Wiring help needed for two HB guitar

[jmcorey]

Hi everyone,

I have a new CC and Jazz neck that I'd like to use for a 2 HB guitar. 1 tone, 1 volume, 5-way super switch.

I would like to get:

1) Bridge HB
2) Bridge HB in parallel
3) Bridge HB with Neck HB
4) Bridge HB with Neck HB in Parallel
5) Neck HB

Anyone know if this is possible?

[beaubrummels]

You could put one pickup in parallel but not both. You need one set of lugs to select the bridge, one set of lugs to select the neck, the remaining two sets of lugs would be needed just to put one pickup in parallel.

[ArtieToo]

Anyone know if this is possible?

Correct.

You could put one pickup in parallel but not both.

Incorrect.

Gimme a sec.

[ArtieToo]

So: Fig 1 is the basic schematic, so that you can see what I'm doing. In fig 2, you have the Superswitch out on your bench, where it's easy to get to. Just solder the six jumper wires on. The dark blue are just 4 vertical jumpers. The cyan is one jumper that connects 6 terminals. The purple jumper connects 6 more. Then add the black and green "flying leads", such that the black is long enough to reach to your volume pot, and the green will reach to a convenient ground.

Then, (fig 3) install the switch in the guitar and connect the pup wires, and your two flying leads. Make sense?

[beaubrummels]

Correct.



Incorrect.

Gimme a sec.

Hmm, if there's a way to combine bridge position 2 on top of neck position 4 here, I guess maybe. I'm having a hard time seeing it. But maybe...

[ArtieToo]

Look at the two red boxes. Red is shorted to "hot", and white is shorted to ground, on both pups. Both in parallel.

[beaubrummels]

Look at the two red boxes. Red is shorted to "hot", and white is shorted to ground, on both pups. Both in parallel.

So by having both pickups always connected to the output, you're managing pickup selection through the other connections. That works.

A neck coil is hanging off the output for bridge-only, which I've read on here is an antennae or causes some noise for some. But it should work fine.

[ArtieToo]

So by having both pickups always connected to the output, you're managing pickup selection through the other connections. That works.

A neck coil is hanging off the output for bridge-only, which I've read on here is an antennae or causes some noise for some. But it should work fine.

Edit: That should have been a "yes" to your first question.

No. I would never do that. (Especially since I'm the one who *****es about it the most.)

See if this diagram helps. A 4-wire humbucker has five fundamental modes of operation: Off, series, parallel, slug, and screw. This is the technique I use for doing dual humbuckers, when I have the luxury of a lever switch. Note, in this diagram that each mode is a vertical configuration, indicated by the colored blocks. And any mode can be slid left or right to get whatever sequence you desire. And any mode can be duplicated. Note that in the diagram I made for the OP, the first two positions on the neck are both "off." And, when a pup is "off", black & white are shorted together, and red & green are shorted together. But slug and screw coils aren't connected. It's the quietest humbucker wiring you can have.

In a "normal wiring scheme, when a pup is off, one side is still connected to ground, with the "hot" side unterminated. If you're someone who moves around a lot on stage, and have a really long cable, your guitar isn't actually at ground potential. You can still pick up noise. With this wiring technique, you can't. All coils that are "off", are shorted out. In any mode.

And, it makes wiring a Superswitch super easy once you get used to the technique.

[ArtieToo]

And, it makes wiring a Superswitch super easy once you get used to the technique.

One of the important aspects of this is that all those wires don't "drop" to ground, or "rise" to hot. Once you decide what configuration and sequence you want, you jumper all the terminals that go to each other. Then connect one ground "flyer", and one hot "flyer." All done outside the guitar. Then, install the switch and connect the four pup wires.

[beaubrummels]

Edit: That should have been a "yes" to your first question.

No. I would never do that. (Especially since I'm the one who *****es about it the most.)

See if this diagram helps. A 4-wire humbucker has five fundamental modes of operation: Off, series, parallel, slug, and screw. This is the technique I use for doing dual humbuckers, when I have the luxury of a lever switch. Note, in this diagram that each mode is a vertical configuration, indicated by the colored blocks. And any mode can be slid left or right to get whatever sequence you desire. And any mode can be duplicated. Note that in the diagram I made for the OP, the first two positions on the neck are both "off." And, when a pup is "off", black & white are shorted together, and red & green are shorted together. But slug and screw coils aren't connected. It's the quietest humbucker wiring you can have.

In a "normal wiring scheme, when a pup is off, one side is still connected to ground, with the "hot" side unterminated. If you're someone who moves around a lot on stage, and have a really long cable, your guitar isn't actually at ground potential. You can still pick up noise. With this wiring technique, you can't. All coils that are "off", are shorted out. In any mode.

And, it makes wiring a Superswitch super easy once you get used to the technique.

I must be missing something or having a dumb day, but when black is shorted to white, both end up connected to the output - doesn't that result in that coil hanging off the hot as an antenna?

Edit: hmm, or is it because red-green is hanging off ground as a reverse/cancelling antenna?

[ArtieToo]

I must be missing something or having a dumb day, but when black is shorted to white, both end up connected to the output - doesn't that result in that coil hanging off the hot as an antenna?

No, because the coil is shorted out. All of it's "coil" properties are lost when it's shorted. To be an antenna, one end must be unterminated.

[jmcorey]

Wow, guys, thank you very much! Especially Artie! I will have to study this in detail to increase my knowledge of switching and switch wiring!

[Dave Locher]

Artie is a wiring genius

[Mincer]

I learn something every time Artie posts.

[beaubrummels]

After additional comments die out, maybe this one belongs in the vault. Or stickied somewhere.