My Brain Hurts!

[magillver]

I'm trying to come up with a wiring diagram. I have an H-S-H configuration, with 2 Triple Shots and a Classic Stack+ in the middle, 3-way blade for the Triple Shots, and a mini toggle switch to add the Classic Stack to the output of the blade switch, so that I can add it to any of the TS configurations. Here's where I'm hurting myself: I want to wire the TS's through a series/parallel switch, so that they can be (obviously) in series or in parallel with each other. Not that big of a deal, I've done it on a couple of other guitars. I ALSO want to be able to wire up my mini toggle so that I have the Classic Stack either off, or in series or parallel with the output of the 3-way blade switch. Is this even (practically) possible, or am I dreaming? Thanks in advance!

 

[Artie]

Yes. It's possible. Approach it like this: No matter what wiring you do downstream, ultimately, you end up with two wires: hot and ground. Now, use those two, with the two from the stack, to your switch, for series / parallel.

 

[magillver]

So can I just use the ground without the coil finish/- conductor? I'm picturing placing the s/p switch between the 3-way and the volume pot, where I only have the hot signal coming off of the 3-way to work with...

 

[Artie]

For series, one "system" will be on the ground side, and one will be on the hot side. So your switch would need to connect the green wire of the stack, to the wire coming off the 3-way.

I'm in the middle of a couple other projects right now. A little later, I can draw it out, unless someone else beats me to it.

 

[magillver]

No worries, I think I got it ...

 

[Artie]

Dang! Just saw a mistake. Gimme a sec.

Ok. Just omit the jumper on the top of the top switch. That's all.

Double-dang! Still not right. Gimme two more secs.

 

[Artie]

If the Stack switch is "off", the ser / par switch does nothing. (As it should.)

Don't use that diagram. It still has a bug.

 

[magillver]

Perfect, thank you!

 

[Artie]

Glad to help ya, man. Let us know how it works out.

And, obviously, your vol / tone controls need their normal ground connection.

P.S. For my own curiosity, I'm going to see if we could do this with one 4PDT on-on-on switch. That would let you do this with one switch hole. I just gotta finish a couple home projects first.

 

[Artie]

I'm getting senile. That diagram still shorts the output to ground when the stack is off. Let me try this one more time. :banghead:

 

[magillver]

Don't hurt yourself!

 

[Artie]

Third time's a charm. I should have put the on-off switch first. I think this is it.

 

[Artie]

And note: switch contacts move opposite of the handle. So this is the view from the back of the switch as you would wire it. The bottom switch is "off" when the handle is down. The ser/par switch is parallel when the handle is down.

 

[magillver]

I always try to leave enough wire so that, when I DO screw it up I can just rotate the whole switch...

 

[Artie]

Yup. Same here. :beerchug:

 

[Artie]

Hey Mag . . . I like this one way better. Since you said you ordered the 4PDT on-on-on switch . . . one hole, more intuitive. I'm showing the two halves of the switch separately, to make the diagram easier to draw. And easier to trace. This shows the three switch positions. The "red" lines are the internal electrical contacts. Don't add those as jumpers.

Switch up is Stack in parallel.
Switch in the middle is Stack off.
Switch Down is Stack in series.

And as you mentioned in a text, leave a little extra wire, and you can reverse ser / par by rotating the switch 180 degree's.

 

[magillver]

Awesome, thank you Artie! Very nice drawing, by the way, almost like you've done this a few times!

 

[Artie]

Very nice drawing, by the way, almost like you've done this a few times!

Well, three times, at least.

Also, as I mentioned in our text, that switch is not symmetrical. For the initial wiring, you must place the switch in the middle position, then meter it to make sure the center two contacts are in the "up" position. After it's wired, you can rotate it to swap ser / par. But not before wiring. Make sense?

 

[switchman]

I really like this idea with the 3 way blade, and doing it with the 4PDT makes it even better. This cuts down on the syndrome where flipping a switch seems to do nothing until you flip another switch its linked too.​ I think most people who picked up the guitar would figure out quickly its setup like a 2 pickup guitar with separate controls for the middle. Some of the more expansive retrofit schemes need a chart to remember how to get a certain sound. That's okay practicing or recording but not live so much. I'm guilty too. Some of my own schemes if I don't play the guitar for a while, I can't remember what all the switch positions are lol.

It's why I like the Tripleshots too. Its obvious when the switch is in the ring that it controls the pickup its next to. No guessing when its going to have an effect

 

[Artie]

. . . I can't remember what all the switch positions are lol.

Funny you should mention this. One of my Peavey Patriots has a couple switches where I think I know what one does. But can't remember the other. One on-on, one on-off-on, and one on-on-on.