Is this wiring possible?

[BruceBruce]

Can I wire three single coil sized humbuckers in series with just a standard 5-way switch and one push-pull pot to switch them all three to parallel?

 

[gregory]

Re: Is this wiring possible?

No.

You need a SPST just to add the neck or bridge. That leaves one pole left to switch all three pickups between series and parallel which just isn't possible.

Out of curiosity, have you wired three single coil sized humbuckers in series to hear what it sounds like?

 

[Chistopher]

Re: Is this wiring possible?

Out of curiosity, have you wired three single coil sized humbuckers in series to hear what it sounds like?

I've done it, and it's loud, muddy, and doesn't cancel noise.

 

[BruceBruce]

Re: Is this wiring possible?

No.

You need a SPST just to add the neck or bridge. That leaves one pole left to switch all three pickups between series and parallel which just isn't possible.

Out of curiosity, have you wired three single coil sized humbuckers in series to hear what it sounds like?

No, I meant: each bucker in series on its own, just like regular humbuckers are wired. And then I would like to use a push-pull pot to switch them to parallel on their own.

 

[gregory]

Re: Is this wiring possible?

I've done it, and it's loud, muddy, and doesn't cancel noise.

It should be hum-cancelling but with all that gain and no top end, any differential-mode buzz can be prominent.

 

[gregory]

Re: Is this wiring possible?

No, I meant: each bucker in series on its own, just like regular humbuckers are wired. And then I would like to use a push-pull pot to switch them to parallel on their own.

It will take three standard two-pole push/pull pots to do that with a standard 5 way; two if one of them is a Fender S-1.

 

[Chistopher]

Re: Is this wiring possible?

It should be hum-cancelling but with all that gain and no top end, any differential-mode buzz will be very prominent.

There will only be one RWRP in relation to the other two, so there will be about half as much noise as a standard single coil.

 

[gregory]

Re: Is this wiring possible?

There will only be one RWRP in relation to the other two, so there will be about half as much noise as a standard single coil.

I think you missed an important part of the equation:

three single coil sized humbuckers

...making a total of six coils with three being RWRP in relation to the other two.

Of course we now know that BruceBruce wants to switch each pickup from series to parallel with a single switch, so this is all moot.

 

[Chistopher]

Re: Is this wiring possible?

Of course we now know that BruceBruce wants to switch each pickup from series to parallel with a single switch, so this is all moot.

I was totally misinterpreting what he was saying. But it is in fact possible to do what you want, but there will be a minor drawback. You can use the 5-way switch as normal, use the toggle switch for the series/parallel. I haven't ever done it, but there is a way to wire a tone pot so that when it's at 10 it'll add in the neck pickup.

Another alternative (assuming the guitar in question is a Strat) is to wire one tone control to affect all pickups and the other to blend in the neck.

 

[gregory]

Re: Is this wiring possible?

Three pickups on at the same time isn't being requested.

That aside, you need 6 poles to switch three pickups from series to parallel. So unless you know of a single switch that will do that then I think it's safe to say that it is not possible to do what he wants with one switch.

I will be happy to be proven wrong.

 

[Artie]

Re: Is this wiring possible?

Actually, if you wire this up using "normal" Fender Stratocaster wiring, then a simple S-1 switch would switch all three to parallel. (Given that an S-1 switch is 4 DPDT switches.)

 

[gregory]

Re: Is this wiring possible?

Please show us.

 

[Mincer]

Re: Is this wiring possible?

Hmm, I've never used 3 humbuckers in series with each other...I would assume that to be a pretty thick sound. It might be fun to use it with an Ebow.

 

[gregory]

Re: Is this wiring possible?

I thought the same thing. The OP already clarified by saying he wants to use one switch to change each of the three pickups so they can go from series wiring to parallel wiring.