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Post by 4real on May 27, 2007 14:00:59 GMT -5
Ahh...all the same, a good start...you know with the new sustainer design and a super switch, it would be possible to operate it as a selection of the selector...a bit fiddly though... Kind of...I was thinking perhaps a dual op amp with the second inverting and switch between the output from the first, or the first then the second amp to invert it....something like that...I'll get to the details for that later, I'm sure it can be done easily with a bit of nutting out...and a bit of help... Eventually, I will probably replace the single coil with a HB design like a noiseless or kinman perhaps...so more of the sounds will be quiet... First thing is to rewire this baby...now that switch... So far, I found this ebay seller for a fender version... cgi.ebay.com.au/Fender-Guitars-5-Way-Pickup-Super-Switch-for-Strat_W0QQitemZ150122426581QQihZ005QQcategoryZ7266QQtcZphotoQQcmdZViewItemthis guy is in melbourne (where I live) $25.95+$6 post...but I'll ring around a few stores and see what I can dig up maybe... You can see this guy sells push/pull pots for $23.95, that's the reason I'm a little wary of them, three of them would really add up, and I'm not sure of the conveniance factor over toggles anyway...thinking... We'll see how we go... petePS...here's an idea I never got to flesh out before, but I was wondering, do you think you could use a bank of those mini dip switches with a super switch to "program" in selections...or would you need to many...would beat having to rewire to try stuff out all the time...just a thought...
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Post by ccoleman on May 27, 2007 19:26:08 GMT -5
DIP switches are a great idea but a pain to setup. You would need one DIP switch unit for each lead, with at least 20 switches per dip switch. Then you would have to solder 80 wires between the switches and the 5way superswitch.
Easier to use spade lugs to connect/disconnect easier ... no re-soldering when you want to change around the wiring.
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Post by UnklMickey on May 28, 2007 0:37:55 GMT -5
Unk...I like the ideas there, but not sure if the switch order is quite where I'd want them... hi Pete, I'm quite certain the order would be wrong for just about anyone. The only reason I did that was to sequentially display the single and pair possibilities. The beauty of a superswitch is every postion has the same possibility as any other. You can make any order you like.
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Post by 4real on May 28, 2007 5:12:52 GMT -5
I figured as much unk, and I expect I will tinker with it a bit over time once the switching posibilities are there...I like a lot of the ideas you put forward, and perhaps I will evolve a scheme to my liking from all the resources here...I am particularly impressed with the work over at DGB studio... www.geocities.jp/dgb_studio/index_e.htmBut nothing beats discussing things with people who have actual experience with these things and the results... pete
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Post by JohnH on May 28, 2007 5:34:26 GMT -5
Pete - In case it is of interest, here’s a schematic of the switching I was discussing above. (29/05/07 EDIT - fixed in response to comments below) From top to bottom it will do Neck, Neck/Bridge in series, Neck/Bridge in parallel, Neck/Bridge in series out-of-phase, and Bridge. The single-pole coil cut switch selects coil 1, except in the OoP mode where it chooses coil 2, to maintain hum-cancelling. As to which coil is which at the bridge, that will depend on the phase and magnetic relationship of the neck and bridge pups. It may take some trial and error to get phasing and hum cancelling optimised. Ideally, I’d be looking to get coil 1 as the adjustable coil, and placed as the one furthest from the bridge. This may involve some coil connection swapping and maybe magnet flipping. This layout has no hanging or shunted coils, which may be of importance for keeping control in a guitar with all of that other sustainer electronics happening. cheers John
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Post by UnklMickey on May 28, 2007 15:12:50 GMT -5
Hi John, I like the way you use the neck pickup and 2 pole of the switch as a "jumper" of sorts. You should probably thank who ever gave you the insipration for that one. I think you have a problem with your split switch. You won't have any continuity to ground for the neck pickup in the neck single, and the parallel position. You'll need to revisit this before it's ready for prime-time.
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Post by JohnH on May 28, 2007 21:47:10 GMT -5
Thanks Unk - I should have taken the lower end of the neck pup directly to ground for the neck single and parallel options, instead of via the bridge coil cut switch. Will fix it later
cheers
John
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Post by 4real on May 29, 2007 2:49:09 GMT -5
I thought it looked a bit odd...the coil cut switch seems to be leaving something hanging...not sure... Anyway, I would probably install DPDT switches for future mods anyway... I did find a neat 4PDT push/push switch down here John BTW, when it seemed that this was an essential for the sustainer (it may not be in the new version)... These things... www.altronics.com.au/index.asp?area=item&id=S1450Are very small 4PDT switches and have additional LED (can be got with different non illuminated with black aluminium knob I believe) and very cheap (A$2.95 each) They could be useful for wiring gurus who want to do something tricky...I got a few and they are pretty well made and sturdy... I feel a little weird about drilling a 8mm hole in the guitar for the stock button cap though...and you need to find a way of mounting it vertically...but it may have it's uses... I think these things are designed for computer on off power switches...one may even be able to salvage such things from old machines... I even prototyped an interesting pot for a sustainer switch that had the pot mounted with a neoprene spacer (old mouse pad) for a spring...pushing the pot down would activate a push button switch below it, push a gain to deactivate...kind of like an S-1 without the tricky knob...would need a slightly different kind of switch than this one and a little ingenuity to stop the pot spinning and such, but it can be done and may well be worth investigating further if one has the will... Now, I'm off in search of a local super switch... pete
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Post by JohnH on May 29, 2007 6:06:01 GMT -5
I fixed my diagram - I think it should work now. - see previous post
Pete - thanks for the links about the parts. I actually thought that $26 AU was not TOO bad for a Fender super-switch down here.
John
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Post by 4real on May 30, 2007 5:21:27 GMT -5
Ok...ordered a super switch (let you know how the aussie ebay transaction goes john) so the project is underway... Having decided I will do this, I was looking at the guitar again and can see how I can use a router to undercut the control cavity a little so that I could add three toggle switches in line with the knobs between them and the jack plate without being crowded... The sustainer requires two switches, so leaving one for a series parrellel for the HB perhaps... Now, in thinking about it, I was wondering, if I make a master tone control, could I use the other (500k ohm pot at the moment) to have a progressive coil cut to the HB...a volume control for one coil if you will, instead of a coil tap switch...
How would the series parralel and coil tap pot interact do you think?Anyway, it's an idea... As for the battery for the sustainer amp and preamp...I can see I could use the same technique to rout a space behind the trem block and fit it in there... The tiny poweramp I am thinking of using for the sustainer would fit in the spring cavity and still allow room for three springs if wanted...I usually have three and heavier strings than this guitar came with. This means that there will still be plenty of space for a simple sustainer preamp, or even the more adventurous designs in the present control cavity... The details of the actual sustainer will be worked out later but are well in hand...for now, it is just a matter of making these conversions to the standard guitar...will update more when the switch arrives to explore more ideas... pete
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Post by 4real on Jun 1, 2007 23:32:38 GMT -5
Hey there...got myself a super switch!...the project is on! I can recommend "guitar Easy" as a supplier for these types of things in Australia...good price, cheap postage and got it in two days! On their eBay site there is a pic of the store owners custom guitar...I know you guys like trick wiring...how about this... stores.ebay.com.au/Guitar-Easy/Custom-Guitars.htmlSo...a bit of experimenting is in order... Plus...sold the old family home today and feeling a little flush, I suddenly feel self indulgent and want to customise the hell out of this squier...I may well change the neck pickup for a new fender or kinman stacked design... Those trick tone controls with mid scoop and such look interesting too...hmmm Meanwhile, the sustainer I still need to build myself as there is nothing quite like this next generation on the market... Perhaps in the near future, I will be able to realize a dream to make this project more accessible by devising kits and such... pete
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Post by UnklMickey on Jun 2, 2007 2:45:40 GMT -5
Hi Pete, I wonder if he's related to the guy Chris cited a while back, on another thread: I found this pic on the "Unofficial Warmoth Discussion Board". Yee Haw!
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Post by 4real on Jun 2, 2007 4:47:11 GMT -5
no...too neat...funny, neither guitar features a sustainer...plenty of room in there...must run off mains power I guess, just plug your guitar into the wall!
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Post by sumgai on Jun 2, 2007 12:52:10 GMT -5
pete,
Nice reference, that Banshee. Too bad the author doesn't know his lore..... "woman of fairlyland" indeed!
It's not bean sidhe, it's bane sidhe, which translates very easily to "the bane of a sidhe". Bane comes to us intact, it means 'something that opposes or vanquishes' some item. Sidhe translates, more or less, as 'people of the fairy hills', which we call 'fairies'.
Since 'sidhe' is pronuounced "she", we can easily see how, over time, the phrase became "banshee".
sumgai
(The Etymologist!)
p.s. Did anyone else notice the very clean shielding job? I don't wanna hear any more gripes about how hard it is to shield a Strat, OK? ;D
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Post by 4real on Jun 13, 2007 7:06:08 GMT -5
Got the super switch and built the driver for the proposed mid postion sustainer....So...time to modify the axe and ditch the middle pickup.For starters, I thought I'd go for John's idea as the diagram is pretty complete...I may add a simple switch but could I substitute a spin-a-split type control out of one of my tone controls (500k) instead? or here at SD... www.seymourduncan.com/support/schematics/1h_1v_1sas.htmlI am also intrigued by the idea of the series/parallel HB for a more fendery HB bridge pickup sound while retaining the HB noise cancelling and a more balanced output with the SC pickup...hmmm...that isn't an option in john's scheme at the moment... Then there is the idea of the dummy coil that I will also experiment with soon (same time). If this is of benefit, perhaps it could be wired to the spin-a-split control to be added in as it becomes more "split"... One last thing...a ny tips on interpreting the diagram into the physical contact arrangement of the superswitch? In particular, each bank of five contacts are obviously the banks of the switch, they make contact with 4 contacts on either end...how are they to be wired and is there a "proper" way to transcribe the diagram into the physical switch... Anyway...this could be a progessive rewire, first I will attempt to wire the diagram as is, lose the mid tone and pickup and perhaps hang the split switch out the back of the guitar. I am loath to get stuck into drilling the guitar till I have decided fully on the options that I would like and the success of the sustainer project. My intention at this point is to add three toggles behind and a little lower than the three pots and between them and the jack socket plate... This is aesthetically pleasing (all that chrome) and out of the way of the other controls on this guitar. Two will be required for the sustainer (on/off and harmonic switch) which would allow for one other pickup mode switch... To mount the switches in this manner I would intend to under-route the cavity a little to move them away from the pots so I can put them exactly where I want them and not be constrained by the control cavity shape and dimensions. The same technique is proposed for the fitting of the battery behind the trem block in the back of the guitar... If this technique is successful as I hope it may aid others here who find themselves squeezing those controls up tight in small cavities and comprimising on looks and function...we'll see! Any help in the near future to make this wiring go smoothly would be appreciated... pete
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Post by JohnH on Jun 13, 2007 7:39:53 GMT -5
Pete - With the diagram I posted, I reckon it is possible to get rid of the coil cut switch and subsitute a spin-a-split pot that shunts to ground, and also have on the bridge pup, a series/parallel toggle, wired before it reaches the 5-way switch. If that is of interets I can adjust the diagram.
To check your 5-way switch, Id be getting the multimeter out to interpret what is connected to what where and when, but several posts the schematics section show wiring that uses them.
John
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Post by 4real on Jun 14, 2007 6:53:43 GMT -5
Ok...a little nutting out and it kind of makes sense...the connectors need to be reversed as the connection is away from the switch if you know what I mean...(when the lever is down towards the bottom, it connects to the top connections)... I think this is the super switch connection transcribed from the schematic...doesn't look hard at all...if you have a mo and a mind to, please check against john's schematic... I think I will try the spin-a-split as I am changing to a master tone anyway...at least for the moment...perhaps I will try a temporary series parallel switch to see if there is anything useful there too...we'll see, it could be a good trick to put the series parallel in a push pull with the spin-a-split...now if I can just work out how to blend in a dummy coil while blending out the other... I was thinking that you could possibly utilize the bottom coil of a stacked neck pickup in tandem with the split HB as a dummy coil...if you have such a pickup...that might work... Otherwise, once transcribed in this manner, wiring the switch up does not seem to be such a difficult thing...better make sure the switch is going to fit ok...should be right... Thanks again... pete
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Post by JohnH on Jun 14, 2007 8:08:40 GMT -5
Pete, Here's how Id wire that super-switch with a series/parallel switch for the Hb and a spin-a-split: John
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Post by 4real on Jun 14, 2007 16:47:52 GMT -5
Thanks John...worth experimenting with I'd say, if only to see it's usefulness and userfriendly features. Funny how when you have a strat with an HB in it you crave the more fendery sound...
I am still going to try a few preliminary tests on dummy coils...could the spin a split pot be used to blend in the dummy as the coil is progressively split?...or will that take a dual gang pot or simply be too ambitious a project?
let you know how goes...cheers mate... pete
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Post by 4real on Jun 16, 2007 8:46:20 GMT -5
Hmmm...not going too well...a bit of trouble shooting yet to go...
While I have pickups out and such, am wiring in the sustainer cables and something for the dummy coil experiment...more on this later elsewhere...
I know partly where I have been going wrong. I am following John's diagram....
Tell me this...is the parallel setting really this weedy? I am getting a quarter of the output and a very poor tone out of it...although similar to the split...perhaps the S/P switch is not so useful...
Master tone working but may need some capacitor change as it seems a little overenthusiastic...can't think why...
The spin-a-split works well but the converted 500k tone pot tends to split it fairly dramatically...almost acts as a switch...should I really be using a linear pot for this application? Any thoughts on spinning in the dummy as one coil of the pickup is being split. Also, not entirely sure but may be splitting to the bridge coil...with that phase switch on there it is a little confusing but it appears to be wired right (red and white joined for series and a wire from that to the pot and the pot to earth...hmmm
Otherwise...am having some strange combinations from the taping the coils method of testing what is actually connected in various settings...fear I may have wired this superswitch wrong (something a miss in my translation I suspect) so will do again see if that improves anything...but it shouldn't have effected the S/P switch question...
Anyway, any help would be appreciated...am getting to the stage of wiring it up piece by piece...
pete
ps...I took the duncan designed HB out and apart and this thing is really well built, both coils copper shielded and wax potted...had to separate the ground lead from the black wire, but didn't really need to take it apart to do this afterall...very good quality, I wonder how different it really is from the real thing.
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Post by JohnH on Jun 16, 2007 16:30:39 GMT -5
Pete - a good check on the parallel setting would be some resistance measurements across the output to ground. Ignoring volume pots, it should be 1/4 the resistance of the full series Humbucker. If you get that, plus it should be very quiet and humcancelling, and sounding in phase, then Id say the parallel is working. The sound is a bit brighter than series.
Personally Im not a huge fan of it, except for its very good noislessness making it good for high gain.
I find the output of parallel is about the same as a single coil, but with less edge, and no hum. I think of it like batteries - two 1.5V cells in series gives 3V, two in parallel gives the same as a single cell, being 1.5V.
For the spin a split, I havent tried exactly that myself, but I have done shunted blender pots, plus currently Im playing with 'Red Rhodes' tone controls that cut from Hb to Sc at the end of the tone pot travel. I know what you mean, and it seems that the audible transition from Hb to Sc happens over just a few k of resistance change. If you want to set the variation sensitively, then Id suggest something like a 100k log pot, wired using the same two lugs as a tone pot so that it drops to low resistance quickly as you turn it down'and most of he travel is across the low resistances. If you have something wired up, maybe you could listen for where in the pot turn the transition starts to happen, and from that, judge a better value for the pot.
Personally, I think Id prefer just a coil cut switch however. The Hb and Sc are two key sounds and depending what Im after, I tend to want 100% one way or the other.
cheers
John
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