Any ideas for 3 HB Wiring Project?

[yeti]

I'm thinking of switching from 2 HBs and an HB-sized p90 to 3 HBs (all Duncans of course). I already have 4 push/pulls in the guitar, and i might switch the 3 way toggle for a 5 way rotary dial (if its feasible). So what's the best combo of split/parallel/phase/etc. you can dream up?
I'm hoping this gets Artie's wheels turning .

 

[sunnysideup]

Re: Any ideas for 3 HB Wiring Project?

I always want to do this with 3 hb (with additional 3pdt switch and change one pot to push pull pot):

The switch is to split each pickup, and the push pull affect position 3 only.
Anyone can help with the wiring? Artie? ;-)

Position 1: Bridge humbucker OR Bridge split
Position 2: Bridge split + Mid Spilt
Position 3: Mid humbucker OR Mid Split OR Neck Hum + Bridge Hum (if possible, adding split too)
Position 4: Neck split + Mid split
Position 5: Neck humbucker OR Neck split

 

[yeti]

Re: Any ideas for 3 HB Wiring Project?

Here's what i'm thinking. I'm currently wired for a vol pot for each humbucker and one master tone. The n&b pots are push/pull to split each, respectively. The middle vol pot it push/pull for inner/outer coil, and the tone is push/pull for "out of phasing" the bridge.
By switching out the n & b pots for DPDT push/pulls, maybe i can wire them to "neck north/mid south" split and "mid north/bridge south split". I would also switch out the "out of phase" for "parallel bridge". I NEVER use that phased sound anyway.
The pickups I'll be using are a APH-1n/PGb(middle)/and maybe a Custom in bridge. My 2 big questions are:
1. Can the mid pup coils be split like that by 2 diff push/pulls (North on one, South on the other)?
2. Is the bridge best suited for "parallel" sound or would that be better in the neck?
Any opinions, guys?:wave:

 

[Aceman]

Re: Any ideas for 3 HB Wiring Project?

I've got to say, Yeti, the three HB crowd out here is kind of thin IMO. I'll think on this a bit. I'm always looking for a middle pup in the 10-12k range with an eq curve that would compliment the bridge or neck pup. Something like a medium high bass and a killer mid to boost those places in the neck or bridge. I will say that PG split is an under-welming pup from what I've read out here. I'll think about this and get back to you...

 

[yeti]

Re: Any ideas for 3 HB Wiring Project?

Hey, thanks for your input . I'm hoping the PG and the APH-1 might balance well split. I'm waiting to put the APH-1 in and see how it sounds. I've since modified my idea to have the bridge AND middle pickup in parallel. Keep in mind this is all an experiment for my FrankenPaul Epi, so while i would love it if it sounds great, just figuring out how to wire this setup is learning experience enough for me.

 

[drpietrzak]

Re: Any ideas for 3 HB Wiring Project?

I have fundamenally a 3 HB guitar. I have a 5 way switch in it. I used a master volume and master tone. There is a third tone pot that is alctually a push pull. This is wired to give me the neck-bridge (pulled) when in position 1 or 5. The sweeper covers the blending of the bridge with the neck in that case. I use 3 mini switches for coil taps.

Position 1 is neck or neck-bridge (splits avaliable).
Position 2 is neck-middle (or neck-middle-bridge) splits available
Position 3 is middle split available
Position 4 is middle-bridge (or middle-bridge-neck) splits available
Position 5 is bridge or bridge-neck (splits avaliable.

I do not like splits a great deal, though they come in handy now and then. The other positions I find quite useful.

 

[zionstrat]

Re: Any ideas for 3 HB Wiring Project?

I love the paralel single coil sound on my prs and always wondered what it would sound like if there was a middle coil to get stratish paralel combinations- If you pick a good splitting HB you could use one coil with the neck and the other with the bridge coils to keep noise canceling-

 

[yeti]

Re: Any ideas for 3 HB Wiring Project?

I think i finally got the wiring figured out.
Neck Vol with push/pull for neck north/ middle south
Bridge Vol with push/pull for middle north/ bridge south
Middle Vol with push/pull for bridge in parallel
Master Tone with push/pull for neck in parallel
This yields 35 or so possible combinations, 23 of them humbucking. The only mod needed to do it was the push/pull pots.
Damn my brain hurts

 

[neosadist]

Re: Any ideas for 3 HB Wiring Project?

Me, I'd pick the pickups, but then this is how I'd wire it:

5-way selector switch, set up like the Stratocasters are.
Three individual toggles for humbucker/split-north/split-south, per pickup.
One master volume.
One master tone.

That way I could switch to a Strat sound and back as quickly as possible.

Another option might be to put a center pickup on/off.

There's a point where wanting the world, in terms of versatility, can lead to getting hell in terms of playing. Sometimes too many options makes decisions more difficult.

 

[yeti]

Re: Any ideas for 3 HB Wiring Project?

True. I've been looking at this as more a recording guitar wiring then a performance guitar. I did mess with the idea of a 5 way toggle in place of the 3 way pickup selector, and would return to that idea in going for a "quick switch" strategy. My main goal was getting a variety of tones I can dial in for recording...plus the knowledge gained from wiring the damn thing!
I have the diagram complete but need to find a spot to post online so i can share it with you guys. Thank you much for your input guys,

 

[yeti]

Re: Any ideas for 3 HB Wiring Project?

Here's what I have in mind. Think it should work?

 

[Frebnedzo]

Re: Any ideas for 3 HB Wiring Project?

I'm thinking of something similar to a previous poster and believe that
it is important to have a switching scheme that is 'intuitive' in some
way. The scheme I'm thinking of for 3 pup epi

replace toggle with 5 pos rotary

5 neck
4 neck plus middle SC (middle south)
3 neck plus bridge
2 middle SC (middle north) plus bridge
1 bridge

neck has push/pull pot to be SC (north)
bridge has push/pull pot to be SC (south)

A push/pull selects middle by itself

Last push/pull pot is for HB/SC on middle pup, only works when
middle alone is selected

There is only a master vol and tone, using push/pull pots rather
than switches is an aesthetic decision.

For the sake of ergonomics, I might even make the 2 and 4 positions
automatically tap the neck and bridge, since I expect the ability to
go from vintage HB vibe to quack to be more important than mixing
HB with SC.

I'm thinking Seth JB Seth but really need suggestions with pickups. This
is for Epi LP Custom and I want vintage Les Paul sounds, plus ersatz
strat sounds with goood quack. The middle pickup alone is a bonus tone
and I want something more shreddy. I thought about Stag Mag as it
should help out the 2 and 4 positions, but haven't heard great comments
about its HB tone.

 

[yeti]

Re: Any ideas for 3 HB Wiring Project?

I'm thinking of something similar to a previous poster and believe that
it is important to have a switching scheme that is 'intuitive' in some
way. The scheme I'm thinking of for 3 pup epi

replace toggle with 5 pos rotary

5 neck
4 neck plus middle SC (middle south)
3 neck plus bridge
2 middle SC (middle north) plus bridge
1 bridge

neck has push/pull pot to be SC (north)
bridge has push/pull pot to be SC (south)

A push/pull selects middle by itself

Last push/pull pot is for HB/SC on middle pup, only works when
middle alone is selected

There is only a master vol and tone, using push/pull pots rather
than switches is an aesthetic decision.

For the sake of ergonomics, I might even make the 2 and 4 positions
automatically tap the neck and bridge, since I expect the ability to
go from vintage HB vibe to quack to be more important than mixing
HB with SC.

I'm thinking Seth JB Seth but really need suggestions with pickups. This
is for Epi LP Custom and I want vintage Les Paul sounds, plus ersatz
strat sounds with goood quack. The middle pickup alone is a bonus tone
and I want something more shreddy. I thought about Stag Mag as it
should help out the 2 and 4 positions, but haven't heard great comments
about its HB tone.

What are you planning on doing with the other 2 pots? You could probably slap a spin and split in there somewhere, and free up push/pull for something else...maybe do your 5 way switch in a pot spot? That would be VERY ergonomic...damn it now you got my brain frying again!
I'm gonna stick with current wiring plan for now just to try out the sounds, see what's useful (or not), but you definitely got some wheels turning.:scratchch

 

[drpietrzak]

Re: Any ideas for 3 HB Wiring Project?

Me, I'd pick the pickups, but then this is how I'd wire it:

5-way selector switch, set up like the Stratocasters are.
Three individual toggles for humbucker/split-north/split-south, per pickup.
One master volume.
One master tone.

That way I could switch to a Strat sound and back as quickly as possible.

Another option might be to put a center pickup on/off.

There's a point where wanting the world, in terms of versatility, can lead to getting hell in terms of playing. Sometimes too many options makes decisions more difficult.

This basically what I described as well. It is pretty versitle.