H-S-H with 5-way and coil splitter?

[TonyMacch]

I need suggestions for pick-ups, and wiring ideas for what I'm trying to achieve.

I have an Ibanez S, with a megaswitch that gives me the following configuration with Ibanez Hot Grinder pick-ups:

1) Neck Humbucker
2) Neck Single Coil, Middle Single Coil
3) Neck Single Coil, Bridge Single Coil
4) Middle Single Coil, Bridge Single Coil
5) Bridge Humbucker

Positions 2 and 4 sound very weak. 3 has a nice volume to it.

I'd also like to wire it to give me the S-S-S configuration as well. In other words, positions 1 and 5 would be single coil.

Any pick-up suggestions and wiring tips? This guitar has a (thin) mohagany body, maple neck w/rosewood fretboard.

Thanks,

Tony

 

[Artie]

Re: H-S-H with 5-way and coil splitter?

I'd also like to wire it to give me the S-S-S configuration as well. In other words, positions 1 and 5 would be single coil.

Hey Tony . . . you want that as an "option", or to take the place of the humbucker modes? I'm guessing as an option.

 

[jtougas]

Re: H-S-H with 5-way and coil splitter?

*nods* If you're wanting that as an option, I think you could do it with a push/pull, but you might have to do it a litttle differently than the usual school of thought.

Instead of using the push/pull as a coiltap before the megaswitch, you might have to use it as a killswitch before the megaswitch: i.e., while the volume switch is in the default, the neck pickup coil tap goes to the right place on the megaswitch, but when pulled up it gets sent to ground. You would have to use two push/pulls, or it'd act as a complete killswitch in position 3 (not entirely a bad thing, if you like the idea).

 

[darthphineas]

Re: H-S-H with 5-way and coil splitter?

it's interesting that it doesn't already give you the option to have the middle singlecoil all by itself.

 

[Artie]

Re: H-S-H with 5-way and coil splitter?

Yeah, I wondered about that myself. I looked up the S-series on the Ibanez site, and they all have that mode for the middle position. I wonder if the OP has it right.

 

[jtougas]

Re: H-S-H with 5-way and coil splitter?

1) Neck Humbucker
2) Neck Single Coil, Middle Single Coil
3) Neck Single Coil, Bridge Single Coil
4) Middle Single Coil, Bridge Single Coil
5) Bridge Humbucker

Positions 2 and 4 sound very weak. 3 has a nice volume to it.

Also sounds like an RWRP middle pickup may be in order...

 

[TonyMacch]

Re: H-S-H with 5-way and coil splitter?

Definately an option

 

[TonyMacch]

Re: H-S-H with 5-way and coil splitter?

it's interesting that it doesn't already give you the option to have the middle singlecoil all by itself.

Just so you all know, a "Megaswitch" gives you the option of single coil neck/single coil bridge in the 3rd position. Sounds a lot like a Tele. The original Ibanez switch only gave you the middle pickup in the 3rd position.

 

[TonyMacch]

Re: H-S-H with 5-way and coil splitter?

*nods* If you're wanting that as an option, I think you could do it with a push/pull, but you might have to do it a litttle differently than the usual school of thought.

I though about a push/pull which, if it would work, would be ideal. I have moved my volume pot to the Tone pot's position, because I installed a Bourns linear pot that, although it sounds great, is way too easy to turn. I kept accidentally brushing it with my picking hand and that was changing my volume. I've also detached the tone pot all together, so a push pull there would be great.

The "Megaswitch-E" (which I bought from Stuart McDonald) has the following wiring diagram:


Humbucker/single-coil/humbucker

1)middle pickup hot wire
2)neck pickup hot wire
3)output to volume pot
4)ground to volume pot
5)neck pickup coil tap
6)bridge pickup coil tap
7)bridge pickup hot wire

Is there any way to place a push/pull in here?

 

[jtougas]

Re: H-S-H with 5-way and coil splitter?

I'll have to look at the schematic directly... I'll take a look in the morning.

 

[jtougas]

Re: H-S-H with 5-way and coil splitter?

Ah, yeah, I'd forgotten how that thing worked: all internal jiggery-poofery.

If you want standard Strat options *as well as* the Super Strat option, you have two options:

a) get a Super-Switch and a push/pull pot (or two, depending on whether or not you want to split the neck separately from the bridge), or

b) get a regular 5-way switch, and a push/pull (or two, for the same reasons).

The reason is this: to do that with the Megaswitch-E, you'd need three more mini-switches or push/pull pots.

Basically, to get position 1 to give you a neck single coil sound, you need to somehow defeat the second coil of the humbucker. Position two gives you standard Strat position 2 sound. To get the middle pickup by itself (which you could only do in either position 2 or 4), you need to defeat the other coil in the circuit somehow. Now, it's possible both of these can be accomplished by simply adding coil taps *before* the MegaSwitch, but that's complicated by the fact that the coiltaps go to the MeaSwitch in the first place. And you still have the coiltap on the bridge humbucker to deal with, to get bridge single coil sound.

Can it be done? Probably.

But it can be done a lot more easily with another switch.

The MegaSwitch is fine, and it works, but it's limited. It only does what it is designed to accomplish. A Superswitch is more daunting to work with, but it opens up the world as far as switching options are concerned.

And, if I'm reading what you want to do correctly, it can be done with a regular 5-way switch just as easily, with the probable addition of some push/pull pots.

Caveat: Artie may correct me on this, as he is welcome to do. He knows more'n me.

 

[TonyMacch]

Re: H-S-H with 5-way and coil splitter?

jtougas,

First of all, thanks for all your help.

I think you hit it on the head. The coil tap going to the Megaswitch is what was throwing me. I was thinking today at work, why not use a regular 5-way switch and put the coil tab before the switch.

Then I found this: http://www.alloutput.com/Wiring/HSH_wiring_layout_1.pdf

I think that's it. What do you think?