HSH + Super Switch = automatic coil splitting?

[squierjosh]

I'm building my ultimate gigging guitar. HSH Strat. I've got the SD JB bridge and Jazz neck, plus a MIM middle pickup. I've also got a super switch from some project I once had. I assume there is a way to wire this so positions 2 and 4 can automatically split the humbuckers and give that Strat quack? Then 1 and 5 would be full on humbuckers? I've been googling with not luck. SD's website doesn't have it, or at least I couldn't find it.



The switch came with an HH configuration, and is still wired up minus the pickups. I'm hoping I can still use the existing wiring going to the tone and volume controls.

[newey]

squierjosh-

Hello and Welcome to G-Nutz2!

There may well be a scheme around here somewhere that does this, if not, we can certainly come up with something. This is fairly straightforward with a Superswitch. In fact, it can be done with a regular Strat 5-way switch, if you prefer to save the Superswitch for another project.

This assumes, however, that your MIM middle pickup is RWRP (reverse wound, reverse polarity) with respect to the SD HB coils that you want to combine with it in positions 2 and 4. Some testing may be in order to determine this, unless you know for sure already.

Also, is this going to have the usual Strat Vol + 2 tone set-up?

[squierjosh]

Yes, I do have a regular 5 way switch as well. If that's easier, I won't object! I'd really just like to avoid messing with a push/pull pot in a live situation.

[sumgai]

sj,

Here, read through this thread, and see if anything trips your trigger:

guitarnuts2.proboards.com/thread/5537/guitar-wiring-switching

HTH

sumgai

[squierjosh]

These are the two pickups I have to choose from for the middle. I'm not 100% sure of their origins. Based on some googling, the one on the right with the bigger grommets (where the leads connect to the wires) and whitish sides of the ceramic magnets looks like an older MIM middle pickup.

[squierjosh]

Forgot images of the pickups

[newey]

Here's a diagram using a regular 5-way switch. Neck of guitar correlates to the top of the diagram. Also, I had yellow/white instead of yellow/black for the mid pup's wires, my memory of your photo failed me.

But first, we have to sort out what coils from the SD HBs we should split to. Place your single coil face-to-face with each coil of the HBs. We will want to split to the coils which attract each other. Report your results. I also highly recommended using the "screwdriver pull-off test", described in the References section, to determine the correct phasing of the middle pup with respect to the HB coils we will be splitting to. Without doing that test, there is a 50-50 chance that you will have to go back in and reverse the middle pickups wires.

Also, I have not shown the V and T pots, these are wired as per standard Strat practice, you can refer to any Strat wire diagram for that.

[squierjosh]

Thanks for the diagram! I tested the middle pickup, it attracts to the outer coils of my Seymour Duncan hot rodded set (JB bridge, Jazz neck). 

[newey]

Okay, but we still need to know what wires control the outer coils. Do you have a multimeter availble?

I am not really familiar with these pickups. As I recall, the Jr doesn't have a screw coil, correct? What about the other one, does it have a screw coil?

Sent from my SM-G928V using proboards

[squierjosh]

The JB and Jazz both have screw coils on the outside, studs on the inside. The red and white wires are tied together now to make it the humbucker. Do those need to stay together then, as in your diagram?

JB bridge:



Jazz neck:

[newey]

OK, so the screw coils on SD pickups are the South coils, and are wired to the red/green pair. My diagram splits to the slug coils, so it needs to be modified, unless you can live with the slug, inner coils as the ones being split. To do the screw coils, I'll have to redraw the diagram- or yoiu can follow these verbal instructions, as it may be awhile before I can get to a diagram.

Basically, what we will be doing is wiring the HBs "inside out". Currently, you have the black wire to output +, the red joins with the white to make the "series junction", and the green wire goes to ground. Instead of that, wire the white wire to output, and wire the red wire to ground. The green and black wires will then be connected together to form the "series junction".

We still have the question mark as to whether this will be in phase with your middle pickup. I recommend testing this first with the screw driver pull-off test, particularly if this is a std. Strat with a plastic pickguard, since it has to be strung/destrung/restrung if you get it wrong.

[reTrEaD]

May 23, 2017 21:54:53 GMT -5 newey said:

Here's a diagram using a regular 5-way switch.

Newey, I don't think permanently wiring the series links together is a good idea.
Perhaps this is a better solution.



Waddaya think?

Attachments:

[newey]

RT-
You're right, that is a better solution.

SJ-

Use RT's diagram, but still wire the series links "inside out" as I suggested above. The #3 lug on the left-hand pole will go to output, and the grounds will be run separately, apart from the switch.

[squierjosh]

May 25, 2017 6:20:02 GMT -5 newey said:

RT-
You're right, that is a better solution.

SJ-

Use RT's diagram, but still wire the series links "inside out" as I suggested above. The #3 lug on the left-hand pole will go to output, and the grounds will be run separately, apart from the switch.

Sorry, you lost me. I'm pretty good at soldering and reading diagrams, but unfortunately I'm not that familiar with all the technical terms. 

I think I understand. I'll give it a try and let you know. I do appreciate everyone's input.

[squierjosh]

Ok, got it all wired up. Everything seems to work fine, except it splits to the inside coils, not the outside. Is that what I want? Is this because I reversed the humbucker?

[newey]

You didn't say you were reversing the HBs. If you followed my instructions, it should split to the screw coils. If you followed RT's diagram without switching it around as I suggested, then you should be getting the slug coils.

Is it humcancelling as is?

If so, you can either flip the HBs around or report back for rewiring instructions (after first telling us exactly what you did . . )

[squierjosh]

I folllowed RTs diagram with your changes to change to green/black connected, white to the output, and red to ground. I haven't strung it up yet to see what it actually sounds like, poked the coils with a screwdriver to see what was on in each position. It is hum canceling though.

[squierjosh]

Actually, it doesn't seem to be hum canceling once I turned up the amp a little.

[newey]

But which coils are you getting? SCrew or slug? And aew these the inner or outer coils?

[squierjosh]

I'm getting slugs, on the inner

[squierjosh]

I was able to get outer coils by running red to hot instead of white.. I wasn't getting him canceling, so I swapped the yellow and black wires on the middle pickup and that fixed that problem. I'm ready to string it up and test it now!