HSH Wiring Help - Auto-PARALLEL?

M

myampisbetter

New member
Hey guys, so I'm trying to do a fancy HSH setup that I can't seem to come across a diagram for, and I'm not advanced enough to draw my own so I thought I'd seek higher council.

I've got a Rio Grande Crunchbox (4 wire humbucker) bridge pickup, a Vintage Rails for the middle, and a Lil 59 for the neck that are going into a Jackson Dinky HSS. I'm trying to have both bridge and neck humbuckers go into parallel when in positions 2&4 to utilize hum cancelling in all positions and also maintain Stratty-ness. If at all possible I'd really like to limit the components to a basic 5 way blade switch, 1 vol, and 1 tone, no push pulls. I've never been a fan of the sound of mini humbuckers split, so I wanted to try out parallel wiring to see if I get the quack I'm after when combined with the Vintage Rails in the middle. I wasn't sure if two humbuckers can be split into parallel on the same 5 way blade switch or if I'd need to go the super switch route? I can't seem to track down a diagram that has this exact setup, so I figured maybe someone on here could assist.

Pos 1: Neck Humbucker (Full, series)
Pos 2: Neck Humbucker (Full, parallel) + Middle
Pos 3: Middle (OR Neck + Bridge if possible)
Pos 4: Bridge Humbucker (Full, parallel) + Middle
Pos 5: Bridge Humbucker (Full, series)

5 way blade, 1 vol, 1 tone

Any and all help is much appreciated, and please let me know if I need to clarify anything further. If someone sees what I'm trying to accomplish but has a better pickup combo, please let me know as I'm just in the experimental phase right now. Thanks!
 
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Re: HSH Wiring Help - Auto-PARALLEL?

A standard 5-way doesn’t have enough lugs to do this.

For parallel you have to switch two wires of the Humbuckers at the same time as switching in the middle pickup hot.

A super switch might even not work either because you’ve got eight wire destinations total to be managed by only four sets of lugs on the super switch. Maybe there’s a tricky way to do it. Need to think for a while.
 
Re: HSH Wiring Help - Auto-PARALLEL?

beaubrummels said:
A standard 5-way doesn’t have enough lugs to do this.

For parallel you have to switch two wires of the Humbuckers at the same time as switching in the middle pickup hot.

A super switch might even not work either because you’ve got eight wire destinations total to be managed by only four sets of lugs on the super switch. Maybe there’s a tricky way to do it. Need to think for a while.
Click to expand...

Cool, thanks man! So there’s an HH Ibanez writing scheme that utilizes a 5 way blade with pos 2 being the neck humbucker in parallel. Is this not possible with the HSH setup because of the additional pickup taking up lugs?

9246F462-D2F9-47AA-A9EE-D15ABB41168A.jpeg

Thanks again!
 
HSH Wiring Help - Auto-PARALLEL?

myampisbetter said:
Cool, thanks man! So there’s an HH Ibanez writing scheme that utilizes a 5 way blade with pos 2 being the neck humbucker in parallel. Is this not possible with the HSH setup because of the additional pickup taking up lugs?

View attachment 104109

Thanks again!
Click to expand...

I’d need to know the lug numbering of that specific switch to figure out what the switch is doing.
 
Re: HSH Wiring Help - Auto-PARALLEL?

beaubrummels said:
I’d need to know the lug numbering of that specific switch to figure out what the switch is doing.
Click to expand...

I'm not sure of the numbering, but I can find out. I believe that's just a basic Cortek import 5 way switch. I'm pretty sure the connections are (left to right):

Bridge - Middle - Neck - Output - Output - Neck - Middle - Bridge

Is that what you're asking?
 
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Re: HSH Wiring Help - Auto-PARALLEL?

I can’t tell how that switch is accomplishing parallel coils on the neck in position 2 if that is the switch lug assignments.
 
Re: HSH Wiring Help - Auto-PARALLEL?

beaubrummels said:
I can’t tell how that switch is accomplishing parallel coils on the neck in position 2 if that is the switch lug assignments.
Click to expand...

myampisbetter said:
I'm not sure of the numbering, but I can find out. I believe that's just a basic Cortek import 5 way switch. I'm pretty sure the connections are (left to right):

Bridge - Middle - Neck - Output - Output - Neck - Middle - Bridge

Is that what you're asking?
Click to expand...

The switch in that Ibanez diagram is a specialized superswitch, the 3PS1SC5. I wrote about it in a recent thread that also describes strengths and weaknesses of that switch as well as other alternate superswitch candidate choices. Here is the thread.
Post #2 in particular.
[Edit: corrected link below]


https://forum.seymourduncan.com/sho...RG9QM-wiring&p=4397649&viewfull=1#post4397649

Also, I am currently sketching out on paper if it is possible for any superswitch to provide Humbucker In Parallel +midddle pickup in a HSH format without reliance on another switch or push-pull, like the OP requested. Will let you know shortly what I determine for that. Head's up: it doesn't look good, haha.
 
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Re: HSH Wiring Help - Auto-PARALLEL?

myampisbetter said:
Hey guys, so I'm trying to do a fancy HSH setup that I can't seem to come across a diagram for, and I'm not advanced enough to draw my own so I thought I'd seek higher council.

I've got a Rio Grande Crunchbox (4 wire humbucker) bridge pickup, a Vintage Rails for the middle, and a Lil 59 for the neck that are going into a Jackson Dinky HSS. I'm trying to have both bridge and neck humbuckers go into parallel when in positions 2&4 to utilize hum cancelling in all positions and also maintain Stratty-ness. If at all possible I'd really like to limit the components to a basic 5 way blade switch, 1 vol, and 1 tone, no push pulls. I've never been a fan of the sound of mini humbuckers split, so I wanted to try out parallel wiring to see if I get the quack I'm after when combined with the Vintage Rails in the middle. I wasn't sure if two humbuckers can be split into parallel on the same 5 way blade switch or if I'd need to go the super switch route? I can't seem to track down a diagram that has this exact setup, so I figured maybe someone on here could assist.

Pos 1: Neck Humbucker (Full, series)
Pos 2: Neck Humbucker (Full, parallel) + Middle
Pos 3: Middle (OR Neck + Bridge if possible)
Pos 4: Bridge Humbucker (Full, parallel) + Middle
Pos 5: Bridge Humbucker (Full, series)

5 way blade, 1 vol, 1 tone

Any and all help is much appreciated, and please let me know if I need to clarify anything further. If someone sees what I'm trying to accomplish but has a better pickup combo, please let me know as I'm just in the experimental phase right now. Thanks!
Click to expand...

Question: you say above that you want to do this humbucker-in-parallel +middle pickup to achieve humbucking and stratty-ness... the typical approach that satisfies those requirements is humbucker-split+middle pickup... is there a reason why you don't want that? A superswitch can definitely support that with no issue...

[Edit: in fact, humbucker-in-parallel+ middle will NOT be humbucking because the middle pickup is a 3rd coil that is unmatched... would need a 4th coil to provide humbucking for it]
 
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Re: HSH Wiring Help - Auto-PARALLEL?

Jack_TriPpEr said:
Question: you say above that you want to do this humbucker-in-parallel +middle pickup to achieve humbucking and stratty-ness... the typical approach that satisfies those requirements is humbucker-split+middle pickup... is there a reason why you don't want that? A superswitch can definitely support that with no issue...

[Edit: in fact, humbucker-in-parallel+ middle will NOT be humbucking because the middle pickup is a 3rd coil that is unmatched... would need a 4th coil to provide humbucking for it]
Click to expand...

Thanks for the replies! So, the Vintage Rails is what I’m using in the middle position, and that IS a humbucking split single coil pickup. Similar to a p bass pickup. So that’s why the whole humbuckers in parallel, they’d need to still be hum cancelling to work with that middle Vintage Rails. Hope I’m understand you correctly.

I normally would go the traditional single coil middle, but normally the middle position will be the only non-humbucking position, but since I have a vintage rails I thought I’d see if I could get ALL positions humcancelling while having similar controls to an Ibanez hsh. Hopefully I’ve explained that clear enough. Thanks again!
 
Re: HSH Wiring Help - Auto-PARALLEL?

myampisbetter said:
Thanks for the replies! So, the Vintage Rails is what I’m using in the middle position, and that IS a humbucking split single coil pickup. Similar to a p bass pickup. So that’s why the whole humbuckers in parallel, they’d need to still be hum cancelling to work with that middle Vintage Rails. Hope I’m understand you correctly.

I normally would go the traditional single coil middle, but normally the middle position will be the only non-humbucking position, but since I have a vintage rails I thought I’d see if I could get ALL positions humcancelling while having similar controls to an Ibanez hsh. Hopefully I’ve explained that clear enough. Thanks again!
Click to expand...

Oops, yes, i forgot the Vintage Rails is a 2 coil pickup.

I will keep sketching to see if what you want is possible without use of an added switch... if it is not, what you could do is split the Vintage Rails to the main coil in Positions 2 and 4 and combine that with the split-humbucker of Neck or Bridge. That still achieves your stratty-ness and humbucking goals.
 
Re: HSH Wiring Help - Auto-PARALLEL?

Well, if you split the Vintage Rails, you will get 3 strings.
 
Re: HSH Wiring Help - Auto-PARALLEL?

Mincer said:
Well, if you split the Vintage Rails, you will get 3 strings.
Click to expand...

Good point.

So i think the OP is out of luck to get Parallel-humbucker+middle pup in HSH format with zero additional switches being called into play.

That is because in order to put a humbucker in parallel using a 4 pole superswitch, you have to dedicate two poles of a superswitch to that humbucker. To do that for 2 humbuckers, now all 4 poles of a superswitch are consumed. None left over. This diagram helps demonstrate that.

20200328_210228.jpg
 
Re: HSH Wiring Help - Auto-PARALLEL?

Jack_TriPpEr said:
Good point.

So i think the OP is out of luck to get Parallel-humbucker+middle pup in HSH format with zero additional switches being called into play.

That is because in order to put a humbucker in parallel using a 4 pole superswitch, you have to dedicate two poles of a superswitch to that humbucker. To do that for 2 humbuckers, now all 4 poles of a superswitch are consumed. None left over. This diagram helps demonstrate that.

View attachment 104188
Click to expand...

MyAmpIsBetter,

So beginning to go down the road of adding just 1 additional switch, we could add a Fender S1 switch - which is a 4 pole switch and like a push-pull (so it has a pot for volume or tone functionality) *but* is push-push - you might not mind push-push like you do push-pull. That single switch can change *both* humbuckers from series mode to parallel mode, in a single action. You could trigger it in Positions 2 and 4, as well as positions 1 and 5 if you desire. Something to consider.

f9b5ffce-f1b7-4615-96d2-adc7bb79b32a.JPG
 
Re: HSH Wiring Help - Auto-PARALLEL?

Jack_TriPpEr said:
Good point.

So i think the OP is out of luck to get Parallel-humbucker+middle pup in HSH format with zero additional switches being called into play.

That is because in order to put a humbucker in parallel using a 4 pole superswitch, you have to dedicate two poles of a superswitch to that humbucker. To do that for 2 humbuckers, now all 4 poles of a superswitch are consumed. None left over. This diagram helps demonstrate that.

View attachment 104188
Click to expand...

I continued looking at this diagram, and i figured out a way to tie the middle pickup into Positions 2, 3 and 4. Working up a modded diagram on my computer. Will post it shortly.
 
Re: HSH Wiring Help - Auto-PARALLEL?

Jack_TriPpEr said:
MyAmpIsBetter,

So beginning to go down the road of adding just 1 additional switch, we could add a Fender S1 switch - which is a 4 pole switch and like a push-pull (so it has a pot for volume or tone functionality) *but* is push-push - you might not mind push-push like you do push-pull. That single switch can change *both* humbuckers from series mode to parallel mode, in a single action. You could trigger it in Positions 2 and 4, as well as positions 1 and 5 if you desire. Something to consider.

View attachment 104189
Click to expand...

Interesting idea, hadn't considered an S1 switch yet. I'm definitely not opposed to push/pulls, I use em all the time. I just wanted to try to keep the controls dead simple for no real reason other than I've just got some fancy Bournes EVH speed pots that I'm itching to use on a Dinky I just picked up, and the 3 way switch that came with the guitar is one of those rugged Japanese ones that never die. I just like to leave guitars as they are for the most part and only upgrade what is lacking, so I'm thinking though it might be worth it to just do it with the push pull/S1 method. Seems easy enough.

Thanks everyone for helping brainstorm!
 
Re: HSH Wiring Help - Auto-PARALLEL?

Jack_TriPpEr said:
I continued looking at this diagram, and i figured out a way to tie the middle pickup into Positions 2, 3 and 4. Working up a modded diagram on my computer. Will post it shortly.
Click to expand...

After spending more time on it, i found that i cannot tie the middle pickup in *just* on Positions 2, 3 and 4. Middle pickup would actually become active on all positions.
 
Re: HSH Wiring Help - Auto-PARALLEL?

myampisbetter said:
Interesting idea, hadn't considered an S1 switch yet. I'm definitely not opposed to push/pulls, I use em all the time. I just wanted to try to keep the controls dead simple for no real reason other than I've just got some fancy Bournes EVH speed pots that I'm itching to use on a Dinky I just picked up, and the 3 way switch that came with the guitar is one of those rugged Japanese ones that never die. I just like to leave guitars as they are for the most part and only upgrade what is lacking, so I'm thinking though it might be worth it to just do it with the push pull/S1 method. Seems easy enough.

Thanks everyone for helping brainstorm!
Click to expand...

FYI: a push-pull only has 2 poles. To switch a *single* humbucker btw series and parallel modes, requires 2 poles. So if you go the push-pull route, you'll need two push-pulls total -one for each humbucker. The S1 switch has 4 poles so a single S1 can handle both humbuckers.
 
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