Challenge: Coil select, Phase swap, Series

[MattB]

Nov 10, 2022 16:33:51 GMT -5 stevewf said:

Thanks again for that schematic, MattB. I wonder if there's a way -- and if you'd be willing -- to share the easyeda file. I'd like to try using that program, but I don't find all the nice components you've already put in that drawing (like pickup coils and five-way switches).

Yeah I ended up drawing a lot of my own symbols because I couldn't find what I needed.
I made the project public:

oshwlab.com/mattbgtr/s-h-s

There should be a link to open it in the editor.

[stevewf]

Nov 11, 2022 20:22:30 GMT -5 MattB said:

Nov 10, 2022 16:33:51 GMT -5 stevewf said:

Thanks again for that schematic, MattB. I wonder if there's a way -- and if you'd be willing -- to share the easyeda file. I'd like to try using that program, but I don't find all the nice components you've already put in that drawing (like pickup coils and five-way switches).

Yeah I ended up drawing a lot of my own symbols because I couldn't find what I needed.
I made the project public:

oshwlab.com/mattbgtr/s-h-s

There should be a link to open it in the editor.

Yes, I see now that you built the symbols yourself. And now I've benefitted by copying the custom items. Thank you!

[stevewf]

Nov 11, 2022 13:20:38 GMT -5 newey said:

What happens when both are Up? Is that the "half out of phase" with the cap?

Also, I'm not exactly clear on which of the several diagrams in this thread you used in the end. Without knowing the switching, just a guess, do the 2 switches select different coils of the middle for the out of phase? That may have been done to keep hum cancellation for both in-phase and out-of-phase, not sure.

If what is wanted is to not have the phase affected by the 5-way switch, you could just wire a phase switch across the middle pickup before the 5-way switch, before any other switching. This would eliminate the need for on of the slide switches, you could use the second slider for something else.

I hope nobody wastes too much time on trying to solve this, since I plan to post a new request anyway. But, to answer questions:

The drawing that most closely matches the guitar is this one (above in this thread). In it, the series/parallel switch is S2 and the phase/coil selector is S1. The 5-way superswitch is S3.
In the photos just above, the series/parallel switch is the one that's closer to the 5-way selector.

The series/parallel switch is global for all two-coil combos, i.e. positions#2, #3 and #4. Dn=series, Up=parallel. This switch doesn't affect the problem I tried to highlight. The trouble occurs in position of this switch.

The other slider, a phase/coil selector, only affects the middle coils, and only in positions#2 and #4; it chooses which coil of the middle pickup is live, and, by virtue of the wiring scheme, which signal phase comes out of the middle pickup. Dn=South (closer to bridge), Up=North.

One of the goals of the whole design was to enable hum-cancelling In Phase and Out of Phase combos in positions#2 and #4. The current design achieves this. In position#2, the bridge (south) pickup can be combined with either the south or north coil of the middle pickup (switch Up or Down, respectively). Two souths will be out of phase; a north and a south will be in phase (remember, they're all humbucking combos). Yes, it's achieved here, but with warts.

Here's a restating of the problem: In Pos#2, if you want InPhase, slide the switch to Up. In Pos#4, if you want InPhase, slide the switch to Dn. That's the wart; I'd prefer Up=InPhase in both position#s.

But again,  I hope nobody bangs their head against the wall too hard; I still plan to post another, superseding request in a new thread. I intend a new thread partially because I'm refining the request (i.e. moving the goalposts, sorry, but I warned y'all!) and also because I have a new switch to use.

[newey]

Nov 13, 2022 0:32:27 GMT -5 stevewf said:

One of the goals of the whole design was to enable hum-cancelling In Phase and Out of Phase combos in positions#2 and #4. The current design achieves this. In position#2, the bridge (south) pickup can be combined with either the south or north coil of the middle pickup (switch Up or Down, respectively). Two souths will be out of phase; a north and a south will be in phase (remember, they're all humbucking combos). Yes, it's achieved here, but with warts.

I understand the need for a new thread. The above is what I was assuming. So, I gather the goal is to keep the hum-cancellation, such that you select one single coil from the middle in-phase and the opposite coil when the phase switch is set to out-of-phase. This is to happen both when in series and in parallel?

I see a 4-pole switch in your future . . . . Maybe two. Not sure these are available in a slide switch, at least not one which will easily fit in a guitar cavity.`

[stevewf]

Nov 13, 2022 6:55:35 GMT -5 newey said:

I understand the need for a new thread. The above is what I was assuming. So, I gather the goal is to keep the hum-cancellation, such that you select one single coil from the middle in-phase and the opposite coil when the phase switch is set to out-of-phase. This is to happen both when in series and in parallel?

I see a 4-pole switch in your future . . . . Maybe two. Not sure these are available in a slide switch, at least not one which will easily fit in a guitar cavity.`

Yes, you've got that part. There's more, too, though. I'm not ignoring people's replies, but I'm short on time right now; I hope to pickup up in that new thread maybe late tonight or tomorrow.

[stevewf]

OK, so I've updated this initial request for help and put it in a new thread: Coil select, Phase swap, Series - Part 2. Grateful for any input there