Is the Jerry Donahue wiring scheme truly a mystery to the public?
- Thread starter St_Genesius
- Start date
Re: Is the Jerry Donahue wiring scheme truly a mystery to the public?
After looking at it a second time, if that switch operates like the superswitch (i.e. 4 pole, 5 non shared throws) there is no way that will work. Unless that switch is making some internal jumps between some poles and throws, there are going to be three or four dead positions. Also, I believe you can get away with just using a 2 pole, 5 independent throw switch like the Hot Rod Tele uses.
Butch Snyder said:
After looking at it a second time, if that switch operates like the superswitch (i.e. 4 pole, 5 non shared throws) there is no way that will work. Unless that switch is making some internal jumps between some poles and throws, there are going to be three or four dead positions. Also, I believe you can get away with just using a 2 pole, 5 independent throw switch like the Hot Rod Tele uses.
St_Genesius
New member
Re: Is the Jerry Donahue wiring scheme truly a mystery to the public?
So do I need to buy a special switch to make this work? And is Kent right? Is there an issue with Butch's diagram? And what alterations would I need to make for pickups that aren't true single coils (looking at a Vintage Stack bridge and a Vintage Rails neck...)
Sorry for all the questions. I'm a wiring neophyte and perhaps a wiser person woudl start with something totally straightforward...but no one ever accused me of being wise...
So do I need to buy a special switch to make this work? And is Kent right? Is there an issue with Butch's diagram? And what alterations would I need to make for pickups that aren't true single coils (looking at a Vintage Stack bridge and a Vintage Rails neck...)
Sorry for all the questions. I'm a wiring neophyte and perhaps a wiser person woudl start with something totally straightforward...but no one ever accused me of being wise...
Artie
Peaveyologist
Re: Is the Jerry Donahue wiring scheme truly a mystery to the public?
Actually, the wiring diagram is correct . . .
Edit: Deleted most of this post because I was completely wrong - including the above statement. I've really got to stop contradicting Kent. :smack:
Sorry Kent. :blackeye:
Artie
Actually, the wiring diagram is correct . . .
Edit: Deleted most of this post because I was completely wrong - including the above statement. I've really got to stop contradicting Kent. :smack:
Sorry Kent. :blackeye:
Artie
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Scott Miller
New member
Re: Is the Jerry Donahue wiring scheme truly a mystery to the public?
The terminals aren't actually drawn wrong---the switch is weird. I know this because I worked on two of Jerry's Teles when he was at the factory one day. They ARE super switches with 4-poles, but they are not the Fender/allparts type with visible wafers and a semi-circular shape. They are rectangular with the terminals arranged vertically in two rows at each end. I have seen switches like this on some models of Ibanez guitars, but other than that, they are uncommon. If you know how to wire a superswitch, then you should be able to look at the drawing and translate the connections over to it. If you do not know how to wire a super switch, forget it and quit while you're ahead.
The terminals aren't actually drawn wrong---the switch is weird. I know this because I worked on two of Jerry's Teles when he was at the factory one day. They ARE super switches with 4-poles, but they are not the Fender/allparts type with visible wafers and a semi-circular shape. They are rectangular with the terminals arranged vertically in two rows at each end. I have seen switches like this on some models of Ibanez guitars, but other than that, they are uncommon. If you know how to wire a superswitch, then you should be able to look at the drawing and translate the connections over to it. If you do not know how to wire a super switch, forget it and quit while you're ahead.
Butch Snyder
ObsoleteChickenPickingologist
Re: Is the Jerry Donahue wiring scheme truly a mystery to the public?
That's right.... It's the Yamaha switch...
Not this one....
That's right.... It's the Yamaha switch...
Not this one....
Scott Miller
New member
Re: Is the Jerry Donahue wiring scheme truly a mystery to the public?
Actually, it is just like the one one this Ibanez guitar:
http://www.ibanez.com/wiring/wire.asp?y=1997&w=RG3180
Actually, it is just like the one one this Ibanez guitar:
http://www.ibanez.com/wiring/wire.asp?y=1997&w=RG3180
St_Genesius
New member
Re: Is the Jerry Donahue wiring scheme truly a mystery to the public?
I give up!
Maybe I should go back to my three-pickup Tele plan again. That almost sound simpler at this point.
I give up!
Maybe I should go back to my three-pickup Tele plan again. That almost sound simpler at this point.
Artie
Peaveyologist
Re: Is the Jerry Donahue wiring scheme truly a mystery to the public?
Don't give up.
I'm working on the "Superswitch" versions of that diagram right now. There's several different ways to do it, so I probably won't get them posted 'til this weekend.
Artie
St_Genesius said:I give up!
Maybe I should go back to my three-pickup Tele plan again. That almost sound simpler at this point.
Don't give up.
I'm working on the "Superswitch" versions of that diagram right now. There's several different ways to do it, so I probably won't get them posted 'til this weekend.
Artie
St_Genesius
New member
Re: Is the Jerry Donahue wiring scheme truly a mystery to the public?
Well, my intierest is starting swing back towards that stupid-complicated 3-pup thing I posted a while back (ah the joys of taking weeks to buy the stuff you need for a given project), though I of course have no idea how to do it. Maybe I'll just pay my tech to do it for me and I'll conquer something easy like re-wiring my P-bass to learn a bit about how to do this stuff myself.
I do think that having a workable diagram for this using the sorts of parts that we can all buy anywhere would be a useful thing to have around. I was surprised to find in my searches that it hadn't come up here before.
Well, my intierest is starting swing back towards that stupid-complicated 3-pup thing I posted a while back (ah the joys of taking weeks to buy the stuff you need for a given project), though I of course have no idea how to do it. Maybe I'll just pay my tech to do it for me and I'll conquer something easy like re-wiring my P-bass to learn a bit about how to do this stuff myself.
I do think that having a workable diagram for this using the sorts of parts that we can all buy anywhere would be a useful thing to have around. I was surprised to find in my searches that it hadn't come up here before.
ArtieToo said:Don't give up.
Artie
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Kevin@BlackRose
New member
Re: Is the Jerry Donahue wiring scheme truly a mystery to the public?
I have a customer who I was trying to find this switch for. I didn't realize that it was this different style switch than a regular super switch untill I called Scott at Seymour Duncan. I could not find that style of switch. Does anyone know where you can get that switch? I would like to know for future reference. Is it really the Yamaha switch?
Thanks,
Kevin
I have a customer who I was trying to find this switch for. I didn't realize that it was this different style switch than a regular super switch untill I called Scott at Seymour Duncan. I could not find that style of switch. Does anyone know where you can get that switch? I would like to know for future reference. Is it really the Yamaha switch?
Thanks,
Kevin
Artie
Peaveyologist
Re: Is the Jerry Donahue wiring scheme truly a mystery to the public?
Ok, here's my JD wiring using an ordinary Superswitch:
To make it a bit easier to decipher, the grounds are all done in pink-ish.
All the blue's connect together also.
This really isn't all that difficult if you just "prep" the superswitch first. Connect jumpers between all those blue terminals, then do the same thing with the pink's. Add your resistor across two lugs, the resistor/cap in series across two more, then attach the pups, volume and tone pots. And output jack.
Just be careful.
Artie
(Refresh your page. Just "neatened" the pic up at 6:45 EST.)
On 'mo edit: I have a variation on this that I like better, that I'll try to post later tonight, or tomorrow.
Ok, here's my JD wiring using an ordinary Superswitch:
To make it a bit easier to decipher, the grounds are all done in pink-ish.
All the blue's connect together also.
This really isn't all that difficult if you just "prep" the superswitch first. Connect jumpers between all those blue terminals, then do the same thing with the pink's. Add your resistor across two lugs, the resistor/cap in series across two more, then attach the pups, volume and tone pots. And output jack.
Just be careful.
Artie
(Refresh your page. Just "neatened" the pic up at 6:45 EST.)
On 'mo edit: I have a variation on this that I like better, that I'll try to post later tonight, or tomorrow.
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Artie
Peaveyologist
Re: Is the Jerry Donahue wiring scheme truly a mystery to the public?
Here's my variation: (Shown with tone control wired as the 50's mod.)
In the original wiring, the first two positions are:
neck - without a tone control
neck - with a tone control
That just seems like a waste to me. (Not that there's anything wrong with that.)
So in my variation, the positions are this:
1. neck
2. neck & bridge (parallel)
3. neck & bridge (JD wiring)
4. neck & bridge (series)
5. bridge
This gives you the "normalized" neck in #1, bridge in #5, with JD straight up, and the series/parallel options in the notch positions.
Artie
(Mind you . . . this is theoretical. I won't be trying it for a couple of weeks.)
Here's my variation: (Shown with tone control wired as the 50's mod.)
In the original wiring, the first two positions are:
neck - without a tone control
neck - with a tone control
That just seems like a waste to me. (Not that there's anything wrong with that.)
So in my variation, the positions are this:
1. neck
2. neck & bridge (parallel)
3. neck & bridge (JD wiring)
4. neck & bridge (series)
5. bridge
This gives you the "normalized" neck in #1, bridge in #5, with JD straight up, and the series/parallel options in the notch positions.
Artie
(Mind you . . . this is theoretical. I won't be trying it for a couple of weeks.)
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Kevin@BlackRose
New member
Re: Is the Jerry Donahue wiring scheme truly a mystery to the public?
Artie,
That is extremily helpfull. Thank you for sharing your expertise.
Kevin
Artie,
That is extremily helpfull. Thank you for sharing your expertise.
Kevin
Re: Is the Jerry Donahue wiring scheme truly a mystery to the public?
OK, I went home last night and looked, and I can't find my schematic, but I wired my guitar similarly:
Pos 1 = Neck
Pos 2 = Bridge & neck parallel, bridge with a cap in series (Llike an old Rick)
Pos 3 = Bridge & Neck parallel
Pos 4 = JD RC wiring
Pos 6 = Bridge
Positions 2 & 4 are quacky, with posotion 4 being the more useful of the two.
I also used the leftover switch pole to choose a different tone cap optimized for each switch position.
OK, I went home last night and looked, and I can't find my schematic, but I wired my guitar similarly:
Pos 1 = Neck
Pos 2 = Bridge & neck parallel, bridge with a cap in series (Llike an old Rick)
Pos 3 = Bridge & Neck parallel
Pos 4 = JD RC wiring
Pos 6 = Bridge
Positions 2 & 4 are quacky, with posotion 4 being the more useful of the two.
I also used the leftover switch pole to choose a different tone cap optimized for each switch position.
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Butch Snyder
ObsoleteChickenPickingologist
Re: Is the Jerry Donahue wiring scheme truly a mystery to the public?
Yep Artie, that looks great! Kudos....
Yep Artie, that looks great! Kudos....