Need A Wiring Diagram!

[Natman]

Hi all,

I'm not a total newb at wiring, but for some reason I can't seem to find the right wiring diagram for what I'm after in the usual places. The Duncan site definitely doesn't have it (not like this anyway).

Here's what I need:

For a 4-conductor humbucker (new Duncan P-Rails) I want to be able to get ALL 4 SOUNDS out of each pickup. If I got this right, I should be able to do it wit 2 mini switches (one on-on-on and one on-off-on). Because the coils are so different I want to be able to get all the sounds.

If I am not mistaken, I need: split (n coil) - series - split (s coil) wired on a on-on-on switch and the second switch (on-off-on) to choose series or parallel when the first switch is in the middle.

Can you help me? I'd love to get this wired up this weekend!

Thank you so much

[Petros]

I just basically asked the same question here http://projectguitar.ibforums.com/index.php?showtopic=35046

looking for single coil/humbucker switch and series/parallel switch for each set of Lace Duallys.

Still searching the Internet for a direct answer, though I think I'm going to end up experimenting. You might want to check the links I posted.

(update: By the way, I decided to go with this: http://www.1728.com/guitar5.htm

It won't give you the option of using only one single coil at a time (no great loss), but it does everything else switching from parralel to series with each coil configuration.)

Edited March 25, 2008 by Petros

[al heeley]

If I were you, I would first check guitarelectronics dot com and then the Guitar Nutz forum: http://guitarnuts2.proboards45.com/index.cgi?board=wiring

[lvs]

Diagram (1) has a coil selector switch and a series/parallel switch.

Diagram (2) is imo better : much more simple, has cheaper parts and switching is still intuitive. Unless you insist that it works as you described in your first post, I'd say use this one.

Both diagrams can also be used for switching full pickups instead of pickup coils, but you can only have one master volume then.

For switching pickups, diagram (3) shows still another possibility. Sw1 is just a regular 3-position selector like you'll find in Les Paul type guitars. Adding Sw2 creates the possibility to put both pickups in series. But it works as an override switch : switching to series works at any position of Sw1.

These circuits can be combined with each other or with other stuff you may find elsewhere. Just one more thing : there are reasons to avoid a bunch of switches, like for example it's not the easiest thing to handle on stage. Another one is you might have seconds thoughts afterwards about having swiss cheesed your precious axe. But eventually what you want and like, counts imho. Anyway, I hope this helps.

[Natman]

That's fantastic! I happen to have DPDT 3-way mini toggles and 3-Pole mini toggles (3PDT) so I'll go for the first one (which is what I was thinking of anyway). Now I noticed my DPDT's are on-on-on but my 3PDT's are on-off-on. Does that change anything for me? I'm *this close* to wiring this sucker up.

Oh one more thing, is that the hot lead coming off the top left lug on the first switch?

Edited March 21, 2008 by Natman

[lvs]

For this application, your 3-pole switch must have only 2 positions to work properly here. How your switches should work exactly is depicted in grey. A suggestion : check what lugs are internally connected at each switch position with a multimeter to see they work the same as in those grey pictures.

If you use a 3-pole on-off-on though, which I understand has one more lever position in the middle which adds up to 3, that middle position shouldn't be there and will not work properly, but if you whack the lever so that each time it skips the middle position, it will work. So you could install that for the time being and after evaluation drop in the right switch if you still think it's worthwhile.

To answer your hot lead question : yep. (Edit : you can also solder that hot lead to the center lug of the 3PDT if that's more convenient.) And to fit the diagram into the whole guitar circuit, just treat everything between the leads marked "hot" and "cold" as a black box, as one pickup. But keep any ground lead that's connected to the base plate or any other external part of the pickup separated from those two, and from the 4 coil leads also. Run it to ground separately. You can't go wrong then.

I'm off for a few days but I think you know enough, so I'm as good as redundant now anyway. Happy soldering.

Edited March 21, 2008 by lvs

[Natman]

"if you whack the lever so that each time it skips the middle position, it will work."

That's what I was hoping! I'll give it a go and report back. Thanks a million Ivs