HSH custom wiring

dimebug

New member
Hi,

I am trying to figure out how to wire my guitar.

Here are my pickups :
  • a Seymour Duncan JB (SH-4) in bridge position
  • a Squier stock pickup in middle position
  • a Seymour Duncan Little '59 in neck position
I have three 500K potentiometers, two of which are push/pull and a 0.22 uF Orange Drop capacitor.
One of the push/pull will be used to enable coil split and the other one will be used to switch between inner and outer coil when splitted.

I found a wiring schematic very close to what I am looking for that can be found here : https://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=https%3A%2F%2Fi.pinimg.com%2Foriginals%2F06%2Fdc%2F8a%2F06dc8aa3356fa3d2a2b7d07e9bcb4dcc.png&imgrefurl=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.pinterest.com%2Fpin%2F548031848400670405%2F&docid=eBKWI4uRsGfUxM&tbnid=IjX8W1hSqaEunM%3A&vet=10ahUKEwjcx-y-gePfAhVwxoUKHeTOCX0QMwg9KAAwAA..i&w=819&h=1036&client=firefox-b-ab&bih=767&biw=1536&q=hsh%202%20push%20pull%20coil%20split%20&ved=0ahUKEwjcx-y-gePfAhVwxoUKHeTOCX0QMwg9KAAwAA&iact=mrc&uact=8
The only problem is that I would like 1 volume knob and 2 tone knobs. In this wiring schematic, there is only 1 tone knob.

Could someone help me ?
Thanks in advance.
 
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Re: HSH custom wiring

I think 2 tone knobs are a better idea...one for the neck & middle, and one for the bridge.
 
Re: HSH custom wiring

Ok, here is the configuration I would like to achieve :

config.jpg

This wiring schematic is very close to my expectations :

06dc8aa3356fa3d2a2b7d07e9bcb4dcc.jpg

The only problem is that i need 1 volume knob and 2 tone knobs (Tone 1 for Neck and middle pickups and Tone 2 for bridge pickup).

Could someone help me adapt it ?
 
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Re: HSH custom wiring

This video is interesting : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ueqdO1nyc8I

The downsise is that it doesn't allow me to choose between inner and outer coil. When splitted, the inner coils are selected.
The upside is that the 7-way mode is adding more combinations !

Do you have any idea how to achieve my goal ?
 
Re: HSH custom wiring

Hi dimebug, and welcome to the forum!

I was gonna come up with something for you based on your original request, but then watched the video... and I can give you both (add the other two configurations AND give you coil splits with the choice of coils.

Here’s the thing... inner vs outer coils is going to have NO AUDIBLE DIFFERENCE on that neck pickup. Because of the distance from the bridge, the difference is barely audible on a normal-sized humbucker... and with a single-sized HB like the Little ‘59 the distance between the coils is so slight that you won’t be able to tell one from another. The bridge pickup is another matter entirely... because it’s so close to the bridge the difference between the two coils is much more pronounced. I propose to you that instead of inner vs outer coils we set the two humbuckers up so that they’re hum-canceling when used together. You could also do it by flipping a magnet, but why bother when you’re not gonna be able to hear the difference on one of the pickups anyway?

That’s what I’m going to work on for you. If you don’t like the idea then say something and I’ll change direction.

I’ll be back in a couple of hours.
 
Re: HSH custom wiring

Hi dimebug, and welcome to the forum!

I was gonna come up with something for you based on your original request, but then watched the video... and I can give you both (add the other two configurations AND give you coil splits with the choice of coils.

Here’s the thing... inner vs outer coils is going to have NO AUDIBLE DIFFERENCE on that neck pickup. Because of the distance from the bridge, the difference is barely audible on a normal-sized humbucker... and with a single-sized HB like the Little ‘59 the distance between the coils is so slight that you won’t be able to tell one from another. The bridge pickup is another matter entirely... because it’s so close to the bridge the difference between the two coils is much more pronounced. I propose to you that instead of inner vs outer coils we set the two humbuckers up so that they’re hum-canceling when used together. You could also do it by flipping a magnet, but why bother when you’re not gonna be able to hear the difference on one of the pickups anyway?

That’s what I’m going to work on for you. If you don’t like the idea then say something and I’ll change direction.

I’ll be back in a couple of hours.

I agree that selecting the coil in the neck (and on some guitars, the bridge, too) doesn't make a ton of difference. I tend to avoid switching that has very similar sounds, instead opting for a few that are very different that I will actually use.
 
Re: HSH custom wiring

Hi BriGuy1968, thanks !

You're right about splitting the little '59, it's useless ! And I like your idea concerning hum-canceling.

I have three 500K potentiometers, two of which are push/pull and a 0.22 uF Orange Drop capacitor.
Do you think you can figure out something ? (I could buy other electronic parts though)

Thanks again !
 
Re: HSH custom wiring

Hi BriGuy1968, thanks !

You're right about splitting the little '59, it's useless ! And I like your idea concerning hum-canceling.

I have three 500K potentiometers, two of which are push/pull and a 0.22 uF Orange Drop capacitor.
Do you think you can figure out something ? (I could buy other electronic parts though)

Thanks again !

Well... the bad news is that you’re gonna have to buy another push-pull pot and another capacitor. [emoji20]

But the good news is that it’ll be for an EXTREMELY versatile guitar! [emoji2]

3ebbdcac470f2fa15d1c9541f41ffc3b.jpg


I was a little curious myself about how many combos you were gonna have, so I mapped it out fully... pretty impressive! [emoji1303]

13aec94a1128d27ea2af9710f56a9536.jpg


Just let me know if you have any questions... and enjoy!
 
Re: HSH custom wiring

Wow BriGuy1968, you did an amazing job !
Thank you very much for the detailed schematics ! The amount of combinations is really impressive.

Correct me if I'm wrong :
- Tone 1 is related to the neck and middle pickups and Tone 2 is related to the bridge pickup ?
- when Tone 1 push/pull is down, the "upper" coils are selected (if Tone 2 is up)
- when Tone 1 push/pull is up, the "lower" coils are selected (if Tone 2 is up)

Thanks again for your time !
 
Re: HSH custom wiring

Would this modification be correct if I wanted to select the "upper" coils when Tone 1 is up and the "lower" coils when Tone 1 is down :

mod.png

It would be easier to remember the combinations :D
 
Re: HSH custom wiring

Hi again !

I'm about to replace the middle pickup (Squier Standard Single-Coil Strat) by a Seymour Duncan Antiquity II Surfer Strat - middle RWRP (https://www.seymourduncan.com/pickup/antiquity-ii-surfer-strat-middle-rwrp).

First of all, do you think it would go well with a Little '59 (neck) and a JB SH-4 (bridge) ?

Then, would BriGuy1968's amazing wiring schematic still work with this pickup ?
I think it's ok because Antiquity II Surfer Strat is a RWRP middle pickup, but I might be wrong...
 
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Re: HSH custom wiring

Diagram-wise, it will work just fine. I would be a little concerned, though, about whether or not that antiquity surfer can keep up with the JB in terms of volume/power.
 
Re: HSH custom wiring

Diagram-wise, it will work just fine. I would be a little concerned, though, about whether or not that antiquity surfer can keep up with the JB in terms of volume/power.

Yeah, that's my concern...

Has anyone tried this pickup combination ? (middle Antiquity II Surfer + bridge JB SH-4)
 
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Re: HSH custom wiring

The JB is gonna be much much louder than the Surfer...some people like that (sort of a built in boost), but if you are concerned with balance, you might opt for something with more power in the middle or less power in the bridge.
 
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