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HH in Strat - 5-way vs 3-way w/ switch

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  • HH in Strat - 5-way vs 3-way w/ switch

    Just wondering what people’s views were on HH Strat with splits.
    I was considering either:
    a 5-way- bridge series, bridge split, both split, neck split, neck series; or
    3-way with a push-pull or toggle to split both.

    Thinking about a single volume pot and single (no-load?) tone pot and a kill-switch.

    Thanks.

  • #2
    I use inner and outer coils on my 5 way switch, and it is sufficiently different (and better) than individual split pickups. It is also hum-cancelling.
    Administrator of the SDUGF

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    • #3
      Originally posted by Mincer View Post
      I use inner and outer coils on my 5 way switch, and it is sufficiently different (and better) than individual split pickups. It is also hum-cancelling.
      Thank you, so what are the five selections you end up with?

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      • #4
        I have a warmoth strat with a super distortion bridge and Fred neck, and 5 way super switch. From back to front it goes: 1 bridge only full; 2 one coil of each parallel (similar to a strat pos 2) 3 full humbucker tone (I think it’s a coil of each in series); 4 neck in parallel; 5 neck only series.

        I also have a schecter omen and a prs se custom 24. Both of those have 3 ways and a push/pull which split both pickups. These two have the better stratty sounds, but I think that has to do with their pickups as opposed to the switching mechanisms.

        I like the variety of tones on the 5way and that I can go from strat-ish sounds in 2 and 4 to full buckets on 1,3,5 without having to flip the blade and push the knob.

        however, I’m pretty sure that both the 85/15s pickups and the stock humbuckers in the schecter were designed to be split and sound like a single coil. So I think that makes the largest difference in the better versatility of those two guitars. Ideally some day I’ll put a super switch in the se.
        Last edited by pskorz; 09-26-2021, 07:07 PM.

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        • #5
          On my DIY HH Strat I used a 5-way superswitch to do

          P1 - bridge humbucker both coils
          P2 - bridge coil split to north coil
          P3- both humbuckers both coils parallel
          P-4 - neck coil split to north coil
          P-5 - neck humbucker both coils

          Loads and loads of options, though, with or without push pulls. It really depends what you want.

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          • #6
            Originally posted by CaptainWhizz View Post

            Thank you, so what are the five selections you end up with?
            1. bridge hum in series
            2. outer coils of both HBs in parallel
            3. Both series HB in parallel
            4. Inner coils of both HB in parallel
            5. Bridge HB in series

            To do this, you need a super switch and need to flip the magnet in the neck HB. But all positions are hum-cancelling.
            Administrator of the SDUGF

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            • #7
              I'm with Mincer on this one - the PRS type 5-way wiring is versatile and simpler to operate in the heat of the moment.
              Humbucking in all positions and the inside-coils-parallel in position 4 is a fantastic tone.

              If going three-way, unless your humbuckers are pretty hot, split tones will be stronger and better with the DGT type resistor splits.
              .
              "You should know better by now than to introduce science into a discussion of voodoo."
              .

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              • #8
                Thanks guys.

                No outer coils in series or anything?

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                • #9
                  This might work,

                  Things to note:

                  1. I've drawn this with coil split push-pulls. If you don't want them just wire the humbuckers black = hot, green = ground, and join the red and white together.

                  2. I've drawn this for independent volumes. To accomplish this you need to wire the hot "ins" to the middle lugs on the volume pots and the "outs" to the left lugs (when looking at the back of the pot). The right lugs still get grounded. You also need to ensure that there are [b]no volume pot to volume pot grounds/b]. Wire all the pot casing grounds "star" formation to the back of the tone pot, don't "daisy chain them to each other.

                  3. I've drawn this so the middle humbucker coil splits to the screw / south coil. The bridge and neck coil split to the slug / north coils. When using a coil split middle with either the coil split bridge or the coil split neck, you should get hum canceling.

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                  • #10
                    Pretty sure Ibanez does much the same thing in their RG and AZ series stuff with 2 humbuckers and a 5 way.
                    aka Chris Pile, formerly of Six String Fever

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                    • #11
                      ^ I've done the same with two humbuckers and a 5-way superswitch to auto coil split in P2 and P4.

                      Prior to that I was using a regular 5-way and push pushes (I don't like push pulls and Strat knobs).

                      All you need to do really is wire in the individual volumes upstream of the selector switch.

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                      • #12
                        Originally posted by Mincer View Post

                        1. bridge hum in series
                        2. outer coils of both HBs in parallel
                        3. Both series HB in parallel
                        4. Inner coils of both HB in parallel
                        5. Bridge HB in series

                        To do this, you need a super switch and need to flip the magnet in the neck HB. But all positions are hum-cancelling.
                        Add a toggle and switch between having those options in series or parallel

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                        • #13
                          Originally posted by Bill Dennis View Post

                          Add a toggle and switch between having those options in series or parallel
                          You can, but I didn't find the series inner or outer coils to be a big difference from the other sounds. I'd also need a few moves to get to that sound.
                          Administrator of the SDUGF

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                          • #14
                            Yah, inner coils in series is just as useful as outer would be I think.
                            I have the Megaswitch P in two guitars and the PRS rotary in two others.
                            The 80s one has PRS' original rotary wiring: position 2 is both full humbuckers out of phase.
                            A cool sound, though it's kind of an outlier - so different & unusual that I only use it rarely.
                            In regular use, the more common position 2 tone is a lot more practical.
                            .
                            "You should know better by now than to introduce science into a discussion of voodoo."
                            .

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                            • #15
                              A master spin a split is really cool because you get sounds in between full split. I tried 1 coil from each bucker in series and didn't think it sounded unique enough to use. Sounds pretty close to full hums in parallel.
                              The things that you wanted
                              I bought them for you

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