Custom Wiring - Can this be Done

[stevil]

I am looking to wire two humbuckers that will share volume and tone pots. So equipment would be two humbuckers, one volume pot, one tone pot, and one Les Paul style switch. What I would like to do is wire that up so I can coil-tap the bridge humbucker, but using another toggle switch. I have found a ton of diagrams for push-pull pots but don't know how to break that out into a toggle on a separate switch. Could someone help me there with a wiring diagram?
Thanks!

[sumgai]

steve,

Hi, and welcome to the NutzHouse! ;D

A wiring diagram would look the same way for either type of switch. The only difference between the two is the physical construction of how the handle operates, but electrically, they are the same thing. That said, when looking at the terminals on the underside of a toggle switch, you'll see exactly the same thing as when looking at the terminals of a push-pull switch - a 2x3 grid of solder terminals. (Looking at it in "tall" fashion, two columns of three rows.)

In such an arrangement, the middle terminal on the left side is "switched" between the upper and lower terminals on that same left side. Ditto for the right side. This is very standard, no matter who made the switch. (But you might see a picture or drawing of it on it's side - no worries, just rotate it 90° in your mind.

Now, if you're looking at a push-pull diagram, you're also seeing a toggle diagram, aren't you?


HTH



sumgai

[lpf3]

stevil, hello & welcome .

Check out Wolf's post " Alternative Method For Wiring A Volume Control " under electronics and wiring . He shows a "typical " master volume & tone control .

My current project is exactly the same thing - 2 coil tapped HB's with an LP type switch with one vol. & one tone control .

Go out of your coil tap switch(es) into your LP switch , then out from your LP switch to your vol. pot per Wolf's diagram .

Works great.

-lpf3

[ChrisK]

If you look in Electronics Templates, you'll see how different types of switches switch.

[newey]

Guys-

So that we're not talking "apples and oranges" here, I think we need to specify the type of "other toggle switch" Stevil needs here, before he starts a-wiring.

Stevil mentions a "Les Paul style switch". I don't keep up on modern Gibsons and whatever wiring they now offer, but traditionally, an LP toggle was/is a SP "On-On-On" switch.

Sumgai is assuming a DPDT "On-On" switch, which is directly analogous to a push-pull pot. And, while you can certainly get one that visually matches your LP pickup selector toggle, it's a different animal electrically.

If you are just splitting one single coil off the HB, an "On-On" switch is sufficient. To do each of the 2 HB coils individually you would use an "On-On-On"- although that option may not be tonally worthwhile.

[ChrisK]

an LP toggle was/is a SP "On-On-On" switch

Only the three pickup version is a true ON-ON-ON, the rest are just subset posers.

He would be hard-pressed to not find "guidance" in "Electronics Templates" for virtually type of guitar switch.

[sumgai]

newey,

The fact that stevil refers to a push-pull switch sets a limit on what I can speak to, thus the discussion on what's similar, etc.

To the best of my knowledge, there is no simple on/off switch made like the LesPaul/SG selector - it's always a 3-way jobbie, due to how it's constructed. I suppose a clever person could build in a limiter of some sort, but that'd be like only bending your vibrato down, and never up.

HTH


sumgai

[stevil]

Holy geez I've started crazy confusion, sorry. Ok so I've thought about it some more and I only want to be able to cut my bridge humbucker down to single coil via a toggle switch. So I'll have the following:
A neck humbucker, a 4-wire bridge humbucker, a volume pot, a tone pot, a les paul style switch (which I believe is on-on-on)...and then whatever I can find to switch the bridge to single-coil. I was thinking about using a on-off-on for that because I could have it humbucker, dead (killswitch) and then single. Does this help and does anyone know where I could find a resource to show me how to cut a humbucker down...just one...most seem to cut two humbuckers? Thanks again,
Steve

[newey]

Stevil-

Holy geez I've started crazy confusion, sorry.

No, I think I started it. I was just trying to clarify what type of switch you would want to use for the coil split. You referred to an LP-type switch, and I didn't think that would be what you wanted, due to the extra position (which would either be dead or redundant).

Splitting one HB is going to be easier than splitting 2, it's just eliminating some wiring.

I'm not confident enough to give you a schematic/wiring diagram to do this, but as I envision what you're seeking, you would have the coil split switch between the bridge HB and the pickup selector switch. The coil that would be "always on" would bypass the coil cut switch and be wired directly into the selector switch. The coil that would be "cut out" of the bridge HB would be wired into the coil cut switch such that, in one position, it would be connected into the selector switch, and in the other position it would be shunted.

If I'm in error, someone will be along to tell me (and you) so.

[wolf]

I think some standard nomenclature is called for.
The typical Gibson switch for a two humbucker guitar is a single pole double throw center on switch:

The red lines indicate which switch terminals are conducting.

Now to add to the confusion, I notice some folks using the "on/on/on" expression. The only time I have heard that is for a special kind of double pole double throw switch. For a diagram and explanation, go to my website page www.1728.com/guitar.htm
scroll about ¼ of the way down and look at diagram 'D'.

[ChrisK]

Wolf,

Most LP style switches work as you describe.


Here, in Electronics Templates, , are shown the types of LP switches, including simple one, and the complex ON-ON-ON three pickup version.

Only the three pickup version is a true ON-ON-ON in the true meaning of the term. Here is the technical information for the switch.



Now, stevil wants to have a three position switch that gives him the full humbucker, kill position, single coil (split humbucker).

May I presume that this will be in effect only across the bridge humbucker, and that the three way selector will give the bridge stuff/the bridge stuff + neck/neck?

This will use the additional ON-ON-ON switch in its true original designation as a SP3T switch. It will select the following:

full bridge humbucker,

ground (shorting any usage of the bridge pickup - an effective kill switch in any position that includes the bridge pickup),

and a single coil of the bridge pickup.

Is this accurate?

[wolf]

Chris K
Yes, you are right.
Thanks for posting that second link about the technical information about that switch.
(Of course I did state that the switch I was talking about was for a 2 humbucker guitar).
Well, by now, the definitions of the Single Pole Double Throw Center On Switch and the Double Pole Double Throw On/On/On Switch must be clear to everyone.

[ChrisK]

Great!

Now that WE'VE settled what WE'RE talking aboot,

stevil,

could we be of help to you? ;D ;D

[stevil]

Haha...after realizing that it's much easier this way, I just picked up a SPDT Off-On toggle switch to coil tap just the bridge humbucker. So it'll be just like "http://www.seymourduncan.com/support/wiring-diagrams/schematics.php?schematic=2h_1v_1t_3w_1pp", except it will only have one of the two humbuckers hooked up. Right?

[ChrisK]

Yep!

[stevil]

Great, thanks for your help everyone! I'll post some pics of the monstrosity when it's finished.

[ashcatlt]

Wow, that got weird.

You really only need a SPST toggle. Well, that and a new hole in your guitar.