Custom Wiring Push Pull Knob Plus Switch

[truthsandrights]

Hi I am looking to get some help with a custom wire job I plan to do with my project guitar.

I'll start by explaining what I wish to achieve.

I have a strat that I am fitting with two humbuckers, one volume knob, one tone knob (push/pull), 1 2-way switch, & one 3-way pick up selector.

Im putting a black ice on the tone knob. i want the push pull knob to engage the black ice when pulled. plus I want the 2-way switch to give me the option of using either the black ice or a diff type of diode when the knob is pulled, and of course when its in the normal position the tone will be standard.

I have some books on the wiring of guitars but they never explain about custom jobs like this.

Also they dont explain how to wire 2 humbuckers to just 1 volume and 1 tone on a 3-way selector.

Any help would be appreciated also maybe some tips. I'm pretty sure what I want to do will work but please let me know if something seems wrong in the way I planned this out.

Thanks

Edited October 30, 2008 by truthsandrights

[Ripthorn]

As for wiring the two humbuckers to one tone and one volume, stewmac and emg's websites have wiring diagrams for that. As far as using the push/pull for the overdrive, I think it would work. I think what you would do is wire up the pushed part like a normal tone with the cap to ground. Then on the pull (switch engaged) you could just have it wired like a normal tone also, but with the black ice to ground instead of the cap (like on the normal tone). I think with the two way switch, you would actually have to take the ground lug of the pull (switch engaged), run it into an on/on switch with one side going through the black ice to ground and the other through your other diode to ground. Others will probably correct me if I am wrong.

I guess one question I have is why you want black ice and a different diode? I could understand maybe one of those active onboard distortions and black ice to get different sounds, but if you use schottsky diodes, my understanding is that they can be a little lacking in the quality department soundwise (especially for lower output pickups).

I think what I suggest above would work, but if it doesn't, or if there's a better way, then I am sure someone will correct me. Hope it helps.

[kpcrash]

I know a picture is worth 1000 words, put I'm at my "real job" with limited graphics capabilities at the moment. What's been suggested could very well work - I'd have one hell of a ground though. The two humbuckers to a 3-way is going to depend though on which poles you want activated and when - or as the Black Ice may indicate - you're going for full all out all coils assault (not that there's anything wrong with that). I do have to ask though - why not hook the b.i. and other diode to the two way and run that to the tone - providing an interrupt between the lead from the tone and thus creating a common ground from there (or have had too much coffee today?).

[Ripthorn]

Do you mean put the two way between the volume and tone on the signal lead or on the ground lead? On the ground lead could possibly work, but then he could probably ditch the push/pull and instead of a two way, he would need a three way on/on/on so that he could pass regular cap/b.i./diode to the tone pot ground. That is, it might work if I understand what you are saying, kp.

Edit: another way to do it would to be eliminate the push pull pot, and put in the three way on/on/on as the output of the tone knob ground lug and just have regular cap/b.i./diode all going to ground. Or he could do a kind of varitone thing (it would be awesome to have like three distortions and a couple cleans in a varitone, I think. hmmm). Lots of options.

Edited October 30, 2008 by Ripthorn

[kpcrash]

exactly - hit the ground lead since the caps control what is going to ground.

[Ripthorn]

Now I think I may have to try this on one I just re-finished. Darn this forum for giving me more ideas than I will ever be able to implement. But I like the thought of an onboard distortion machine (several distortions).

[truthsandrights]

Now I think I may have to try this on one I just re-finished. Darn this forum for giving me more ideas than I will ever be able to implement. But I like the thought of an onboard distortion machine (several distortions).

Thanks guys. the 3-way kill switch does make sense to replace the push/pull. I havent made up my mind though, I will be wiring it up on thanksgiving break so thats plenty of time for me to decide. But I may stick with the push/pull b/c I have the parts for that config already. As for the other diode, I know its kinda weird to have that and the black ice but i wanted to try it out in comparison to the B.I. Im using dimarzio evolution humbuckers so I think they will have a high enough output to drive the diodes to distort. But if the diode turns out not so good ill just ditch it along with the switch and just wire the black ice to the push/pull.

New Thought:

Im wondering if I did use the 3 way for the cap/b.i./diode and then kept the push/pull for a diff pick up config. Im not too keen on what coil tapping is and what the diff options do but that may be wise to do in the sense of having endless options.

What do you guys think?

[Ripthorn]

I'm always a sucker for more options. I say if you want more options, then go for it. I like coil splitting so that I can many sounds from a single guitar. There are some songs or amps that are much friendlier to a single coil than a huge humbucker.