2 HB Wiring Quest

[zozoe]

Greetings,, on this here 2 HB, 3way, 1v, 1t setup, if I want the #2 position to have the Auto-tap, splitting the bridge pup along with the fall-out neck, do I simply take the bridges red/white & send them to the 2nd lug on the right side of the switch? That's how I always do it with the HSS config, but here it's 1 less pup, & a 3-way..
many thnx in advance.
(unable to post schem., but it's SD's 2 HB 3-way Tele setup....

[ThreeChordWonder]

As far as I can figure out you can't do an auto coil split with a 3-way blade. One side of the switch controls the bridge, on in P1 and P2, off in P3. The other side of the switch controls the neck, off in P1, on in P2 and P3. This avoids creating a short to a P2 lug which would leave both pickups on all the time.

Instead you either need to use a 5-way switch with auto coil splits or use a 3-way plus a push-pull for manual coil splits.

[GuitarDoc]

Yes, you certainly can do that as you said. Sorry I can't post a diagram but here's an explanation.

Right side of 3-way:
terminal 1 = bridge black wire
terminal 2 = bridge red + white wires
terminal 3 = nothing
common = common terminal on left side of 3-way

Left side of 3-way:
terminal 1 = nothing
terminal 2 & 3 = neck black wire
common = to vol pot.

Neck pup red + white wires soldered together and taped off. Both pup's green wires to ground (back of vol pot).


This will give you:
Position 1 = bridge pup full humbucker
Position 2 = bridge pup (split to screw coil) + neck pup (full humbucker)
Position 3 = neck pup full humbucker

[ThreeChordWonder]

So one pickup, one and a half pickups, one pickup then.

[GuitarDoc]

Sounds like that's what he wants.

[ThreeChordWonder]

Fair enough. Can't see much point to it myself though.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think this S-D wiring diagram with a standard 5-way gives:

P-1 Bridge humbucker
P-2 Both humbuckers
P-3 Neck humbucker
P-4 Bridge south (screw) coil plus neck north (slug) coil, which is self humbucking
P-5 Bridge south coil only

There are also plenty of diagrams out there using a Superswitch, which will give options to do things like bridge full, bridge split, brick plus neck full or split, neck split neck full, but squeezing a Superswitch into a Tele cavity can sometimes prove problematical, as the slot often isn't quite wide enough to take the switch without the contacts touching the sides and potentially shorting out.

[ThreeChordWonder]

This way, with a 4-way switch, will give the following combinations

P1 - bridge humbucker
P2- both humbuckers
P3 - neck humbucker
P4 - bridge north (slug) coil

The bridge north hot (black) is permanently connected to the hot out to the switch. The bridge humbucker is switched on and off by controlling the bridge south ground (green). It is connected in at R-1 and R-2, meaning the full humbucker works in P1 and P2, but not in P3 or P4.

The neck north hot (black) connects to L-2 and L-3 and is only connected in P2 and P3. The neck south ground is permanently connected to the volume pot casing.

So in P1 only the bridge humbucker is connected at both ends, in P2 both humbuckers are connected at both ends, and in P3 only the neck is connected at both ends.

In P4 the bridge north hot (black) is still permanently connected, but the bridge red and white are now both grounded. That means both ends of the south coil (red hot, green ground) are grounded, and the north ground (white) provides the alternative ground to keep the bridge north (slug) coil active.

[ThreeChordWonder]

If you move the neck hots in the above to L-3 and L-4, the bridge greens to R-2 and R-3 and the bridge red and white to R-1 you can have the coil split bridge in P1 and the usual full humbucker options in P2, P3 and P4.

[GuitarDoc]

Fair enough. Can't see much point to it myself though.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think this S-D wiring diagram with a standard 5-way gives:

P-1 Bridge humbucker
P-2 Both humbuckers
P-3 Neck humbucker
P-4 Bridge south (screw) coil plus neck north (slug) coil, which is self humbucking
P-5 Bridge south coil only

There are also plenty of diagrams out there using a Superswitch, which will give options to do things like bridge full, bridge split, brick plus neck full or split, neck split neck full, but squeezing a Superswitch into a Tele cavity can sometimes prove problematical, as the slot often isn't quite wide enough to take the switch without the contacts touching the sides and potentially shorting out.

That's not what he's asking for.

[GuitarDoc]

This way, with a 4-way switch, will give the following combinations

P1 - bridge humbucker
P2- both humbuckers
P3 - neck humbucker
P4 - bridge north (slug) coil

The bridge north hot (black) is permanently connected to the hot out to the switch. The bridge humbucker is switched on and off by controlling the bridge south ground (green). It is connected in at R-1 and R-2, meaning the full humbucker works in P1 and P2, but not in P3 or P4.

The neck north hot (black) connects to L-2 and L-3 and is only connected in P2 and P3. The neck south ground is permanently connected to the volume pot casing.

So in P1 only the bridge humbucker is connected at both ends, in P2 both humbuckers are connected at both ends, and in P3 only the neck is connected at both ends.

In P4 the bridge north hot (black) is still permanently connected, but the bridge red and white are now both grounded. That means both ends of the south coil (red hot, green ground) are grounded, and the north ground (white) provides the alternative ground to keep the bridge north (slug) coil active.

While this is a very clever way to use a 4-way, it's not what the OP is asking for either.

Why are you bothering to post these two diagrams in this thread?

If you are desiring to show various ways to wire different switch types, you aught to start your own thread so this one doesn't get muckied up with inconsequential stuff. Just saying.

[ThreeChordWonder]

Here we go again...

[GuitarDoc]

No, those are good wiring ideas/diagrams...good suggestions.
I just think it would be better to start your own thread and post them there rather than hijacking this thread. The OP wanted a check to see if the way he was planning on wiring his 3-way switch was going to work the way he anticipated.

[ThreeChordWonder]

And I suggested alternatives that might actually work.

I have no ulterior motive here. I'm not looking to get paid, I certainly won't win a Nobel Prize, and I'm not looking to points score either.

[GuitarDoc]

Yes, your alternatives might work and they may be great alternatives, but they're not what the OP was asking for and would require him to buy a 4-way or 5-way switch.

I never claimed you had ulterior motives, or that you're getting paid, or trying to get any kind of points, etc. Just that they're not relevant to the OP's question and that you should start your own thread with these wiring diagrams posted.

(But then, what are you trying to do?)

Can you read the OP's first post?
Can you read my last post?
He doesn't want a 4-way or a 5-way switch. He's got a 3-way. He knows what he wants to achieve with the 3-way and only wants a confirmation that he's on the right track. He didn't want suggestions for doing something totally different.

It's like the OP said he's got a Mustang and wants to know if a 351 would fit instead of the 289. And you chime in with how good a Camaro is, or that a Charger is a great way to go, or maybe he should consider a Ferrari.

That's all I'm saying. Again, the Camaro or Charger may be great cars but they aren't relevant to the OP's quest.

Do you really not get this?

[ThreeChordWonder]

^ I give up.

From now on only YOU reply to questions. I will just mind my own forking business, oh Almighty One.