5-way strat switch, 2 pickups?

[appar111]

How would one go about wiring a standard 5-way strat switch for just 2 pickups (neck & bridge, no middle)?

Would I just jumper the neck and bridge pickups to the lug where the middle pickup would go? I figure 2 & 4 should automatically be identical to positions 1 & 5, respectively, but I still want to be able to get the neck+bridge sound in position 3.

Reason for all this being that the 5-way switch is just way quicker to operate with almost no resistance going from neck to bridge position. That and no need for a middle pickup

 

[Zhaggy]

Re: 5-way strat switch, 2 pickups?

If you do that you'll both pups on in all 5 positions, I believe.

What you could do is you the tele-wiring fof 3-way switch and just do it on the 5-way strat switch. Then it would have neck-only and bridge only in positions 1 & 5, but positions 2, 3 & 4 would have both, which I think is more useful because it's very easy to get 1 or 5 wherever you are on the switch but for 3 you have to pay attention and focus to get it just right. Now it would be easier to get "in the middle" becasue it's 3 places you can land on and yet you can go 1 or 5 easily wherever you are.

 

[jeremy]

Re: 5-way strat switch, 2 pickups?

if you wire the neck and bridge to the neck and bridge spots and jump both to the middle youll get redundancy but you will get neck - neck/bridge - and bridge

 

[appar111]

Re: 5-way strat switch, 2 pickups?

if you wire the neck and bridge to the neck and bridge spots and jump both to the middle youll get redundancy but you will get neck - neck/bridge - and bridge

Do you mean neck/bridge redundancy in positions 2 through 4, right? I'm totally ok with that.

 

[appar111]

Re: 5-way strat switch, 2 pickups?

If you do that you'll both pups on in all 5 positions, I believe.

What you could do is you the tele-wiring fof 3-way switch and just do it on the 5-way strat switch. Then it would have neck-only and bridge only in positions 1 & 5, but positions 2, 3 & 4 would have both, which I think is more useful because it's very easy to get 1 or 5 wherever you are on the switch but for 3 you have to pay attention and focus to get it just right. Now it would be easier to get "in the middle" becasue it's 3 places you can land on and yet you can go 1 or 5 easily wherever you are.

Isn't that exactly what I suggested?

I thought that jumpering the neck and bridge lugs to that middle lug (where the middle pickup would normally go) would get me that "neck+bridge" combo in positions 2, 3 and 4.

Isn't what you're suggesting the same thing that I described? These 5-way switches are new to me (I'm usually a 3-way switch or a no switch kinda guy).

 

[Zhaggy]

Re: 5-way strat switch, 2 pickups?

Isn't that exactly what I suggested?

I thought that jumpering the neck and bridge lugs to that middle lug (where the middle pickup would normally go) would get me that "neck+bridge" combo in positions 2, 3 and 4.

Isn't what you're suggesting the same thing that I described? These 5-way switches are new to me (I'm usually a 3-way switch or a no switch kinda guy).

No. What you suggested in the first post was "I figure 2 & 4 should automatically be identical to positions 1 & 5, respectively, but I still want to be able to get the neck+bridge sound in position 3." I'm assuming that you have a normal 5-way strat switch, NOT the 5-way superswitch. That would be positions 1,2 bridge, 3 neck+bridge, 4,5 neck. What I was suggesting is 1 bridge, 2,3,4 neck+bridge, 5 neck. The two are very different.

I believe the normal strat wiring for 5-way switch is this:
http://www.seymourduncan.com/support/wiring-diagrams/schematics.php?schematic=3s_1v_2t_5w

If you now take the middle pup hot wire (grey) out of the middle lug in the switch and jump neck's and bridge's wires to the middle lug, you must see that now they are hardwired together and it doesn't matter where the switch is. You get both pups on in all positions.

But in stead if you do this wiring:
http://www.seymourduncan.com/support/wiring-diagrams/schematics.php?schematic=standard_tele

Now you should get 1 bridge, 2,3,4 necks+bridge, 5 neck. If you want tones added then yuo have to check that too. If you get a 5-way super switch then it's another matter altogeter. Then you should be able to do almost any wiring you want but you'd have to consult someone else.

 

[appar111]

Re: 5-way strat switch, 2 pickups?

No. What you suggested in the first post was "I figure 2 & 4 should automatically be identical to positions 1 & 5, respectively, but I still want to be able to get the neck+bridge sound in position 3." I'm assuming that you have a normal 5-way strat switch, NOT the 5-way superswitch. That would be positions 1,2 bridge, 3 neck+bridge, 4,5 neck. What I was suggesting is 1 bridge, 2,3,4 neck+bridge, 5 neck. The two are very different.

Ahhh, ok I think I get what you mean now! Doing it the way you suggested leaves me a much greater chance of landing on the "neck+bridge" tones as long as I land on positions 2, 3 or 4. It's always easy to land on neck or bridge separately since they're at the end of the switch's throw.

I like your way better I see now how linking those lugs essentially means neck+bridge for all 5 positions.... the 2nd diagram should work great for my needs.

thanks for the clarification and help, Zhaggy!

 

[Zhaggy]

Re: 5-way strat switch, 2 pickups?

Ahhh, ok I think I get what you mean now! Doing it the way you suggested leaves me a much greater chance of landing on the "neck+bridge" tones as long as I land on positions 2, 3 or 4. It's always easy to land on neck or bridge separately since they're at the end of the switch's throw.

I like your way better I see now how linking those lugs essentially means neck+bridge for all 5 positions.... the 2nd diagram should work great for my needs.

thanks for the clarification and help, Zhaggy!

I had that same problem just recently because I'll be "upgrading" my Strat to have only neck and bridge pups, no middle. I too thought that jumping those wires should do it but I would have been wrong. Mine has already a 3-way switch but I'll still have to wire it as in the Tele diagram.

I'm glad anything I said helped. Maybe you can come back and tell me how it works out for you.

 

[appar111]

Re: 5-way strat switch, 2 pickups?

But in stead if you do this wiring:
http://www.seymourduncan.com/support/wiring-diagrams/schematics.php?schematic=standard_tele

Now you should get 1 bridge, 2,3,4 necks+bridge, 5 neck. If you want tones added then yuo have to check that too. If you get a 5-way super switch then it's another matter altogeter. Then you should be able to do almost any wiring you want but you'd have to consult someone else.

Well, I tried wiring a 5-way switch according to the diagram, but just with a bridge pickup since I'm waiting for my neck pickup to show up.

Unfortunately, this diagram won't work with a 5-way switch, at least not quite. Positions 2, 3 and 4 worked as planned, but for some reason, position 1 (bridge pickup only) wouldn't work. Not sure why... any ideas? It's just a regular CRL 5-way switch.

Since I didn't put a neck pickup in, I didn't jumper the neck pickup lug to the adjacent lug-- is that the problem? That the circuit isn't complete? I did jumper the bridge pickup lug to the adjacent lug like the diagram showed though...

 

[Zhaggy]

Re: 5-way strat switch, 2 pickups?

Well, I tried wiring a 5-way switch according to the diagram, but just with a bridge pickup since I'm waiting for my neck pickup to show up.

Unfortunately, this diagram won't work with a 5-way switch, at least not quite. Positions 2, 3 and 4 worked as planned, but for some reason, position 1 (bridge pickup only) wouldn't work. Not sure why... any ideas? It's just a regular CRL 5-way switch.

Since I didn't put a neck pickup in, I didn't jumper the neck pickup lug to the adjacent lug-- is that the problem? That the circuit isn't complete? I did jumper the bridge pickup lug to the adjacent lug like the diagram showed though...

Now does it work? I mean what sound do you get when in 2 3 4 positions and what do you get/not get in the "bridge" position. Without the neck pup if it workes as I thought it would you should get bridge pup in all 4 positions. In the "neck" you should get no sound at all.

Are you sure you wired it correctly. The white wires from both pup should be wired to the common lug which is the one connected one or two of the other on the same side.

 

[ehdwuld]

Re: 5-way strat switch, 2 pickups?

the switch has two poles

have you connected one pickup to one pole
and one pickup to the other pole?

you may have mistook the common

look at the image below
notice one leg is longer and is always in contact with the wiper

 

[appar111]

Re: 5-way strat switch, 2 pickups?

Now does it work? I mean what sound do you get when in 2 3 4 positions and what do you get/not get in the "bridge" position. Without the neck pup if it workes as I thought it would you should get bridge pup in all 4 positions. In the "neck" you should get no sound at all.

Are you sure you wired it correctly. The white wires from both pup should be wired to the common lug which is the one connected one or two of the other on the same side.

I've got it wired just like in the diagram:

http://www.seymourduncan.com/support/wiring-diagrams/schematics.php?schematic=standard_tele

Right now, I get nothing in the bridge position, and then in positions 2, 3 & 4 I get the bridge pickup, and in the neck position, I get nothing-- obviously, since there's no neck pickup

I'm just wondering why I'm getting the bridge pickup on 2, 3 & 4, but not in the bridge position?

I also find it odd that in that diagram, the bridge position is wired to one of the lugs closest to where it exits to the volume pot. That's backwards from every tele w/ 2 pickups I've ever wired on a 3-way switch. Usually that lug is where the neck pickup goes.

 

[appar111]

Re: 5-way strat switch, 2 pickups?

the switch has two poles

have you connected one pickup to one pole
and one pickup to the other pole?

you may have mistook the common

look at the image below
notice one leg is longer and is always in contact with the wiper

I don't have the neck pickup wired in yet, so I just have the bridge pickup wired up. If I mistook the common, then when I wire the neck pickup in, would everything come together?

Since I didn't wire in the neck pickup, I didn't do that jumper across from where the neck pickup is wired in. I'm wondering if that's what's keeping the bridge position sound from working in position 1, but yet still allows me to here it in 2, 3 & 4?

 

[Zhaggy]

Re: 5-way strat switch, 2 pickups?

I don't know how experienced you are with wiring but anyway don't take this personal. It's not always just following the diagram and doing exactly what it shows. You have to know what the switch actually does in order to understand how it works. There may be different kinds of "normal" 5-way switches. It might be the mirror image of thet switch and the commons may be at different ends of that switch.

Here is another just a little different diagram of the same wiring:
http://www.guitarelectronics.com/pr...uckers3-Way-Lever-Switch1-Volume1Tone000.html
(just ignore the tone pot wiring.)

Here the switch looks a little different but if it doesn't work with this either I'll be surprised.

It's funny though that you get nothing in either 1 nor 5 and you do get bridge in the 2 3 4. You should something in one of them anyway. What I could tell from this is that you have mistaken the common lugs.

If you could get a detailed picture of the switch/wiring it would help enormously.

 

[ehdwuld]

Re: 5-way strat switch, 2 pickups?

your diagram is inset
your problem is your last solder joint isnt good
depending on which side your pickup is on

either the first or the last arent on good

look at your switch
it should look like the one in my previous post
is it?......................

if so when laid on its side, is the common ( the longest one )
on the far right as in the image?...........

if you held the switch by the lever with the butt end towards you
would the wiring appear just as in the diagram?..............


and is your bridge pickup connected to
the bottom-left terminal as in the image?......................

 

[ehdwuld]

Re: 5-way strat switch, 2 pickups?

if so then its the far end / top left / last two connections that are bad
cold solder joint on the last top left
if it were any of the others you would get any sound at all

 

[Zhaggy]

Re: 5-way strat switch, 2 pickups?

if so then its the far end / top left / last two connections that are bad
cold solder joint on the last top left
if it were any of the others you would get any sound at all

Yes this is true. If OP had the wiring correct, it has to be the top left lug that's badly soldered. Because when you switch to 2 it's now connected to the middle lug and it doesn't matter if the top left lug is out. Check that connection and report bag. That should do it though. And then get neck pickup and ROCK ON.

 

[appar111]

Re: 5-way strat switch, 2 pickups?

No offense taken, Zhaggy. I think that's my problem is that while I can follow a diagram, the understanding of why it does what it does is still lacking.

The top left lug looks to be the problem. It's not a cold solder joint, it's the fact that I didn't solder/jumper that top left lug to the one below it because I didn't have a neck pickup to solder on the other side. This is because of my lack of understanding-- if I understood it. Had I understand how the switch works, I would've known that I still need to jumper those 2 lugs together even though I don't have a neck pickup yet.

I will try jumpering it like the diagram shows even though I don't have the neck pickup yet.

I'll report back this next week when I get the pickup.

thanks guys!

 

[Zhaggy]

Re: 5-way strat switch, 2 pickups?

No offense taken, Zhaggy. I think that's my problem is that while I can follow a diagram, the understanding of why it does what it does is still lacking.

The top left lug looks to be the problem. It's not a cold solder joint, it's the fact that I didn't solder/jumper that top left lug to the one below it because I didn't have a neck pickup to solder on the other side. This is because of my lack of understanding-- if I understood it. Had I understand how the switch works, I would've known that I still need to jumper those 2 lugs together even though I don't have a neck pickup yet.

I will try jumpering it like the diagram shows even though I don't have the neck pickup yet.

I'll report back this next week when I get the pickup.

thanks guys!

Okay the problem seems to be solved. See, the right and left side of the switch are completely independent from each other. They are not connected unless you jump from the one side to the other, like in this tele diagram. All of these switches are actually very simple things and when you understand how they work it's going to be easy from there.

Just solder every wire like in this diagram except the wires from the neck pup, then you should have bridge pup in 1 2 3 4 and no sound in 5. And when you add the neck pup you should have everything as planned.

 

[appar111]

Re: 5-way strat switch, 2 pickups?

Got the pickup tonight, wired it in according to the diagram, and everything works!

Only catch is according to the diagram and how I usually wire a 3-way switch on my teles and how I've always seen it, the neck pickup usually goes on the lug closest towards the end of the switch that exits to the volume knob.

The diagram has it backwards, with the bridge pickup closest to the exit point to the volume knob. But that could just as easily be which direction I have the switch installed (i.e. spring side facing pickups or not). Six of one, half dozen of the other.

So I reversed which pickup goes to which lug and I'm golden.

thanks again for the help guys!

J.