Petrucci 3 Way Selector...

[Pr3Va1L]

For those who don't know, Pettrucci's guitars all have 2 HBs with a special 3 way.

It's wirered:

neck/split coil from neck+split coil from bridge(in series)/bridge

Anyone has experience with this and could tell me how it sounds?

thanks

[Scott Rosenberger]

it sounds friggin awesome. the middle position sounds very stratty when clean, not so good when using high gain. All my 2 humbucker guitars are wired that way.

you need either a Dimarzio #EP1111 special 3 way switch or it's possible to use a standard Tele 3way blade switch as well. Kevan is the only person I know of with the Wiring diagram for the thele switch

[lovekraft]

Kevan is the only person I know of with the Wiring diagram for the thele switch

OK, Kev, give it up! I've been trying to figure out that trick ever since I heard it could be done with a stock Tele switch, and no luck! He'p a bruvva out, please!

[Jehle]

Hey, I think I figured it out. Gimmie a sec to draw it in something.

Pardon my Word art skilz. This is pretty poor, but you should see the trick is that you split the 2nd coil, quite literally. Do I win a prize or something?!

[Stalefish]

Waait a minute... Isn't the centre position on the switch the neck and bridge split coils in parallel instead of series? At least that was what I figured from the Music Man website..

(I'm asking mainly 'cause I've already figured the diagram for the centre coils in parallel.. Don't want to think I've wasted my grey matter.. )

EDIT: Yep.. Just checked it out.. Centre position is the inner coils of the neck and bridge humbucker in parallel..

Here's the schematic from the MM site.. (Not the wiring diagram..)

And here's my wiring diagram.. I think it's correct..

Edited September 17, 2005 by Stalefish

[Sambo]

It sounds good, but you have to be careful with your choice of pickups. Most dimarzio's work fine (with the exception of things like the D-sonic or whtever its called). Seymours are generally ok (invaders aren't very nice), but things like gibson humbuckers (or come to think of it anything with a cover!) sound a bit... funny in the middle position.

Give it a go

[Jehle]

Parallel! Now you tell me!

That's actually easier. So I'll trademark the series version for myself.

[Pr3Va1L]

hmmm well should I go with parallel or series... Wondering myself...

Also, on a SD Screamin' demon, wich coil should I split?? (for that and for a coil-tap)

[Sambo]

I think you mean should you use the outer or inner coils of each humbucker in the centre position? Depends what kind of sound you want! Just think that the inner coils will sound more like a strat in the middle position, but the outers will ssound more like a tele!

I always use the inner coils just because i think it gives a little more tonal variation across all three settings. but its upto you!

[JoeAArthur]

I think you mean should you use the outer or inner coils of each humbucker in the centre position? Depends what kind of sound you want! Just think that the inner coils will sound more like a strat in the middle position, but the outers will ssound more like a tele!

I always use the inner coils just because i think it gives a little more tonal variation across all three settings. but its upto you!

←

Hmm... could you go with a 4-way and get both?

[GregP]

By the time you do that, you might as well have a 5-way superswitch and use the PRS style of wiring, I'd imagine.

The cool thing about the Petrucci is that it's nice and simple-- only 3 choices.

Greg

[JoeAArthur]

By the time you do that, you might as well have a 5-way superswitch and use the PRS style of wiring, I'd imagine.

The cool thing about the Petrucci is that it's nice and simple-- only 3 choices.

Greg

←

Ok... I might agree that some guitarists might like the simplicity of only three choices. Some of them probably run out of fingers to count on!!

However... the "Petrucci" with full humbucker series neck and bridge pickups... to me seems to be lacking in the middle position with a single coil from each in parallel. That's quite a volume drop.

So I fell asleep last night, right after I solved it. <sigh> I spent most of today trying to recreate that solution. Don't ya just hate it when that happens?

This is it... and oh, and it does use a four way switch so if you are easily confused by the introduction of another position... please ignore this post.

This treats each coil of two humbuckers as individual units. It provides all FOUR humbucker combinations of each coil in series.

So maybe a 5-way or PRS style switching might seem appropriate... but with only FOUR combinations possible in these modes... why not use a 4-way switch? Otherwise you have the added COMPLEXITY of deciding on what you want that fifth combination to do.

Anyway... this is just another possible option for those with three-way selectors... neck/both/bridge that never used the both position with humbuckers... yeah, like I do. (or would that be don't?) - No, it means I don't use both humbuckers in parallel with each other!!

I have one guitar that it would be possible to wire this up on. Might be interesting... 4 positions of different, but essentially single pickup sounds.

[GregP]

<laff>

I wasn't saying that guitarists COULDN'T grasp extra positions. I was merely saying that for some people, the simpler the better. Which is part of the appeal of Telecasters for many people (not all.. some teles are right hotwired and complicated!), or the appeal of EVH's "one 'bucker, one volume knob" approach.

(well, 2 buckers ever since he 'gave in' to EBMM)

So it's not a matter of capability but of taste.

Cool bit of thinking with the 4-way. I'll just use the 5-way. <laff>

Greg

[ansil]

quick and dirty. not exactly the way the petrucci way is. since it is a different switch. and i didn't have time to dig out my ibanez one. so here this is what i was doing in the early 90's

standard 3way switch.

one side does the selection for the pickups. the other cuts the joined side of the coils to ground. since now two coils have double grounds they no longer conduct. and the one with ground and hot does.

ed