Is it possible to do with with a HH guitar and a 5-way strat selector + DPDT switch?

[ericcomposer72]

I'm hoping to get : 1. Bridge humbucker full 2. Bridge humbucker split 3. Bridge & Neck in parallel (full/ split with switch) 4. Neck humbucker split 5. Neck humbucker full

...or another way to get all of these combinations, but perhaps with a different means?

I'm currently getting all of these, but I'm only using 3 positions of the 5-way switch (using it as if it were a 3-way switch). Seems like I'm wasting it, and it's a lot more switching around to do...


Also curious if there are other interesting wiring diagrams for a 5-way strat-style selector on a HH guitar


Here was the stock wiring. I was considering using it as a basis (and using my DPDT switch as an override to get both full humbuckers in parallel), but decided against it, because it puts the two split coils together in series (I want them in parallel):

[Mincer]

It looks like a Schaller Megaswitch M can do this. Also you might check out my blog about a 5 way and 2 humbuckers here.

[Bowtomecha]

Schaller makes a 5 way that does this. Somebody here does something similar and there’s a diagram online.

[Bowtomecha]

Nevermind he’s right here lol.

have you though about doing a Jackson Ibanez type wiring with Neck series, neck parallel, outer coils parallel, inner coils parallel, bridge series? Everything is humcancelling.

[Bowtomecha]

Stuff like this

[Jack_TriPpEr]

Hey Eric,

Hope all is well.

With a normal (i.e. 2-poles only) 5 way switch, the best you can get is the 3 combinations of a standard 3 way switch, plus two splitcoils in parallel, and one of the humbuckers split by itself. And even then, those 5 options are in an odd sequence. See example below.

[ericcomposer72]

Hey Eric,

Hope all is well.

With a normal (i.e. 2-poles only) 5 way switch, the best you can get is the 3 combinations of a standard 3 way switch, plus two splitcoils in parallel, and one of the humbuckers split by itself. And even then, those 5 options are in an odd sequence. See example below.

Great! This is exactly what I was looking for.

Could I then use a DPDT on-on switch to split the bridge when it's by itself? If so, would either coil work, if setting up the switch to either short red/blue to ground or to black?

[Jack_TriPpEr]

Great! This is exactly what I was looking for.

Could I then use a DPDT on-on switch to split the bridge when it's by itself? If so, would either coil work, if setting up the switch to either short red/blue to ground or to black?

For Position 4 to continue to work as-is, the Series link from the Bridge pickup cannot get connected to ground via a push-pull if that series link also remains connected to the 5 way switch as it currently is. And if you were to instead wire that series link to Hot via a DPDT switch, you would end up with the Bridge pickup active in all five positions, and you don't want that either. I have to ponder how to mod the diagram to accomplish what you want; some existing connections have to get reconfigured beyond just adding a DPDT; can't just add a DPDT and have it all work. Will ponder this evening.

[Jack_TriPpEr]

Hey Eric,

I had some time tonight to look at my diagram without distractions, and I was wrong in my earlier assessment. Nothing on the 5 way switch needs to be reconfigured, other than disconnecting the Bridge pup's red-white series link wires from where they are currently connected on the 5 way switch. Then run that Bridge pup Red-White series link to the middle lug of the DPDT, then run a jumper wire from the "on" lug of the DPDT to ground. Also run a wire from the "off" lug of the DPDT to the lug on the 5 way switch where Bridge Red-White wires had been connected originally. When the DPDT is set to "on", Positions 2, 3, and 4 of the 5 way switch have the Bridge pup active and in splitcoil mode. When the DPDT is set to "off", the 5 way switch works just like it originally did. The way the wiring of the Bridge pickup is now, you get the North coil of the Bridge pickup active when it's split. If you want the South coil active instead in splitcoil mode, re-configure the Bridge pickup's wires so Red wire swaps place w Black wire, Green & Black replace Red & White as the series link pair, and White wire swaps place with the Green wire as the Ground wire. I call that "inside-out wiring". What it does is make the South coil be the first of the two coils to receive Hot signal (instead of the North coil being first) and that reverses which coil remains active when the series link pair is sent to ground or hot.

Enjoy!

[ericcomposer72]

Hey Eric,

I had some time tonight to look at my diagram without distractions, and I was wrong in my earlier assessment. Nothing on the 5 way switch needs to be reconfigured, other than disconnecting the Bridge pup's red-white series link wires from where they are currently connected on the 5 way switch. Then run that Bridge pup Red-White series link to the middle lug of the DPDT, then run a jumper wire from the "on" lug of the DPDT to ground. Also run a wire from the "off" lug of the DPDT to the lug on the 5 way switch where Bridge Red-White wires had been connected originally. When the DPDT is set to "on", Positions 2, 3, and 4 of the 5 way switch have the Bridge pup active and in splitcoil mode. When the DPDT is set to "off", the 5 way switch works just like it originally did. The way the wiring of the Bridge pickup is now, you get the North coil of the Bridge pickup active when it's split. If you want the South coil active instead in splitcoil mode, re-configure the Bridge pickup's wires so Red wire swaps place w Black wire, Green & Black replace Red & White as the series link pair, and White wire swaps place with the Green wire as the Ground wire. I call that "inside-out wiring". What it does is make the South coil be the first of the two coils to receive Hot signal (instead of the North coil being first) and that reverses which coil remains active when the series link pair is sent to ground or hot.

Enjoy!

Awesome! Thanks

[Jack_TriPpEr]

Awesome! Thanks

I should point out that that diagram uses Seymour Duncan wiring color codes... and my earlier comments about "inside out" wiring is also in that same frame of reference. In case the pups you have aren't Duncans.