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3 Pickups + 5 Way Rotary Switch = ?


mikevirok

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Hello again everyone! I know it's been quite some time since I posted anything on this forum, but I've been extremely busy with my repair shop & I haven't had the time to do much else of anything.

A friend of mine recently decided to modify his Epiphone Les Paul (I haven't seen it personally, so I cannot elaborate much on the model), and he wants to install a 5-way rotary switch to select between three pickups. He was going to bring his guitar and the 5-way/4-pole rotary switch to another friend of his to do the work for him since I had no clue as to how this could be done. Unfortunately, I think he ran into some issues getting this done through his friend and I am now going to tackel this project personally.

So, my question is: how can I wire a 5-way, 4-pole rotary switch to select between 3 humbuckers ala Strat-style?

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ive done this before, quite a while ago.

just use a standard strat kinda 5-way wiring diagram :

http://www.axesrus.com/images/5WAYJAP.jpg

and connect the humbuckers up as single coils (connect cold output from one coil to hot on the other coil) (if i remeber right)

unless he wants coil taps on the humbuckers, which will make everything very complicated, so shhhh dont tell him if he hasnt asked!! :D

hope this helps,

will

edit: ok im abit of an idiot, ure using a rotary switch, im not sure how that will afect the diagram, as i havnt used them before. ile need 2 do some reading !

Edited by andaliteuk
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So, my question is: how can I wire a 5-way, 4-pole rotary switch to select between 3 humbuckers ala Strat-style?

Can you work with a schematic ?? This is what you're after:

SCHEM.gif

As you said Les Paul, I'm assuming 4 pots. I rearranged the pots to work as infividual volume for each pickup and a master tone.

You only need two sections (poles) of the rotary switch for this, and it gives you the usual Strat combinations: N, N+M, M, M+B, B.

Options:

-Neck+Bridge instead of middle in position 3 can also be done with two sections of the switch.

-Coil tapping for the in-between positions (2 and 4) would require the other two sections of the switch.

-All-three instead of middle in position 3 would also require the other two sections.

Let me know if I can be of further help.

Hope this helps.

Edited by Blackdog
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That's a great start... only the switch I am attempting to use is the one in the diagram below...

0207.gif

.... so how do we make your suggested wiring scheme work on this style switch?

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