3 Way Switch, For 3 Pups?

[radrobgray]

how do these work i saw one at stewmac but i didnt understand how they worked. does each position activate only one pup at a time...

also do you know of any 3 way strat style switches that have one position for each pup. i dont usually combine pup configureations. the guitar i want this for has teh H-S-H config.

[hooglebug]

if you mean just an ordinary 3 way switch, these are usually used on 2 pickup guitars to have either or both on. im sure a strat type switch could be wired that way but what if you decide one day that you want to combine them? maybe an on/off for each pu, or a 3 way for the hbs and a mini toggle for the sc?

[radrobgray]

sounds could i wire one mini switch to turn on the bridge or the neck independant of the switch? and is there a way to by pass the mini switch?

[mikhailgtrski]

sounds could i wire one mini switch to turn on the bridge or the neck independant of the switch? and is there a way to by pass the mini switch?

Yes, or you could use a 3-way tele/strat switch if you don't want to combine pickups.

[JoeAArthur]

The original wiring for a strat only selected 1 pickup at a time. I believe the 5-way only came along... several years after CBS purchased Fender.

[hooglebug]

sounds could i wire one mini switch to turn on the bridge or the neck independant of the switch? and is there a way to by pass the mini switch?

you could just use the strat switch to have the three individually and then a mini on/off toggle for whichever you wanted. that way you could use the mini toggle to combine the bridge lets say, with either of the other two. or you could use a push/pull pot if you didnt want to change the cosmetic look of your guitar

[has-sound]

The old Gibson SG Custom had 3 pickups and a 3-way toggle switch. There was also a 3 pickup Les Paul with the same wiring. The positions were:

1-Neck

2-Middle & Bridge

3-Bridge

The old 3-way Strat switches WERE wired for each pickup individually. It is actually the same switch that Tele's still use, only wired differently. People used to put it in between positions to get two pickups on at the same time. That is why they came out with the 5-way switch.

-Stan

Edited May 27, 2006 by has-sound