10 Way Switch Wiring Diagram Help (Strat)

[thedirestrat]

Dear Guitar Enthusiasts,

I really need some help in completing my guitar circuitry. This is the last thing before I can finally wrap up upgrading my guitar. I can't wait to play!

This concerns a "strat-esque" guitar.

I recently installed a Freeway 10 way switch, a push pull pot that connects with the middle pickup to have some out of phase tones, and a blender pot instead of the last tone pot (this blends the bridge when I am on the neck position, and when on the bridge position, I could blend in the neck pickup).
Everything worked as expected! Awesome tones-- but.

2 things didn't work... as expected. So yeah I lied a bit there.
The position 6, where the bridge and the middle are supposed to be in series together. Still got the same twangy bright tone, just like position 1, which is just bridge only. So basically, the position 6 doesn't work, it's the same as position 1.

Secondly, the blend works when I am on the neck position (position 5). I can blend in the bridge when I'm on the neck position, but when I am on the bridge, I can't blend in the neck! It's like the blend knob doesn't work on the bridge position. Honestly, I'd like it to be the reverse. I only want to blender pot to work on position 1 and 2, and 6. This way I can only blend in the neck in these positions. So I'd like to wire it into a Half Blender Mod.

To make things simpler, I sent a diagram of what I did. Hopefully it is comprehensible.

I hope this can get figured out! So sorry for all the questions, and this one is a real long one too... Sorry to waste your time, but hopefully you find some fun in doing some guitar detective work.

[thedirestrat]

If someone can respond asap, I'd really appreciate it, because it's the last thing I gotta do before I can begin to play again! If you don't know how to fix it, I would really appreciate a place you can give me (another forum maybe I have no idea) where I can possibly get the answer I am so eager to obtain.

Thank you so much.

Sincerely,

YourDireStrat

[newey]

Dire-

Hello and Welcome to G-Nutz2!

Sorry to not get back to you sooner, didn't see your post until I got up this morning.

The Freeway Blade switch is a fairly new animal, I don't think anyone here has worked out the internal switch logic, so we may not be a whole lot of help. As to the problem with Position 6, the only thing I can surmise is that Lug "B" makes that connection, connecting middle "hot" to bridge ground, presumably at lug "BT". Since the bridge pickup works by itself, the ground "BG" isn't the problem, so check your soldering from the middle "hot" to lug "B" and from the bridge ground to lug BT. That's the only thing I can guess without knowing more.

As to the blend, I assume this is just a standard potentiometer you are using. If you want it the other way around, swap the connections at the pot- Bridge "Hot" to the middle lug, neck "hot" to the outside lug. Why it doesn't work the other way around I have no idea.

[Yogi B]

Jan 10, 2021 14:32:48 GMT -5 thedirestrat said:

The position 6, where the bridge and the middle are supposed to be in series together. Still got the same twangy bright tone, just like position 1, which is just bridge only. So basically, the position 6 doesn't work, it's the same as position 1.

Secondly, the blend works when I am on the neck position (position 5). I can blend in the bridge when I'm on the neck position, but when I am on the bridge, I can't blend in the neck! It's like the blend knob doesn't work on the bridge position. Honestly, I'd like it to be the reverse. I only want to blender pot to work on position 1 and 2, and 6. This way I can only blend in the neck in these positions. So I'd like to wire it into a Half Blender Mod.

As newey said -- I also don't yet know of anyone that has confirmed the exact connections that the switch makes in each position -- and therefore I can't be certain, but I suspect the blending options you want will not be possible with this switch.

That being said, after quickly looking over the other diagrams on the freeway site, it appears that the switch is designed such that the NG (neck ground) terminal is disconnected from the GD (ground) terminal at positions 1 & 6 -- this enables one of the alternative to wiring options to have all three pickups in series at position 6 (in the order: ground -> middle -> neck -> bridge -> output). This would explain the non-functional blender in position 1, and I expect any workaround will have other unwanted concequences.

As for position 6, it would be useful if you could verify that truly only the bridge pickup is selected, this can be done by gently tapping on the pole pieces of each pickup with some kind of steel implement (e.g. screwdriver) -- the taps on the selected pickups should be clearly audible through your amp. I'd perform this with the blend pot in both extremes (fully blended & fully off) in order to check there are no differences.

If it is indeed the case that only the bridge pickup is selected in position 6, then that probably implies that something is connecting the BG (bridge ground) and/or MH (middle hot) terminals to ground in this position, hence shorting the middle pickup. However I'm unsure that this could be caused by the addition of the blend pot, especially if you get consistent results for the tap-test in both positions of the blend pot.

---

Meanwhile, I'll see if I can get any further insight on the switch though more in-depth study of freeway's offered diagrams.

[thedirestrat]

Thanks for the help guys! Yeah this freeway switch is very complicated and new, so I am extremely grateful that you took the time to study it for me.



Very interesting about the blend pot, yeah I will reverse the wires and see if that does anything. Honestly, I am realizing that I only want the blend pot to work on position 1 and 2. 

I also contacted the Freeway company, like a fool, I only thought of this AFTER I bothered the forums, I am sure that they will be the ones with truly the answer, only because they created it. They said that the bridge and middle in series doesn't work because the bridge has a permanent ground, in my case, it is the bridge plate... I really don't want to get rid of it, so is there any way to circumvent this issue? I asked them, so I am waiting for their reply, but if any of you got an idea, I'd be grateful!

And about the blend pot, I think they said something like you were saying @yogi B. I will get back to you and tell you what the folks at Freeway say!

[newey]

Jan 11, 2021 11:17:02 GMT -5 thedirestrat said:

They said that the bridge and middle in series doesn't work because the bridge has a permanent ground, in my case, it is the bridge plate

Hmmm. That could certainly be an issue, if in fact the base plate is grounded. What type of bridge pickup are you using, is it a regular Strat-type single coil? What wires come from it?

[thedirestrat]

It works! The middle and bridge works! All I had to do was desolder the baseplate from the copper windings (eyelet where the thin copper hair stuff and ground wires) and solder a wire from the volume pot to the baseplate instead. Now it works! The middle and bridge produce a nice thicker and warmer tone with more output. Pretty cool!

The blender pot is still a problem however. Like yogi said, it's going to be tough because of the neck ground being in the switch...

[thedirestrat]

Ok, I decided to not do the blender pot, because it simply won't work on the 10 way switch. Plus this switch already gives me neck and bridge options anyways. Instead, I'd like to wire this tone knob to the bridge pickup only. How do I put the capacitor in it (is it like the one I have for the middle and neck, where it's in the input lug and grounded?) and connect it only to the bridge pickup. It's different with a 10 way switch, and I'm hoping that we will be able to figure it out together!

[Yogi B]

Jan 13, 2021 0:54:27 GMT -5 thedirestrat said:

Ok, I decided to not do the blender pot, because it simply won't work on the 10 way switch. Plus this switch already gives me neck and bridge options anyways. Instead, I'd like to wire this tone knob to the bridge pickup only.

That's fine so long as by "bridge pickup only", you mean positions where the bridge pickup is amongst the pickups selected -- that is positions: 1, 2, 6, 7, 8, and 9.

As for the wiring, one 'side' of the tone control circuit should connect to BH, the other 'side' should connect to either BG or ground -- the difference between the two is how this bridge tone control will respond in the series position 6 (B × M). In this position: if wired between BH & ground the, tone control is in parallel with the entire B × M selection and will reduce the treble of both pickups a you would expect of a regular tone control; if wired between BH & BG, the tone control will only be directly in parallel with the bridge pickup, when turned down this will simultaneously reduce the treble content from the bridge pickup but allow more of the treble from the middle pickup resulting in more of an upper mid-frequency scoop.

For either wiring, in position 8 (B × N) the bridge tone control will work like a mid-frequency scoop as per the second description (albeit with the bridge & neck, rather than bridge & middle, obviously). Therefore, for consistency between positions 6 & 8 and a little more tonal versatility, I'd go with the second wiring option.

The ordering of the components is largely irrelevant, all four of the following alternatives are basically equivalent:

• BH -> cap -> bridge tone lug #1; bridge tone lug #2 -> BG
• BH -> cap -> bridge tone lug #2; bridge tone lug #1 -> BG
• BH -> bridge tone lug #1; bridge tone lug #2 -> cap -> BG
• BH -> bridge tone lug #2; bridge tone lug #1 -> cap -> BG

(is it like the one I have for the middle and neck, where it's in the input lug and grounded?)

The current tone control, if wired as per your diagram above, isn't just for the "middle and neck", but rather a master tone control that should work on every position -- including position 1 (bridge only).

---

For what it's worth, the following is what I could glean from the Freeway wiring diagrams -- there may be other connections which cannot be inferred from the available diagrams (such as whether BG is connected to GD in positions 1 & 2), but I suspect there are not.

[thedirestrat]

Thank you so much for your informative reply! You actually remade the diagram! Impressive work, and I cannot be grateful enough.... I will now send you a diagram of what I am doing. I know I asked a lot, but this is the last thing, if this diagram works!

They only gave one where there's a tone for the bridge, and a tone for the neck. This means the middle is opened, it has no tone knob, which I definitely do not want. Does simply attaching the middle hot to where the neck hot is at allow for the 1st tone knob to control the tone of the neck and middle pickups, and in every position in which they are in. For example, the neck and bridge together in parallel, you can control the neck pickup's tone with the 1st knob, and the bridge tone's with the 2nd. Same thing for in series. 

[thedirestrat]

Ah wait a second I think I know what you mean. I like the way you think, I think "between BH and BG" is a much better option! 
So I will choose this route:

BH -> cap -> bridge tone lug #1; bridge tone lug #2 -> BG

So this means, correct me if I am wrong:
1. I solder a wire from BH to the first lug (most left one when the lugs are pointed up to the sky)
2. I solder one "leg" of the 0.022uf cap in this same lug, and then solder the other leg to the top of the pot (ground).
3. I then solder a wire from the second tone lug to BG.

That sounds very good! However, I do not know what to do with the other tone knob now, as it is no longer a master tone knob. How do I make this tone knob work only for the neck and middle? Do I just solder a wire from NH and MH to the second lug? And then I have a capacitor in the left, first lug? Is that it?

[newey]

Having the neck and middle pickups share a tone control would be OK in parallel, but since you have a N X M (i.e., in series) setting ( position 10), that's going to create issues. YogiB may have some ideas as to a better way to do that, but the series settings are likely why the manufacturer's scheme avoids that by assigning the tone controls to only the neck and bridge pups.

So this means, correct me if I am wrong:
1. I solder a wire from BH to the first lug (most left one when the lugs are pointed up to the sky)
2. I solder one "leg" of the 0.022uf cap in this same lug, and then solder the other leg to the top of the pot (ground).
3. I then solder a wire from the second tone lug to BG.

No, go back and reread yogi's description. There are a number of ways to do this, but the cap is in series with the pot, either before the pot or after. As you have described it, the cap would be bypassing the pot and would be permanently wired to ground. You'd get a "tone control at '0' " sound at all times.

[thedirestrat]

I see about the neck and middle pickups. The Freeway staff gave me the diagram I sent you, and I asked if I could just add the middle hot to where the neck hot is (1st tone pot, middle lug). He responded: "You could do this yes... the upper tone would then be a master tone and the lower tone would be bridge only. This would allow you to dial in the desired amount of tone adjustment to your bridge pickup and then use the master for global changes."

I don't know about this master tone stuff, because I think a designated bridge tone control is better, and then just a neck and middle tone control. But I am not sure that this can be done. Thanks so much for the help. 


Also, so for the bridge tone pot's wiring, I do this:

1. I solder the actual leg of the cap to BH.
2. I solder the other leg of the cap to lug #1 (lug #1 being the most left one when the cts pot is pointing upward)
3. I solder a wire from the middle lug all the way to BG.

Is this what you mean Yogi?
 

[thedirestrat]

Also, here's the freeway method of having a separate bridge tone knob, and a separate neck and middle tone knob.


Now, I would definitely do this... If I had two similar capacitors for the 1st tone knob! Sadly, I only have the one I am already using on the first knob, and a second which is designated for the bridge tone pot now.
Also, look at their bridge tone pot wiring. I think I rather use Yogi's because of the reasons he stated above. If I use Yogi's Wiring (this is now a trademark) for the bridge pickup, and the double capacitor method for the upper tone knob, would it all work together?

[newey]

Jan 14, 2021 9:56:06 GMT -5 thedirestrat said:

Also, so for the bridge tone pot's wiring, I do this:

1. I solder the actual leg of the cap to BH.
2. I solder the other leg of the cap to lug #1 (lug #1 being the most left one when the cts pot is pointing upward)
3. I solder a wire from the middle lug all the way to BG.

Yes.

As to combining the N and M on one tone knob, let's let others weigh in, and hopefully Yogi. It will work fine in parallel as the diagram shows it (although you will have interaction when both tone knobs are in the circuit, just as on a regular Strat at position 4). But I'm not sure it'll work well when you have N X M, as I said above.

[thedirestrat]

Look at the last diagram I sent. Freeway says to use two capacitors. I'm going to try and use two capacitors, when I have them. The thing is, will this wiring introduce problems for Yogi's bridge tone wiring?
If not, this is it!

[thedirestrat]

Just ordered some capacitors. All I have left is to know if Yogi's bridge tone wiring will work with the wiring I gave above. 

[Yogi B]

Jan 14, 2021 12:11:35 GMT -5 newey said:

Jan 14, 2021 9:56:06 GMT -5 thedirestrat said:

Also, so for the bridge tone pot's wiring, I do this:

1. I solder the actual leg of the cap to BH.
2. I solder the other leg of the cap to lug #1 (lug #1 being the most left one when the cts pot is pointing upward)
3. I solder a wire from the middle lug all the way to BG.

Yes.

Also yes.

Regarding that parenthetical, I'm somewhat surprised that I don't ever think I've ever seen posted a right-hand rule mnemonic for the usual potentiometer lug labelling: If (on your right hand) you bend your thumb inwards/upwards so it is perpendicular to your palm and imagine that as the pot's shaft, then your first/index, second/middle and third/ring fingers correspond to the labelling of the pot's lugs.

Jan 14, 2021 10:13:37 GMT -5 thedirestrat said:

Also, here's the freeway method of having a separate bridge tone knob, and a separate neck and middle tone knob.

My response to that diagram is: Well, maybe that's a little harsh -- it will kinda work, but it also won't kinda work...

Jan 14, 2021 12:11:35 GMT -5 newey said:

It will work fine in parallel as the diagram shows it (although you will have interaction when both tone knobs are in the circuit, just as on a regular Strat at position 4). But I'm not sure it'll work well when you have N X M, as I said above.

As you say, it will work fine with neck & middle in parallel, and I'll get to N × M in a while, but first there's some other positions to consider.

Lets think about what the middle pickup 'sees' in position 5 (neck only), with the tone control fully up -- the only thing attempting to stop any output from the middle pickup are the two tone caps that are in series with it (note that, unlike the other pickups, the middle is always grounded) -- this means that the middle pickup 'sees' a HPF (high pass filter).

The cutoff frequency of a capacitive filter is given by f_c = \frac{1}{2 \pi R C}, doing a very rough calculation assuming that C is the value of the two 47nF caps in series (i.e. 23.5nF) and R is the resistance of the neck pickup at round 6kΩ we get a cutoff frequency of about 1128 Hz. So, while that will cut out a lot of the fundamental of most notes of a fretboard (the C♯ on the 21st fret of the high e string has a frequency of 1109 Hz, the following D is 1175 Hz), a lot of the harmonics picked up by the middle pickup will still bleed through.

What about from the neck pickup's point of view? Well, again with the tone control still fully up, it is loaded by the two tone caps in series with the middle pickup. Again if we imagine the middle pickup as a 6k resistor we'll see that this arrangement is quite similar to a tone control turned most of the way down -- the two series caps (equivalent to 23.5nF) are in series with a small value of resistance -- and will behave somewhat similarly. The difference being that pickups aren't just resistive, but also inductive and inductance has higher a impedance at higher frequencies -- therefore we end up with a band-stop filter rather than a low pass filter.

In short: with that diagram the "neck only" position will sound most like the neck pickup at the bass & mid-range frequencies, but most like the middle pickup in the upper mid-range, and in the treble range above that point most like middle & neck in parallel. This probably isn't a terrible, but it isn't "neck only".

Similar to the above will also be present in positions 8 (B + N) and 9 (B × N).

---

In position 10, in order to put the neck & middle pickups in series NH is connected to the output while NG is connected to MH, that means that the two tone capacitors will be in parallel with the neck pickup. This is quite similar to the situation as described in my previous post about the bridge tone control. However there is an important distinction: my bridge tone control wiring gives the normal B × N or B × M tone when fully up and the scooped upper mids with the control at zero, on the contrary the suggested 'combined' middle and neck tone control will give the scooped sound when fully up and will proceed to roll of the treble when turned down -- i.e. the full N × M tone will not be available.

---

Jan 14, 2021 16:16:39 GMT -5 thedirestrat said:

All I have left is to know if Yogi's bridge tone wiring will work with the wiring I gave above.

It will, insofar as it won't cause any further issues that aren't already inherent to the combined N & M tone control.

---

Now, I know that I've called out the combined tone control for being problematic, but it's also worth pointing out that as far as I can foresee there's nothing truly heinous about it. The affected positions are unlikely to sound outright terrible, it's just that they won't be the traditional, "as advertised", tones. There's also the possibility that you may even prefer them. So, despite all of the above naysaying, I'd still encourage you to try freeway's suggested wiring (as it's probably the best solution, with standard components, that you can hope for in terms of a combined N & M tone control) and make up your own mind as to whether it'll work for you.

---

If you do decide that you don't like it, the only other sensible tone control wiring possibilities I can currently envisage are as follows:

• Bridge tone & Master tone (as I believe you currently have it wired)
• Bridge tone & Neck tone (would leave position 3 without a tone control)
• Bridge tone & Middle tone (would leave position 5 without a tone control)
• Bridge tone, Middle tone & Neck tone (using a stacked/concentric pot for two out of those three -- though the double height of the knobs probably isn't ideal on a Strat)
• Bridge tone & combined Middle+Neck tone (using a dual-gang pot -- basically what that freeway diagram is trying to achieve, but done more correctly this time.)

[thedirestrat]

Hello Yogi B,

Thank you so much for this godsend reply. I did not know about this combined neck and middle thing. I do not like the way that sounds, and I want to wrap up my guitar work, so I am going to go for a master tone knob and bridge tone knob. So to make sure, all it is is this right:


I do what this diagram says, and just add in the middle pickups' hot wire to where the neck pickup's hot wire is at. And for the bridge tone knob, do I just do what it says on the diagram, now that the first tone knob will be a master tone? Or do I still do your way, what advantages will it still offer? With this layout, I think I will have position 5, neck only with a tone knob, position 4 with tone knob, position 3 with a tone knob, position 2 with the master tone knob (controls middle and bridge equally) and bridge tone knob (further warms the bridge pickup) and finally position 1, bridge only, has it's own bridge tone and the master tone. Won't that mean there are two capacitors on the bridge pickup in position 1? Will that be problematic? Also, the bridge tone knob is a no load pot! So that could be interesting.

Will there be any problems for the upper bank? 

I am looking for the most optimal wiring for keeping the traditional position one to five sounds, having a tone knob for each pickup, and to warm up the bridge pickup.


Also, I don't want to sound pushy, but if you can respond ASAP, p l e a s e, because I cannot go forwards in my project without an answer, and my deadline for the project is coming up real fast...

Thank you so much for all the help guys, this has been a fun experience.

[Yogi B]

Jan 20, 2021 16:20:31 GMT -5 thedirestrat said:

I do what this diagram says, and just add in the middle pickups' hot wire to where the neck pickup's hot wire is at.
...
With this layout, I think I will have position 5, neck only with a tone knob, ...

Ah, in the below, I meant the current physical master tone pot wiring that I was assuming was still as per your opening post, I'm sorry that I didn't more explicitly state that.

Jan 19, 2021 18:45:41 GMT -5 Yogi B said:

Bridge tone & Master tone (as I believe you currently have it wired)

But, if you're interested, following is a description of why the wiring in your latest post (which appears to be the same as that in Reply #9) won't work as intended.

SPOILER: Click to show

Jan 20, 2021 16:20:31 GMT -5 thedirestrat said:

So to make sure, all it is is this right:

With that layout you've joined NH & MH together by connecting them both to the same lug of the tone pot, therefore whenever one of those two is connected to the output so is the other: in positions 2 & 3 this doesn't cause the neck pickup to be added to the output because although NH is connected to the output, NG is disconnected from ground; however, in position 5 where again NH & MH are connected to the output, the middle pickup will be selected because the middle pickup's other lead (as determined by the phase push/pull, if that's still part of the design) is always connected to ground.

Will there be any problems for the upper bank?.

In position 8 (B + N), the same thing will happen -- because the NH would be connected to the output so too would MH, causing B + M + N.

In position 9 (B × N), you'd get similar M + (B × N), the middle pickup being added in parallel to the series combination of bridge & neck.

in position 10 (M × N), MH would be connected to NG via the switch, but as MH would be permanently connected to NH via the tone pot wiring this would mean NH & NG would be connected to the same point -- in other words the neck pickup would be shorted --the result being that only the middle pickup would be selected.

---

I think I will have position 5, neck only with a tone knob, position 4 with tone knob, position 3 with a tone knob, position 2 with the master tone knob (controls middle and bridge equally) and bridge tone knob (further warms the bridge pickup) and finally position 1, bridge only, has it's own bridge tone and the master tone.

That list is more-or-less accurate for a (correctly wired) master tone, which as I say should be like in the opening post: wired from the output of the switch -- either directly from the OP terminal, or (as in the first diagram) from the lug on the volume pot that is connected to it.

The only discrepancy is your description of position 2: "the master tone knob (controls middle and bridge equally) and bridge tone knob (further warms the bridge pickup)". It doesn't really work like that: in this position, both tone controls are in parallel with both pickups, therefore either tone control affects both pickups -- this is normal, and the way that the traditional Strat position 4 (N+M) works with the more usual neck & middle tones. The only way to get truly separate tone controls would be using some kind of active system that buffered the pickups & individual tone controls before mixing them.

Won't that mean there are two capacitors on the bridge pickup in position 1? Will that be problematic?

There will be two capacitors in position 1, but that shouldn't be an issue as such. It will mean that with both tone controls fully rolled off that the cut off frequency will be somewhat lower, so you'll be cutting more treble, but that shouldn't be too surprising.

Also, the bridge tone knob is a no load pot! So that could be interesting.

You'll be pleased to know that a no-load pot does not complicate matters further -- either the regular or my suggested wiring for the bridge tone control will work in the way as they were previously discussed.

[thedirestrat]

Dear Mr. Yogi B,

This is great! I know what to do now, perfectly.
Ok here is the diagram, this should be correct now right?


Master Volume, Master Tone Knob, and Bridge tone knob. I like what you said about the double capacitors, I will have to keep that in mind.
Also this wiring diagram should not pose any problems right? Lower bank will have a tone knob for each position (bridge pickup position 1 has two!), and everything on the upper bank should work as intended correct?

Phew this is going to be great, getting started right now! Thanks so much for the reply, I am waiting eagerly for the next one.
You, Yogi B sir, are a genius, and I hope to one day have a fraction of your expansive, never-ending knowledge.

Thanks for the help, all of you, 

Sincerely,

TheDireStrat

[Yogi B]

Jan 21, 2021 22:09:14 GMT -5 thedirestrat said:

Ok here is the diagram, this should be correct now right?

Hopefully.

---

In your message, you said that "position 10 doesn't work out of phase" -- doesn't work how? Are you getting no signal at all, sound just from the neck pickup, or something else? It's somewhat odd if, whatever the issue is, is only present in position 10. I'd expect any issue affecting the phase switching in position 10 to affect at least position 6 also (and maybe positions 2, 4 & 7 too).

Just checking:

• Neither the middle or neck pickups has a baseplate like the bridge, or if they do you've already run a separate ground wire for those too?
• The two signal wires for the middle pickup are only connected to the phase switch, and neither is accidentally being shorted either to another terminal or to ground?

[thedirestrat]

I will recheck today (the wiring). I did a sound check! Every position works as expected! The only thing that's weird is the out of phase switching. In positions 2 and 4 when it is on, something definitely does happen, for I hear a difference in tone and 60 cycle hum. Position 4 didn't sound too out of phase, it sounded only slightly different from position 4 in phase... but something truly interesting was in position 2, where I got buzz, but the tone was basically identical to position 1! So what I am saying is: position 2 out of phase sounds identical to position 5 (bridge pickup only). So yeah the out of phase switch isn't working anymore, it was before, I will see if everything is properly connected. 

Oh yeah and in position 10 and 6 I get absolutely no signal. Nothing no sound just the acoustic ring of the strings themselves.

Thanks for all the help so far.

[thedirestrat]

Yeah so the out of phase doesn't work as expected anymore. 

[Yogi B]

Jan 26, 2021 13:09:27 GMT -5 thedirestrat said:

I will recheck today (the wiring). I did a sound check! Every position works as expected! The only thing that's weird is the out of phase switching. In positions 2 and 4 when it is on, something definitely does happen, for I hear a difference in tone and 60 cycle hum. Position 4 didn't sound too out of phase, it sounded only slightly different from position 4 in phase... but something truly interesting was in position 2, where I got buzz, but the tone was basically identical to position 1! So what I am saying is: position 2 out of phase sounds identical to position 5 (bridge pickup only). So yeah the out of phase switch isn't working anymore, it was before, I will see if everything is properly connected. 

Oh yeah and in position 10 and 6 I get absolutely no signal. Nothing no sound just the acoustic ring of the strings themselves.

Based on that description, I think my two previous ideas were incorrect -- it appears not that (in the out of phase setting) the phase switch is shorting something that it shouldn't, but instead that it isn't connecting something that is should.

What about Position 3 (Middle only)? Switching the phase of a singly selected pickup should make little to no perceivable difference whether it's wired 'forwards'/in-phase or 'backwards'/out-of-phase -- however, at present, I expect that although it works correctly in the 'in-phase' setting, you currently get no output in the 'out-of-phase' setting. Is that correct?

Also, if you do get no output is there any noise/buzz? And if so, does it get quieter when lowering the volume; or (what I do not expect, but is the alternative) is it quietest at both the absolute maximum and minimum rotations, but gets louder somewhere in the middle (8 or 9 for a log pot, or around 5 for a linear pot)?

---

I don't know which way around you've wired the switch (it could be one of the two ways shown below, or it could be one of those mirrored horizontally), but overall those choices shouldn't matter and they'd all be affected by my suspected issue.

In the in-phase setting (push-pull down), the switch must connect the terminals 5 & 6 and separately also connect the terminals 2 & 3 (as per the labelling in my image).

In the out-of-phase setting (push-pull up), the switch must connect the terminals 5 & 4 and separately also connect the terminals 2 & 1.

Given the above, and your descriptions, the connections made to terminals 2, 3, 5 & 6 seem sound and so my current suspicion falls on terminals 1 and/or 4, so I'd check those and the 'cross-over' wires from terminals 6 & 3 respectively.

[thedirestrat]

Thank you!! My middle pickup just doesn't make any sound now. Literally nothing. No buzz, the volume knob, the tone knob doesn't do anything. Therefore positions 2 and 4 do nothing either. Position 6 and 10 do not work either, in and out of phase, they make noise, but it's just position 1 and 5 again. So maybe some connections are not well soldered. Maybe something is shorting out.

[thedirestrat]

My middle pickup used to work before I tried to fix the out of phase switch (before you replied), and it would make no difference if the out of phase switch was on and off on position 3. Position 10 and 6 worked like they were supposed to, but the out of phase switch didnt work as expected with them. I don't understand, because it worked before I started this thread, and the changes I made (bridge tone knob) shouldn't affect this switch. Thanks for the help!

[Yogi B]

Feb 3, 2021 14:34:18 GMT -5 thedirestrat said:

Thank you!! My middle pickup just doesn't make any sound now. Literally nothing. No buzz, the volume knob, the tone knob doesn't do anything. Therefore positions 2 and 4 do nothing either. Position 6 and 10 do not work either, in and out of phase, they make noise, but it's just position 1 and 5 again. So maybe some connections are not well soldered. Maybe something is shorting out.

Feb 3, 2021 14:38:09 GMT -5 thedirestrat said:

My middle pickup used to work before I tried to fix the out of phase switch (before you replied), and it would make no difference if the out of phase switch was on and off on position 3. Position 10 and 6 worked like they were supposed to, but the out of phase switch didnt work as expected with them. I don't understand, because it worked before I started this thread, and the changes I made (bridge tone knob) shouldn't affect this switch. Thanks for the help!

[thedirestrat]

So uh, it looks like the Boogieman stole your words...

[Yogi B]

Feb 5, 2021 13:10:49 GMT -5 thedirestrat said:

So uh, it looks like the Boogieman stole your words...

Indeed, I don't know how that happened.

Though I don't think anything that useful was lost, largely I was just agreeing with you're latest evaluation -- yes, it appears that the middle pickup is shorted.

Also that the only way in which the tone pot wiring of the could have made any difference to the wiring of the middle pickup is if the middle pickup was originally somehow only being grounded via that tone pot, which seems quite unlikely.

Unfortunately I don't know if I can offer much else in the way of advice, other than the phase switch is the most obvious place where any shorts may be occurring.