5 Way super-switch wiring question

[Feppeltanten]

Hey all! I have two humbuckers in my guitar (both seymours ofc, sentient and nazgul) that I want to wire up to my 5 way super switch. The problem is that I can't find the answer to what I'm looking for specifically and I can't find anyone that really explains the switch so that I could figure it out myself, so I thought I'd give this forum a try!

I simply want the positions to do this:
1. Bridge humbucker
2. Bridge outer coil (split)
3. Both humbucker
4. Neck outer coil (split)
5. Neck humbucker

I am thankful for any and all tips!

EDIT: I have one tone pot and one volume pot; just in case that's important

 

[AdrianSD]

For wiring diagrams I've found the DiMarzio site sooo much better, light years ahead of SD, see https://www.dimarzio.com/support/wiring-diagrams
You'd be looking at:
https://d2emr0qhzqfj88.cloudfront.net/s3fs-public/diagrams/2hum1vol1tone_ep1112l_0.pdf
Or
https://d2emr0qhzqfj88.cloudfront.net/s3fs-public/diagrams/2hum1vol1tone_ep1112nb_single_0.pdf
You need to match the wiring diagram to the Duncan colour code, different to DiMarzio's.

 

[Ewizard]

Go here: https://forum.seymourduncan.com/foru...s-what-you-got

it shows you how to do parallel wiring. This means going to the outer coil only should be easier to do. If I am not mistaken you simply rid the ground jumpers in positions 2 and 4 for the white wires, then on the hot connections for both the bridge and neck, you would skip the #2 & #4 lug connections. So the bridge hot jumper would go from the #1 and #3 lugs only, and the neck hot jumper would go from the #3 and #5 lugs. This would make it so the south, outer coils are on in the positions you desire.

 

[Feppeltanten]

For wiring diagrams I've found the DiMarzio site sooo much better, light years ahead of SD, see https://www.dimarzio.com/support/wiring-diagrams
You'd be looking at:
https://d2emr0qhzqfj88.cloudfront.net/s3fs-public/diagrams/2hum1vol1tone_ep1112l_0.pdf
Or
https://d2emr0qhzqfj88.cloudfront.net/s3fs-public/diagrams/2hum1vol1tone_ep1112nb_single_0.pdf
You need to match the wiring diagram to the Duncan colour code, different to DiMarzio's.

Thank you, I wired after this and it seems to work, I just have a tiny issue that I should be able to resolve tomorrow

 

[Feppeltanten]

Go here: https://forum.seymourduncan.com/foru...s-what-you-got

it shows you how to do parallel wiring. This means going to the outer coil only should be easier to do. If I am not mistaken you simply rid the ground jumpers in positions 2 and 4 for the white wires, then on the hot connections for both the bridge and neck, you would skip the #2 & #4 lug connections. So the bridge hot jumper would go from the #1 and #3 lugs only, and the neck hot jumper would go from the #3 and #5 lugs. This would make it so the south, outer coils are on in the positions you desire.

I tried to google what parallel and series means, but I'm not exactly sure; does it refer to splitting the coils? I will definetly look into that page, I want to know exactly what my options are!

 

[Jack_TriPpEr]

For wiring diagrams I've found the DiMarzio site sooo much better, light years ahead of SD, see https://www.dimarzio.com/support/wiring-diagrams
You'd be looking at:
https://d2emr0qhzqfj88.cloudfront.ne..._ep1112l_0.pdf
Or
https://d2emr0qhzqfj88.cloudfront.ne...b_single_0.pdf
You need to match the wiring diagram to the Duncan colour code, different to DiMarzio's.

The 2nd one has what Feppeltanten said he wants for Position 3, which is both humbuckers combined in parallel. While the 1st one's Position 3 features each humbucker split and combined together in parallel.

Feppeltanten, here is that 2nd diagram as a pic vs attachment. I reviewed it, it's corect, doesn't have any mistakes. You're good to go. Just convert the wiring colors shown in the diagram to Duncan pickup wire color codes likr AdrianSD noted - see 2nd attachment.

Nice work AdrianSD!

 

[Mincer]

I tried to google what parallel and series means, but I'm not exactly sure; does it refer to splitting the coils? I will definetly look into that page, I want to know exactly what my options are!

I found a pretty good explanation here.

 

[Ewizard]

The way you said you wanted it is in my posted diagram with the corrections listed in my post. The two ground wire jumpers that would go to the white wires go away and you simply remove the link between all three hot lugs for the bridge and neck leaving the #2 lug on the bridge hot side open and the #4 lug of the neck hot open.

The easiest way to think of series is that the end of one coil connects to the beginning of the next coil. The hot from the first coil is the hot lead, and the end of the second coil connects to ground. The resultant sound is meatier, less bright, and full compared to parallel wiring. This is because the pickups are connected in such a way that their resistances combine, adding output and fullness. When wired in parallel the start of both coils are connected together for hot and both the coils ends are connected together for ground. This results in a thinner, brighter, and lower output sound. The reason for this is that when in parallel, the resistance halves, reducing output. A split-coil is simply removing one of the two coils from being wired in the circuit at all. It is essentially turning a humbucker into a single-coil. It doesn't sound like a conventional single coil because the construction of the humbucker is different than a typical single coil. But it does sound pretty much like one. A humbucker wired in parallel also sounds somewhat reminisant to a single coil. Ultimately you have to try it each way to see what you like.

I don't like humbuckers wired any other way than in series. Any other wiring of them sounds off, or not enough liek what you wish it did. It does add verstility though to have the wiring in different ways though. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder you could say.

 

[Mincer]

Also, generally (like in a Les Paul), each pickup is wired in series, which are wired in parallel with each other in the middle pickup position.