6 Position Switch?!

[lateralus]

Hey guys,

I've just bought a 6 position rotary switch off ebay. It was going to go into my Les Paul, and i was going to also put in a Duncan Custom in the bridge and a Pearly Gates in the neck. Anyone got any suggestions for the different p'up wirings? I play metal, though i need a lot of versatility...

[Benjy_26]

Re: 6 Position Switch?!

I'd do the standard LP wiring for 3 positions, and standard LP switching with split coil wiring for the other 3.

[St_Genesius]

Re: 6 Position Switch?!

What does a 6-way switch look like? Is it an LP-style toggle?

[skh515]

Re: 6 Position Switch?!

What does a 6-way switch look like? Is it an LP-style toggle?

It's a rotary switch, so it has knob. It could look just like a Vol or Tone pot, or with the chicken knob it could look like a Varitone.

I just bought one, but I'm using mine with a single JB Trembucker. So, I should end up with each coil split, parallel in and out of phase and series in and out of phase. At least that's what I'm hoping for. This is kind of an experiment to see which tones I might have a use for and which ones I should avoid with my style of playing.

With two pups, I think I'd want to try combining the split coils (i.e. Neck pup North and Bridge pup South). For that wide open Tele middle position type thing.

Neck, Neck and Bridge, Bridge, Neck and Bridge split; that makes four. You might consider each pup split for the last two positions. That would give you single coil sounds.

[Lightning]

Re: 6 Position Switch?!

Neck coils in series*, one coil from neck and one coil from bridge in series, bridge coils in series*, and all four in series reversing phase of each other coil (that's the way I did mine) or both whole pickups in series reversing the phase on one. Volume is equal in all positions and the series out of phase will give you a boost/scoop (like a wah with a fresh battery left depressed 3/4s of the way).

You could utilize the other 2 positions or set the stop at 4. These are my favorite of combinations I have tried...there are some on the Jimmy Page that I haven't.

[lateralus]

Re: 6 Position Switch?!

i light lightnings idea of reversing phase on the coils, i also like the "les tele" idea which was something i was thinking about doing. i think i'll end up with

1.Neck in series
2.Two Outside Bridge and Neck coils in series
3.Bridge in series
4.Both pickups reversed phase
5.Two inside Bridge and Neck coils
6. Spare for an eventual piezo pickup system perhaps, although im unsure how well this will work

thanks for your help guys

[ArtieToo]

Re: 6 Position Switch?!

Hey laterus; Can you count the number of actual lugs on the switch and post back? Also, see if it looks similar to this or this. With a 6-way, there should be 14 lugs.

Just because the handle has 6 positions, doesn't necessarily mean you can do 6 different things . . . at least, not like you're describing. (You might, but not necessarily.) Let us know.

Also, on your #4, there's no reason to ever run both pickups in reverse phase. Phase reversal only affects the sound when one pup is reversed relevant to the other.

Like I said, lets us know on the lug count, and we'll go from there.