2 4-wire HB pickups selections

[Lazarus1140]

What combinations of coil sets are available using two 4-wire humbucking pickups and a standard 5-way switch with no additional toggles or push-pull pots?


For example, a PRS Custom 24 is furnished wired for the following selections:

Position One: Bridge humbucker
Position Two: Bridge humbucker with neck singlecoil, in parallel
Position Three: Bridge and neck humbuckers
Position Four: Neck singlecoil with bridge singlecoil, in parallel
Position Five: Neck humbucker

 

[eclecticsynergy]

Re: 2 4-wire HB pickups selections

There's a Megaswitch P that gives:
bridge humbucker
outside coils in series
inside coils in series
inside coils parallel
neck humbucker

 

[Mincer]

Re: 2 4-wire HB pickups selections

Can the PRS do that with a standard 5 way?

Id think to get anything that is intuitive, with all 5 positions usuable, you will either need a Megaswitch or a Super Switch. I did find this diagram, but it doesn't look like the switch positions are that intuitive (to me).

 

[eclecticsynergy]

Re: 2 4-wire HB pickups selections

There's the original PRS 5-way rotary; I have this on my '87 and it's great!

Bridge humbucker
Both humbuckers, out of phase
Both humbuckers parallel
Inner coils parallel
Neck humbucker

This was designed for the early T&B humbuckers which were bright and a bit singlecoily in character; the 5-way configuration was changed with the advent of the HFS/VB pickups.

 

[Mincer]

Re: 2 4-wire HB pickups selections

^ I think you can get a special MegaSwitch Model P to do the PRS rotary switching. There isn't a whole lot that can be done with a standard 5 way though.

 

[eclecticsynergy]

Re: 2 4-wire HB pickups selections

^ I think you can get a special MegaSwitch Model P to do the PRS rotary switching. There isn't a whole lot that can be done with a standard 5 way though.

Megaswitch P (unless there's another version I don't know about yet) does the mid-90s version of the PRS 5-way; there have been at least three different PRS 5-way configurations over the years, maybe more. The original one I listed in post #4 might only be possible with a rotary, but I'm not 100% positive of that. You never know- some guys around here have gotten mighty inventive using the Superswitch.