Brian May Red Special Wiring Question

S

Scatterwound

New member
Hi All,

I just picked up some Brian May Sig Burns Trisonic pickups.....I want to eventually use them for a project guitar....No not another Red Special clone......But I would like it wired up like one.....My pickups came with the Burns wiring diagram but I still have a question....

From what I can tell each pick up will be wired to two DPDT slide switches....One will be the on/off switch while the other will be phase switch....Should I be using:

1. on/off DPDT switches for the ON/OFF and PHASING
2. on/off DPDT switched for the ON/OFF and on/on for the PHASING
3. Something else...

The diagram does not seem to specify....I can upload it if required..

Thanks in advance...
 
Re: Brian May Red Special Wiring Question

You need 6 DPDT switches.

3 of them will be wired as ON/OFF and the other 3 as phase switches.

Each switch will have 6 lugs.
 
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Re: Brian May Red Special Wiring Question

the guy who invented fire said:
You need 6 DPDT switches.

3 of them will be wired as ON/OFF and the other 3 as phase switches.

Each switch will have 6 lugs.
Click to expand...

Thanks just realized perhaps I should have posted this in the pickup section...

Just want to make sure.....Some retailers advertise DPDT switches as the on/on type others like an on/off type......Does it matter which of these two types I get?
 
Re: Brian May Red Special Wiring Question

You'll need On/On for the phase switch. Think about it, when you switch phase you still want the pickups to be on... :) simple. With the on off switches you can use an on/on and not solder an output to the second position OR you could use an on/off which will only have 4 lugs instead of 6.

Hope this helps
 
Re: Brian May Red Special Wiring Question

with a DPDT switch and 6 lugs, there are 2 positions for the switch to be in.....with the centre lugs connecting the lower ones, or centre connecting upper ones. Whether this is off/on etc all depends on how you connect the lugs.
 
Re: Brian May Red Special Wiring Question

I saw a Brian May RS style guitar a while ago that was wired with a single set of 3 on/off/on switches that controlled both pickup on/off and phase.

With the switch in the middle position the pickup was off, with switch 'up' it was on and out of phase, and 'down' it was on and in phase.

I'd have no idea how to wire that, but it's there as another option.
 
Re: Brian May Red Special Wiring Question

I have done the circuit that Brow describes. I vaguely recall stealing the idea from a dedicated BM Red Special website. It works but the centre "off" positions leak a little signal.

In either version of the circuit, the switches need to be on/on (or on/on/on) for the series interconnections to work. It is the way that the switches are wired that creates the "off" positions.

The pickups run in series. Hence, the "off" positions are actually hard-wired bypass for each coil.
 
Re: Brian May Red Special Wiring Question

Hi Again....Here is the actual diagram that came with the pickups...It just says "Slide Switches".....So DPDT on/on it is then?

IMG.jpg
 
Re: Brian May Red Special Wiring Question

The electrical function of the DPDT slide and toggle switch types is identical. Either variety would do. The slide type does not stick out as far from the top of the instrument.

It is possible to order Stratcaster style scratchplates, pre-cut for Tri-Sonic pickups, two pots and the six slide switches. It is also possible to order pickguards pre-cut for three Fender single coils and three DPDT toggles then modify it to your requirements. (This is how I installed three DiMarzio BHM pickups into a home-assembled Stratocaster.)

Please be aware that the short scale of the BM Red Special and the distances between the pickups are essential elements in the BM sound.
 
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