Help with the push/pull option on the Everything Axe set

SD fan

New member
I just bloody love this set, outstanding. I have the limited edition, gold anodized metal pickguard set. Cannot really decide what the push/pull on the bridge tone is actually doing, split coil or phase, any know what this is wired to do? I just did not play attention to it when I installed it for one reason there was no mention on the info for this set that it even had such an option.
It just does not say anywhere what it is wired to do. Confused, anyone know?
 
Re: Help with the push/pull option on the Everything Axe set

Seriously, no one knows?? They say nothing about this feature in the product write up. Claims it uses the Liberator solderless connection rig and it is all hard wired, which is all fine with me, but WTF, get the info correct on the product. What does the switch do? I am very certain some have put this on their guitar and have no idea the bridge tone control is a push/pull switch.
 
Re: Help with the push/pull option on the Everything Axe set

All the wiring diagrams for the Liberator tone push/pull show down as humbucker and up as single coil across all the pickups.
 
Re: Help with the push/pull option on the Everything Axe set

All the wiring diagrams for the Liberator tone push/pull show down as humbucker and up as single coil across all the pickups.

Sorry but the info is wrong. I got three different wiring schematics with my set. Examining the pot and the resulting effect it is only wired to and effecting the bridge pickup. The effect is not dramatic by any means it was not apparent that it was a split coil and before I put it on I did not really look to see if they had the coil tap wires connected.

They also sometimes wire a phase switch. Another misconception is that all three of these are not humbucklers. The Middle Duckbucker is not a humbuckler like the other two but a low noise lower output PU. I just love the set, I play heavy fusion and this ranges a Strat from beautiful plunky funky to all out uber metal gain. I wish I had gotten this ages ago for my Strats. Takes the guitar into a very wide range of use, hence "Everything Axe".

I am waiting on response from SD probably Monday. I would wager to say there are players who have this set that are not aware the bottom tone is a push/pull pot.
 
Re: Help with the push/pull option on the Everything Axe set

Alright then. The only other way anyone here could help you is if you could post a few photos of the actual wiring, good enough to see and trace which color wires are going where.
 
Re: Help with the push/pull option on the Everything Axe set

Yeah, I was hoping not to have to remove it until I finish the new body and neck I am working on as it is just trashing a new set of strings.
I was hoping someone in S Duncan would have some idea of what they wired these to do. I would have traced it out better but at the time I installed it I had no idea it had a push/pull pot installed. They do not mention it in any of the sales info on various vendor sites. I was looking through the wiring diagrams they sent with it and the one that seems to match it states it can be a phase or a split coil. To be honest it does not sound so much like a coil split as the signal does not weaken much. I am thinking it might be a phase switch. Hopefully Monday someone at Duncan tech dept will know or can find out.
At some point I will be moving the assembly to a new guitar build and I can work through it then.
I am sure there are some users out there that do not know the bottom tone is a push/pull pot. Watching several demos on youtube no one seemed to know it was there.
 
Resolved issue myself, tired of waiting

Resolved issue myself, tired of waiting

OK after repeated failure of S Duncan crew to answer the question, (why provide email feedback if not answering customer inquiry) not sure which bothers me more, they possibly do not know or they do not answer questions they claim to respond.
At any rate, the push/pull is a phase switch against the middle pickup, useful at times for tone changes especially cleaner tones. But it is NOT a coil tap split switch and it is only effective on the bridge pickup.
 
Re: Help with the push/pull option on the Everything Axe set

I really love this pickup set and the prewired assembly is very pro all the way. Indeed through manipulation of level, tones and combinations you can come up with an incredible number of tones and useful timbers using all manner of drives and gain levels.
First time, other than one of my other Strats with a full size HB the Strat was powerful enough to really burn like HB guitars, yet the tone structure is marvelous.

I am always impressed the HBs have great high output but retain a sense of the tone of the guitar and the note articulation from them is truly better than other pickups I have used.
As far as I am concerned the Everything Axe set is amazing for the Strat. I play heavy fusion and my range of tones covers the spectrum, for the first time my pickups do not leave me wanting tone improvement from the guitar.
Now that being said, I was puzzled by the various vendor sales info on this system, one after another claims it uses the solderless "Liberator" system it obviously does not have. And I do not care personally as I have no intention of changing anything. One is tempted to rig the neck and bridge combination but with the power output of both of these HBs it probably would not come out to be that great of a tone.
Another issue of the this system which is again not mentioned by any vendor who sells or it has sold it, it has a push/pull on the bridge tone pot. The docs Seymour D sent with the product were three different wiring schemes one of which matched my set, but it was not clear what the push pull was wired to do, it gave different possibilities for it.

I wager to say out there in the realm that there are users of this set who have no idea the bridge tone is a push pull pot.
Repeated questions to Duncan never got answered. When I talked to a guy on the phone he said it thought it was a coil tap for possibly both pickups.
Seriously man, great product, love these pickups get your documentation and faqs in order, that is very unprofessional. We are not all teen age bedroom players.
 
Re: Help with the push/pull option on the Everything Axe set

Been messing with it for some time now. The tone also changes with pulled with the bridge by itself, some sort of phasing, maybe it's internal coils, I do wish S D would comment on what they wired it to do. I really like the option wish the other tone had it. I am going to try and email them again.
One issue I have encountered is the volume control is too close to the bridge. I cannot keep my hand on bridge as an anchor like I normally do. I ended up removing the large knob and replacing with a smaller one to have room for my fingers at the bottom of the bridge much more comfortable and usable. I never noticed this because all my custom Carvin's have a large space between the volume and bridge I had gotten used to it.
 
Re: Help with the push/pull option on the Everything Axe set

Lots of us could help you if you would show us the wiring of the switch.
 
Re: Help with the push/pull option on the Everything Axe set

Yeah, I just installed it and I do not want to trash a set of strings. I am presently building a new guitar and will move it over to the new one.
I did not pay attention to the wiring as it was never said anywhere it even had a push/pull pot. I discovered it after I had it on the guitar.
I did not trace the wiring as I did not know it was there. I really like it, wish they had rigged the neck with one as well.

It does some sort of phase thing but it also effects the tone by itself on the bridge, it does not seem to be a coil split as both coils are sending signal if you tap them.
I find it hard to imagine no one at S Duncan knows what they wire on these assemblies.

The volume is too close to the bridge I had to change out the knob with a smaller diameter to be able to rest my fingers between the bridge and the control.
Would it kill someone to answer the question, two emails and nothing. I will try and call them next Monday.
 
Re: Help with the push/pull option on the Everything Axe set

Yeah, I just installed it and I do not want to trash a set of strings. I am presently building a new guitar and will move it over to the new one.
I did not pay attention to the wiring as it was never said anywhere it even had a push/pull pot. I discovered it after I had it on the guitar.
I did not trace the wiring as I did not know it was there. I really like it, wish they had rigged the neck with one as well.

It does some sort of phase thing but it also effects the tone by itself on the bridge, it does not seem to be a coil split as both coils are sending signal if you tap them.
I find it hard to imagine no one at S Duncan knows what they wire on these assemblies.

The volume is too close to the bridge I had to change out the knob with a smaller diameter to be able to rest my fingers between the bridge and the control.
Would it kill someone to answer the question, two emails and nothing. I will try and call them next Monday.

Normal potentiometer:

225px-Potentiometer.jpg


Push-pull:

Push-pull_Pots_sm.jpg


Does SD use alternative push-pull pots? I wired a pickguard for a strat with 2 push-pulls and believe me, you would never overlook those things when trying to get all that stuff in the cavity,

FWIW if you tap on an active coil with a screwdriver you'll hear it through an amp. If it's a coil cut you won't hear it through the inactive coil.

Plus, you really seem to like the set, so if you don't plan on changing/replacing the wiring the distinction is for you largely academic. From the everything axe sets on amazon at least, it does seem like they've either replaced the push-pull or put in a 5-way. I mean, look at it like this. You got a bonus push-pull. If it does series/parallel, or phase, or coil split, or even if it isn't connected to anything, you've still received something extra vs. what you had before.
 
Re: Help with the push/pull option on the Everything Axe set

You know, with a Strat you can just loosen the strings and get the pickguard assembly out without removing the strings.
 
Re: Help with the push/pull option on the Everything Axe set

I really did not notice the pot size when I installed it. Was more concerned with making sure it fit and aligned with the non Fender I was using. My internal routing is designed for all options it is deep cut.
I have the diagrams for the wiring but I cannot make much sense out it as I am not familiar with using these pots.
The diagrams I have indicate if it is a push/pull it is a series/parallel thing but what to who??
It is for sure a series/parallel option as both coils are working. It also seems to alter the sound when just using the bridge pickup. Is is possible it is series/paralleling the coils on the bridge pickup???
I love the set myself. Best config on a Strat I have ever messed with. I have tried emailing them again. I will try and call tomorrow. I suppose when I move the unit over to the new build I can figure it out. Doesn't anyone at S D know?? There is no FAQ, no info no description for this option anywhere.
 
Last edited:
Re: Help with the push/pull option on the Everything Axe set

You know, with a Strat you can just loosen the strings and get the pickguard assembly out without removing the strings.

You have to be kidding. These are HBs and not small pickups. Plus I use locking tuners which only have less than one winding.
 
Re: Help with the push/pull option on the Everything Axe set

Finally found It!!!!!! Searched and searched until I looked in every diagram S D had and every blog I could find talking about it.

http://www.seymourduncan.com/support/wiring-diagrams/schematics.php?schematic=2h2v2t3w2sp
I have never heard of this before but it is working on the coils of the bridge pickup only (JB Jr.). Basically I do not understand so much how this is different than a basic coil tap splitter, except was the genius of Seymour to make the JB a single coil but retain the hum-cancelling properties???
It was very frustrating to say the least. I would still like to know his thoughts on creating this. It is marvelous none the less.

Some users seem to render it kills their std Strat plunky funky tones. It is a matter of not setting the pickups too close, and rolling off a little volume if needed. With the push/pull you get a single coil, and the middle duckbucker is not a humbuckler like the other two so there are a lot of possibilities at play. I see what he called it the Everything Axe set. Working well for me as I play heavier fusion and the added burn capability of the HBs is very nice indeed. I still get great clean tones. With this set you need to work more with the tones and volume and the mysterious series/parallel option.
From the diagram window
Push/Pull Settings:
UP - Pickup is in Parallel
DOWN - Pickup is in Series
Parallel is a single-coil sound
Series is a std humbuckler sound
Both Series & Parallel are hum-cancelling
 
Re: Help with the push/pull option on the Everything Axe set

. . . except was the genius of Seymour to make the JB a single coil but retain the hum-cancelling properties???

It's just run parallel. Thus, remains humbucking but retains single-coil tone.

SD fan said:
. . . and the middle duckbucker is not a humbucker like the other two . . .

The Duckbucker is definitely a humbucker. It's just wired in parallel rather than series. (Like the Vintage Rails.) ;)
 
Re: Help with the push/pull option on the Everything Axe set

It's a humbucker in that it does hum-cancel. The difference is that each coil is only theoretically sensing half of the strings - much like how a P-Bass pickup works.
 
Re: Help with the push/pull option on the Everything Axe set

You are so right, it is a humbuckler. I read something where someone said it wasn't. But the descript sure enough says it is in parallel. This parallel thing is great, cancels noise but retains single coil tone.
Sounded so single I never imagined it was a humbuckler. I have never heard of parallel wired humbucklers before this, never knew there were even such options.
Anyone know how to wire in a by-pass on switch for the neck without messing anything up?
I could search the wiring diagrams but I doubt if they have it. I only found the series/parallel descript on a full size humbuckler diagram.
 
Back
Top