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Two pickups series/parallel with a single switch?

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  • Two pickups series/parallel with a single switch?

    My Warwick bass has a volume, tone, and blend knob. The pickups are two DiMarzio Model J split-coil humbuckers.

    I think I already know the answer, but can I use a single push/pull knob to switch each of the pickups between series and parallel? I’m assuming each pickup needs it’s own switch, but if I could do it with one, that would be sweet.
    “I can play the hell out of a riff. The rest of it’s all bulls**t anyway,” Gary Holt

  • #2
    Re: Two pickups series/parallel with a single switch?

    Unfortunately, no. One pickup requires all of the lugs of a push-pull. Well, 5 actually, but same result.

    Edit: Although, a Fender S1 switch would do both with one push. They are available from several retailers. I have a couple just waiting for a project.

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    • #3
      Re: Two pickups series/parallel with a single switch?

      Thanks, Artie. I hadn't thought of the S-1.

      Currently, my Warwick's pickups are wired like normal humbuckers, master volume, blend, master tone.

      I'm trying to decide between replacing the volume & tone with push/pulls for individual series/parallel, or replacing all three knobs with push/pulls, so each pickup has its own volume and S/P, plus the tone knob will switch between the pickups combined in series or parallel.

      I think I need to complicate matters by investigating what an S-1 will do for two 4-conductor J pickups.
      “I can play the hell out of a riff. The rest of it’s all bulls**t anyway,” Gary Holt

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      • #4
        Re: Two pickups series/parallel with a single switch?

        If you went with the S-1 as a volume pot you could replace the tone with a dual concentric to give you a separate tone control for each pickup, keeping the blend knob. Don't know if it'd be worth the trouble but I could see that being useful.

        I actually rewired my Jazz Bass with a pickup switch.
        .
        "You should know better by now than to introduce science into a discussion of voodoo."
        .

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        • #5
          Re: Two pickups series/parallel with a single switch?

          That might not be bad, or I may run just the bridge pickup to the tone knob.
          “I can play the hell out of a riff. The rest of it’s all bulls**t anyway,” Gary Holt

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          • #6
            Re: Two pickups series/parallel with a single switch?

            I found this in my drawer:



            I wanna do a both series - both paralel switch using this, whenever I have the time.

            There is no 4pdt push pulls no? The guitar wanna do this on is a LP, so this toggle would require some planning (using a small L bar to be mounted on the pickguard and some other work)... So I wish there'd be a Bourns or CTS quality pushpull with 4pdt... But that's a dream no?

            Maybe the ideal way is to use 2 push pulls and be done with it... Still... I like simplicity and I'd be using this guitar with only both series or both paralel... The in-between stuff gets confusing.

            B
            Last edited by dr.barlo; 02-23-2020, 04:43 PM.
            FaceBook; SoundCloud; Barlo's Blues; Barlo Digitalized; Soundclick!;

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            • #7
              Re: Two pickups series/parallel with a single switch?

              Originally posted by dr.barlo View Post
              There is no 4pdt push pulls no?
              No, but it's a project I've been thinking about for a long time. I actually started it by dissembling a push-pull. But I keep too many irons in the fire.
              I have already made a 4PDT LP style switch. So it's all do-able. Just got to fire up the ole Dremel.

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              • #8
                Re: Two pickups series/parallel with a single switch?

                Nice!

                I thought about doing it with 2 5v dc relays. But putting a battery inside the cavity is a turnoff for me.

                B
                FaceBook; SoundCloud; Barlo's Blues; Barlo Digitalized; Soundclick!;

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                • #9
                  Re: Two pickups series/parallel with a single switch?

                  Originally posted by dr.barlo View Post
                  I thought about doing it with 2 5v dc relays. But putting a battery inside the cavity is a turnoff for me.
                  The problem isn't the batteries per se. People having been putting 9-volts in guitars for decades. The problem is that even tiny relays draw huge amounts of current. Even small 5-volt relays would draw around 100ma. That's 1000x what a full set of active pups draw. (Typically <1ma.) The answer are the super small Teledyne latching relays that only require a quick pulse to latch. Trouble is, these things are made for the military/aerospace industry and are very expensive. Typically in the $150 range each. I have a few that I got military surplus, but they don't show up very often.

                  Click image for larger version

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                  Last edited by ArtieToo; 02-23-2020, 05:35 PM. Reason: spelling

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                  • #10
                    Re: Two pickups series/parallel with a single switch?

                    I'm pretty sure you could do it with a PRS style 5-way rotary switch.

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                    • #11
                      Re: Two pickups series/parallel with a single switch?

                      Originally posted by ArtieToo View Post
                      The problem isn't the batteries per se. People having been putting 9-volts in guitars for decades. The problem is that even tiny relays draw huge amounts of current. Even small 5-volt relays would draw around 100ma. That's 1000x what a full set of active pups draw. (Typically <1ma.) The answer are the super small Teledyne latching relays that only require a quick pulse to latch. Trouble is, these things are made for the military/aerospace industry and are very expensive. Typically in the $150 range each. I have a few that I got military surplus, but they don't show up very often.

                      [ATTACH=CONFIG]103477[/ATTACH]
                      Cool... I have not thought about the consumption.



                      B
                      FaceBook; SoundCloud; Barlo's Blues; Barlo Digitalized; Soundclick!;

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