3 P90 Wiring Question

[The Kormak]

Hi guys,
I recently purchased a second hand 2013 Epiphone Riviera P93 and I'm in love with it, but the middle pickup doesn't seem to add much to the tone. So, to make it a little more useful I want to replace the middle pickup volume knob with a 3 way On-Off-On switch, so I can switch the pickup from Series-Off-Parallel. Can this be done with a single switch (And if so, which type of switch?), or would it be more versatile to go In Phase-Off-Out Of Phase like on the Fender Mustang?

Cheers

 

[Funkfingers]

Re: 3 P90 Wiring Question

How are the controls currently wired? 3V, 1MT or like the Frampton Les Paul?

What is the polepiece spacing on your middle pickup? Would a Stratocaster style pickup fit under the dogear cover?

 

[The Kormak]

Re: 3 P90 Wiring Question

Yeah, it's 3v 1t. I'm not sure on the polepiece spacing at the moment, but I should think I could get one to fit. Just wondering if I'd be able to get a toggle switch to do the same as the slide switches on my mustang?

Cheers

 

[PFDarkside]

Re: 3 P90 Wiring Question

Paging Artietoo...

 

[GuitarDoc]

Re: 3 P90 Wiring Question

You can't switch a P-90 between series and parallel. There is only one coil in a P-90.

You can put in a p/p pot for the middle volume to switch it off when you want to. Or to switch phase.

 

[Mincer]

Re: 3 P90 Wiring Question

Yeah, unless they were stacks with even coils, you couldn't do it. You can switch phase with other pickups, or in phase/out with other pickups, but not the middle pickup by itself.

 

[Funkfingers]

Re: 3 P90 Wiring Question

I think that the OP means that the new switch would engage the middle pickup, either in parallel or in series with whatever the neck/bridge selector switch is sending to the output socket. Obviously, this would require the middle pickup to have two-con + shield output cable.

 

[blueman335]

Re: 3 P90 Wiring Question

With a 3V/1T I'd wire the tone pot only to the bridge PU, as that's the only one for me that gets too bright.

You can also wire the middle and neck PU's together on the same lug on the toggle, each with their own volume. This lets you dial down the neck in advance, and quickly flip back and forth between the bridge and middle without having to dial up, and dial down the middle PU to get it in and out of play. You could set the middle PU at a lower volume for rhythm and the bridge louder for solos, and flip back and forth. The middle toggle position would be a blend of the two, favoring the bridge. All of this is fast and handy on stage.

 

[The Kormak]

Re: 3 P90 Wiring Question

Thanks guys, I think I'm going to replace the Middle Volume Pot with a 'Phase-Off-Out of Phase' toggle, and wire the Middle Pickup to the same volume pot as either the neck or bridge pickup. Next question; which one (Neck or Bridge) would be most advantageous?

 

[GuitarDoc]

Re: 3 P90 Wiring Question

neck

 

[Funkfingers]

Re: 3 P90 Wiring Question

In the interests of maximum sonic flexibility, would it not be wiser to just change the Middle PU volume pot to a push-pull. Wire the DPDT portion of that pot for phase reversal.

 

[The Kormak]

Re: 3 P90 Wiring Question

Trouble with a middle PU volume is that it interferes with setting one PU for cleans/rhythm and one for dirty/lead stuff, which I use quite a lot on my other guitars, so my goal is to get a reasonable amount of versatility from the 3 pickups while retaining that functionality. Mainly because with the stock wiring and pickups, blending in the middle pickup (which I believe to be reverse-wound) just cancels some of the hum, while adding very little to the tone.

 

[blueman335]

Re: 3 P90 Wiring Question

That's the problem with triple P-90 & triple HB guitars: no imagination in the wiring, the middle PU isn't quick to get into play and out again, and there's not much, if any, tonal advantage over a 2 PU guitar. That's why those PU combos are scarce. The demand's not there.