4 way tele switch

[pahako]

Hi everyone, first time posting hear. I have a 3 pickup tele I want to wire for 4 sounds. Bridge, bridge/middle, bridge/neck, and neck. I currently have a 5 way switch with standard strat wiring. I do not use the neck/middle setting, or the middle pickup by itself. Can I do this with the 5 way switch I have, or would I need a different switch like a super switch?
Thanks

Paul

[sumgai]

pahako,

Hi, and welcome to The NutzHouse!

What you want can be done with the switch you currently have, provided that you are talking about parallel connections only. Anything in series may require a different switch, we'd have to tinker a bit to make that determination.

Also, what do you want to do with that 5th position?  That might make a difference in what we do here, and how we do it.

HTH

sumgai

[pahako]

If I use a 5 way switch I would like it to be bridge, bridge/middle, bridge/neck, middle/neck, and neck. I don't like the middle pickup by itself, but I do like the bridge/neck sound that I had before I added the middle pickup. Otherwise if I can use a 4 position switch, that would work too. Also I am not quite sure what the sound difference would be between series and parallel.

[b4nj0]

You could use the classic version of Mike Richardson's scheme which would give you exactly those options you have stated (together with some series options if you should flick the switch.)


hermeticoguitar.blogspot.com/2012/11/wiring-diagram-mike-richardson-mod-03.html


e&oe...

[ashcatlt]

May 3, 2016 7:32:16 GMT -5 b4nj0 said:

You could use the classic version of Mike Richardson's scheme which would give you exactly those options you have stated (together with some series options if you should flick the switch.)


hermeticoguitar.blogspot.com/2012/11/wiring-diagram-mike-richardson-mod-03.html


e&oe...

Ummm...No? Maybe look at that again after you've had some coffee or whatever.

Maybe somebody smarter than me can get what the OP wants from a standard 5-way, but I can't see how. A 4-way would probably get what you asked for, or one of those "half-Superswitch" jobs. At least, I think it can be done in two poles if we're careful, but I haven't had enough coffee myself to say exactly how.

[b4nj0]

It was suggested that a 5 way might be used to give those five combinations in the OP's second posting. I agree that a four way could not give those five pickup combinations.
Tea perhaps.

e&oe...

[JohnH]

Mike R has a couple of versions of his famous mod:

Mike Richardson mods

The first one shown on our thread above does the N+B at position 3.

I agree that the 5 settings requested on this thread cant be done with a standard 5 way, and needs at least half of a superswitch, or a special purpose switch (I think Schaller make one designed for these combos?)

[newey]

or a special purpose switch (I think Schaller make one designed for these combos?)

Yep. The Schaller Megaswitch "M" is the one that gives the N + B at position 3.

[newey]

Pahako's original request was for:

I have a 3 pickup tele I want to wire for 4 sounds. Bridge, bridge/middle, bridge/neck, and neck.

And:

I do not use the neck/middle setting, or the middle pickup by itself.

There was thereafter some speculation that this could not be accomplished with a standard 5-way switch. It can, provided the order of the positions is not a particular requirement. And, provided that one can handle the additional position being all 3 pickups.




This does accomplish the desire for no middle pickup alone, and no N + M combo. While the switch order is sort of unusual, positions 1, 2 and 3 operate just like a Tele 3-way switch, so it's not completely illogical.

[JohnH]

May 3, 2016 21:38:53 GMT -5 newey said:

not use the neck/middle setting, or the middle pickup by itself.

There was thereafter some speculation that this could not be accomplished with a standard 5-way switch. It can, provided the order of the positions is not a particular requirement. And, provided that one can handle the additional position being all 3 pickups.




This does accomplish the desire for no middle pickup alone, and no N + M combo. While the switch order is sort of unusual, positions 1, 2 and 3 operate just like a Tele 3-way switch, so it's not completely illogical.

That is cool, and deserves an extra chocolate chip cookie!:

[newey]

That is cool, and deserves an extra chocolate chip cookie!:

Thanks, but you're killing my diet . . .

[pahako]

That combination seems interesting, if I could get used to it. Can I have one of those cookies while I think about it?