Solo/Blower/Straight To Jack Switch (Under Construction)

[thetragichero]

so if I'm interpreting the load resistor correctly, it would be equal to the combined parallel resistances of the pots and essentially go from Jack tip to sleeve?
for s&g (because this is a family forum), what sort of values wouldwe suggest?
i am out the door but i can take a quick stab at this later if the doc doesn't beat me to it

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retrEaDIT:
My request resulted in extended conversations on two separate threads. I've since combined the post into one thread which will contain the discussion. Upon completion, Tragic will start a new thread in Design Modules along with a reply from Doc.

This will insure that the final product will be devoid of confusing conversation and be appropriately to-the-point.

In all likelihood the first two posts which contain drawings in this thread will be all that remains and the conversation posts will be moved to Guitar Wiring. Tragic and Doc can edit those posts as much as necessary to create the final product.

[reTrEaD]

Aug 13, 2018 16:29:47 GMT -5 thetragichero said:

so if I'm interpreting the load resistor correctly, it would be equal to the combined parallel resistances of the pots and essentially go from Jack tip to sleeve?

Without the load of a volume and tone pot, a pickup connected directly to the output jack will sound brighter (in some cases excessively bright and brittle). The optional load resistor would only be in the circuit in the solo mode. And yes, it would essentially be in parallel with the output jack (tip to sleeve). A value which is equal to the parallel resistance of the pots normally in the circuit would give the solo mode a 'neutral' tone. A larger value resistor would give a slightly bright tone. No resistor would give very bright tone.

[thetragichero]

It was requested to have a module posted for this VERY useful wiring mod (with an optional "Load Resistor" to darken the possibly bright, shrill tone) on the Request a Design Module thread so here's we goes:






Happy Soldering!

[sumgai]

Goodun, TH! Much grass!!




sumgai

[thetragichero]

no way! that stuff was no good to me even when i was ON the sauce
(mods feel free to delete my bad jokes. all of them.)

[axedoctor]

(EDIT:  this diagram is slightly different from the one above, see my explanation in the following post.)

[sumgai]

'doctor,



Thanks to you as well for your contribution. But there is a difference between the two diagrams, and you didn't spell it out for the casual reader.

In essence, the "challenge" was to allocate the Bridge pickup to go full blast to the output jack, removing all other components/pickups from the signal path. What you did was to allow the user to select any pickup (or two), and "blast" that choice directly to the output jack. Understand, that's not a bad thing, there are bound to be readers who stop by this Forum, looking for exactly that setup. Accordingly, I've edited your post to point to this explanation, so that viewers don't get confused, trying to figure out why the two diagrams aren't exactly the same.

Again, thanks.







sumgai

[thetragichero]

might that just be moved to the Guitar Schematics subforum in its own post since it's several modules put together for one specific purpose instead of one module that can be incorporated into various schema?

[reTrEaD]

Aug 14, 2018 23:43:03 GMT -5 thetragichero said:

might that just be moved

It might. Or it might be useful to clearly label it as an example of how the solo switch could be used in a slightly different way and keep it here.

Your choice on whether it stays not. Doc's choice on what he wants to do on his end. PM Doc, chat it up. Let me know what the two of you decide. I'll make any moves necessary and prune any discussion posts which might become irrelevant.

[thetragichero]

Aug 15, 2018 0:44:01 GMT -5 reTrEaD said:

Or it might be useful to clearly label it as an example of how the solo switch could be used in a slightly different way and keep it here.

didn't think of that. that's why many heads are better than one. I'm cool either way

[axedoctor]

Hi Guys - 

was busy at work and was not the first to post a drawing of the module itself, so decided instead to show a way in which the module might be incorporated into an existing guitar wiring

hence my note describing the drawing as a "suggested" application of the module as submitted by thetragichero 

perhaps one could decide to define the function of the module more generally rather than limit its scope to merely passing a bridge pickup directly to the output jack

including application examples has always been a standard practice when documenting commonly-used electronic components

I could easily contribute a couple more samples for say a Strat with master treble/bass/volume or a standard Les Paul type two-pickup wiring

[newey]

Well, if we add a resistor, that will take away the "no-load" aspect of the solo switch. But more basically, we should define our terminology.

We have used the term "solo switch" to mean a switch that just bypasses the pots (as the usage here), a "direct out" switch.

We have also used the term for a switch that turns on the bridge pickup alone and bypasses the pots as well, allowing a player to go to a solo setting with the flick of just one switch. That arrangement has also been called a "bridge blower" by some.

[sumgai]

I'm with 'TrEaD on this one. There's no reason that a 'solo' selection can't have its tone modified to suit. If the pickup sounds great in the normal selections (meaning, with standard loading), but too shrill/biting/ice-picky/tinny/squeaky/gawd-awful-ugly in the solo position (no load), who's to say that it must remain so? If the user ends up not wanting to use the solo switch because the results are untenable, then why'd he ever install the switch in the first place? I don't recall any of us Nutz ever publicizing the dictum that it's verboten to install additional tone-shaping components in the solo circuit.....

Speaking of definitions - it's a "solo" switch, not a "no-load" switch. I'd go so far as to say that strictly speaking, it shouldn't be called a "direct out" switch, though that's how it usually ends up.  Ostensibly, it's used when the controls are preset to a reduced volume and tone setting, but for a 'solo' portion of a tune, it would be handy to 'boost the level, and change the tone', whist being able to return to the previous settings with little or no fuss.

sumgai

[thetragichero]

depending on the resistor value, it could technically be a rhythm switch if it loaded down the pickup enough (not a bad way to use it, actually. neck pickup choked a bit and then you've got a tone pot for your solos)

[reTrEaD]

Aug 16, 2018 8:41:24 GMT -5 newey said:

Well, if we add a resistor, that will take away the "no-load" aspect of the solo switch. But more basically, we should define our terminology.

We have used the term "solo switch" to mean a switch that just bypasses the pots (as the usage here), a "direct out" switch.

We have also used the term for a switch that turns on the bridge pickup alone and bypasses the pots as well, allowing a player to go to a solo setting with the flick of just one switch. That arrangement has also been called a "bridge blower" by some.

The Guitar Community at large has already (mostly) Defined these terms, although there's no reason why we can't Refine them.

• Solo Switch has come to mean a setting by which other controls normally in use are bypassed.  Most commonly, all volume and tone controls and the pickup selector are bypassed and the Bridge pickup is connected directly to the output.  Additionally, in true Nutz fashion we can include other components and controls which ONLY exist in the solo mode and still, in good conscience, refer to it as a Solo Switch.
  
• Blower Switch is a term which has been used synonymously with the above.
  
• Bypass Switch might be a useful term as it's less defined and more generic.  The term doesn't specific how many/which controls/switches are being bypassed.
  

Tragic gave me exactly what I asked for.  A Solo Switch which bypasses all pickup selection and controls and sends the Bridge pickup to the output jack along with the option of having a load resistor in the Solo mode which can mitigate the excessive brightness associated with an unloaded pickup.  It should also be noted that components can be added between the two upper throws of his switch (instead of the jumper) as well as to either of the throws.  In all cases, those components/controls will only be enabled in the Solo mode.

Doc would like to use this concept in a more flexible manner.  And that's great.  In his Stratocaster application drawing, he's using the switch as a VT Bypass.  The Pickup selection is not bypassed.  Some may choose to do exactly that.  However, I think his drawing might benefit from re-labeling the switch as a Volume Tone Bypass, for this specific application.  And perhaps use a different color for the bypass switch so it's immediately recognized as an additional switch that doesn't exist in the Strat wiring.

Aug 15, 2018 10:42:32 GMT -5 axedoctor said:

I could easily contribute a couple more samples for say a Strat with master treble/bass/volume or a standard Les Paul type two-pickup wiring

Wonderful.  Add however many you like.  Use some text, either within the images or accompanying them, that describes the function.  ie: what is being bypassed, if it isn't bypassing all controls and pickup selection.

Also, there are two varieties of "standard Les Paul type two-pickup wiring",  1V-1T  or 2V-2T.  In the latter, a VT Bypass isn't possible with a DPDT switch.  At least not one which makes much sense.  The traditional Solo Switch fits nicely, though.

[Ro_S]

So what's a ''direct thru'' mod?  Identical to a ''solo switch''?

[newey]

RT clarified above that he meant "solo switch" in the one sense I mentioned, but opposite of what I thought he had asked for.

The basic agreement staked out above is that "solo switch" both bypasses the V and T pots, and also outputs the bridge pickup alone (You could also call this a "Bridge Override" switch, I suppose . . .).

"Direct out" is more vague, it could refer to any number of arrangements that bypass the pots.