Five-way switch issues

[big_black]

Bare in mind I'm pretty ignorant with wiring- I'm trying to wire up the five-way switch to get the bridge in series. First off, the Gibson switch has more blades than than in the Duncan diagram. I'll try and make a diagram here that shows the wiring I have hooked up right now. Keep in mind the color codes here are Gibson. The Duncan diagram shows four blades, the Gibson switch has a group of four blades and a group of five blades. Not sure what to make of it. Ground wires seem to be intact so I won't show them in the diagram. to my ears, the last postion (neck humbucker) is the only one in series. The first set of four blades are the bridge humbucker's wires, the second set of five are for the neck 'bucker.


G = green
W = white
R = red
- = nothing


G/W -
R -
R G/W
- -
=============
- -
- -
- G/W
- G/W
- R


The letters on multiple blades are connected with a jumper wire. Hopefully this makes sense to someone.

**edit** The forum won't allow more than one space in between characters. In the first set of four, G/W are connected with a jumper, as are the two R. On the set of five, only G/W are connected with a jumper.

[big_black]

Re: Five-way switch issues

Come on wiring gurus, I know you're out there!

[BlueGuitar]

Re: Five-way switch issues

Can you give us more information about the 5 way switch and the guitar it is on? I'd guess that it is the Nighthawk that you mentioned but would like that confirmed.

When you mention wiring the bridge pickup in series, do you mean how it is wired internally, or how it is linked with the neck pickup?

Funny thing is when you asked about replacing the Nighthawk bridge pickup, my first thought was maybe wiring it in series with the neck pickup to give it some more oomph...

[big_black]

Re: Five-way switch issues

Can you give us more information about the 5 way switch and the guitar it is on? I'd guess that it is the Nighthawk that you mentioned but would like that confirmed.

When you mention wiring the bridge pickup in series, do you mean how it is wired internally, or how it is linked with the neck pickup?

Funny thing is when you asked about replacing the Nighthawk bridge pickup, my first thought was maybe wiring it in series with the neck pickup to give it some more oomph...

It is the Nighthawk. I've never really been a fan if five-ways. I don't really need that many combinations, toggles/minis are so much easier IMO. I don't really know the theories behind wiring, I usually just copy diagrams and go by how it sounds. I want to hear the bridge humbucker with both coils in series to hear if I like it. Since I really don't know what I'm doing, I'll post some pics tomorrow so you guys can see the switch and get a beter idea. Thanks

[BlueGuitar]

Re: Five-way switch issues

Here are some links with info on the Nighthawk. It looks like Position #2 is supposed to be both coils of the bridge pickup. The wiring diagram seems to be incomplete.

http://www.blueshawk.info/nighthawk_schematics.htm

http://www.gibson.com/relations/schematics/diagrams/nithawk.gif

[big_black]

Re: Five-way switch issues

Here are some links with info on the Nighthawk. It looks like Position #2 is supposed to be both coils of the bridge pickup. The wiring diagram seems to be incomplete.

http://www.blueshawk.info/nighthawk_schematics.htm

http://www.gibson.com/relations/sche...ms/nithawk.gif

No accually the picture diagram (2 pickup wiring) is exactly the wiring I have here. Strange. THANK YOU.

[ArtieToo]

Re: Five-way switch issues

Hey big_black; Just wanted to let you know, I saw your question, and saw that diagram. I can't make heads-or-tails out of that switch, and wouldn't want to speculate on how to wire it.

I wasn't ignoring you . . . I just don't know.

[BlueGuitar]

Re: Five-way switch issues

No accually the picture diagram (2 pickup wiring) is exactly the wiring I have here. Strange. THANK YOU.

From what I can figure out, both pickups are wired up so that Red is hot and that White/Green is the tap point (with Black being connected to ground). With White and Green tied together, the humbuckers are wired internally in series (not parallel) for the full humbucker sound. Here is a diagram of the switching logic (which does not exactly match the physical layout):

Position #1 - Bridge [single coil]
Position #2 - Bridge [humbucker]
Position #3 - Bridge and neck [single coils]
Position #4 - Neck [single coil]
Position #5 - Neck [humbucker]

Pole One
Common - HOT from volume pot CCW terminal
Pos 1 - Bridge [white/green]
Pos 2 - Bridge [red]
Pos 3 - Bridge [red]
Pos 4 -
Pos 5 -

Pole Two
Common - HOT from volume pot CCW terminal
Pos 1
Pos 2
Pos 3 - Neck [white/green]
Pos 4 - Neck [white/green]
Pos 5 - Neck [red]

Pole Three
Common - Ground
Pos 1
Pos 2
Pos 3 - Bridge [white/green]
Pos 4
Pos 5

[Pole Four is not used]

As for hotrodding your Nighthawk for starters I would probably try replacing Position #4 (neck pickup - single coil) with single coils from both pickups in series. That linkage would provide a good contrast to Position #3, which is single coils from both pickups in parallel. Here are the details of that mod, with the changes highlighted with asterisks:

Modified wiring harness

Position #1 - Bridge [single coil]
Position #2 - Bridge [humbucker]
Position #3 - Bridge and neck [single coils]
* Position #4 - Bridge and neck [single coils in series] *
Position #5 - Neck [humbucker]

Pole One
Common - HOT from volume pot CCW terminal
Pos 1 - Bridge [white/green]
Pos 2 - Bridge [red]
Pos 3 - Bridge [red]
* Pos 4 - Bridge [red] *
Pos 5 -

Pole Two
Common - HOT from volume pot CCW terminal
Pos 1
Pos 2
Pos 3 - Neck [white/green]
* Pos 4 - n/c *
Pos 5 - Neck [red]

Pole Three
* Common - Bridge [white/green] *
Pos 1
Pos 2
* Pos 3 - Ground *
* Pos 4 - Neck [white/green] *
Pos 5

For further hotrodding of the Nighthawk you could replace one or both of the pots with the push-pull variety. I'm not familiar with the Nighthawk so I don't know if it uses the long bushing pots required for Les Pauls or just regular guitar pots.

--Enjoy!

3/3/05 I have attached a drawing of the modified Nighthawk wiring harness, which uses an All Parts EP 078 megaswitch. (I'd have to see the stock Gibson switch to figure out how to do the mod with that part. )

[big_black]

Re: Five-way switch issues

You've been a great help. Thanks