Post by jhng on Apr 17, 2022 17:42:42 GMT -5
Hello, all. I've been continuing my search for simplified but versatile SSS schemes using a three-way switch plus blenders instead of tone pots (which I've never used anyway). Here is the latest iteration. I've got rid of the push/pull pots. Presuming I've got it right, this should access to all the basic series and parallel combinations (plus some extra tricks) with only a three-way blade switch and two blenders. I'm slightly amazed that you can get all the series and parallel combinations (excepting hybrid combinations) with so few controls.
The operation is as follows:
Position 3 - Bridge pickup only (with both blenders at 0). Blend 2 at 10 adds the Middle in parallel. Blend 1 at 10, adds a 0.015uf tone cap (for a kind of fixed wah tone). When the blend pots are below 8 or thereabouts there should be little or no effect.
Position 2 - Bridge pickup only (with both blenders at 0). However, here Blend 2 adds the Middle in Series and Blend 1 adds the Neck in Series (adding both gives BxMxN). Blend 2 at 10 bypasses the Bridge pickup, giving access to Middle alone and to Neck x Middle in series. Blend 1 at 10 bypasses the Neck pickup through a 0.047uf cap, giving 'broadbucker' options for Bridge and Middle (or both).
Position 3 - Neck pickup only (with both blenders at 0). Blend 2 at 10 adds the Middle in parallel. Blend 1 at 10 adds the Bridge pickup in parallel. As with position 1, there should be little effect when the blend pots are below 8 or so.
In position 2, my expectation is the the full series blend would already be achieved once the blenders are at 7 or 8, meaning that a series blend can be set for position 2, while leaving positions 1 and 3 unaffected.
The total list of basic settings is:
B
B (with 0.015uf tone cap)
M
N
B+M
B+M (with 0.015uf tone cap)
N+B
N+M
N+M+B
BxM
BxN
BxN (broadbucker with 0.047uf bypass on N)
MxN
MxN (broadbucker with 0.047uf bypass on N)
BxMxN
BxMxN (broadbucker with 0.047uf bypass on N)
So sixteen basic settings, plus a significant degree of blending flexibility in the series options, all done with a three-way switch and a couple of knobs.
I would be interested in any comments. In particular, what pots would be best for this set up? From reviewing the stuff JohnH put together on series blenders, I'm thinking of using 250k audio taper pots, possibly with the track cut at about 8 so that the pots do not load the circuit.
The operation is as follows:
Position 3 - Bridge pickup only (with both blenders at 0). Blend 2 at 10 adds the Middle in parallel. Blend 1 at 10, adds a 0.015uf tone cap (for a kind of fixed wah tone). When the blend pots are below 8 or thereabouts there should be little or no effect.
Position 2 - Bridge pickup only (with both blenders at 0). However, here Blend 2 adds the Middle in Series and Blend 1 adds the Neck in Series (adding both gives BxMxN). Blend 2 at 10 bypasses the Bridge pickup, giving access to Middle alone and to Neck x Middle in series. Blend 1 at 10 bypasses the Neck pickup through a 0.047uf cap, giving 'broadbucker' options for Bridge and Middle (or both).
Position 3 - Neck pickup only (with both blenders at 0). Blend 2 at 10 adds the Middle in parallel. Blend 1 at 10 adds the Bridge pickup in parallel. As with position 1, there should be little effect when the blend pots are below 8 or so.
In position 2, my expectation is the the full series blend would already be achieved once the blenders are at 7 or 8, meaning that a series blend can be set for position 2, while leaving positions 1 and 3 unaffected.
The total list of basic settings is:
B
B (with 0.015uf tone cap)
M
N
B+M
B+M (with 0.015uf tone cap)
N+B
N+M
N+M+B
BxM
BxN
BxN (broadbucker with 0.047uf bypass on N)
MxN
MxN (broadbucker with 0.047uf bypass on N)
BxMxN
BxMxN (broadbucker with 0.047uf bypass on N)
So sixteen basic settings, plus a significant degree of blending flexibility in the series options, all done with a three-way switch and a couple of knobs.
I would be interested in any comments. In particular, what pots would be best for this set up? From reviewing the stuff JohnH put together on series blenders, I'm thinking of using 250k audio taper pots, possibly with the track cut at about 8 so that the pots do not load the circuit.
I don't see this as a good stealth implementation because you've replaced the standard blade switch with that 4P3T, but as a minimalist approach with maximum versatility, along with a greatly reduced "fiddly factor", I think even JohnH would be happy with this one in his arsenal.
