Needing a diagram for 5 way import switch

[Tydonaldson]

I am new to the import 5 way switch and it's throwing me off, because SD only put the Strat style switch diagram. I bought an Iron Label Ibanez that was gutted and I put an SDSentient/Nazgul set in. I'm working with 1 tone, 1 volume. I' ve found other diagrams that would translate somewhat, but I want to be sure what I'm soldiering is correct the first time. From reading the forums I feel like this is a noob question, but any help is appreciated. :headbang:

 

[shadowfire90]

Re: Needing a diagram for 5 way import switch

The usual 2 pickup Ibanez wiring I've seen people want is as follows. For this you'll need a Cortek 3PS1SC5 switch. It'll say 2502N on it. This is a special switch designed specificlaly for this wiring so standard import 5 way blades won't do this as the way the switch reacts is a lot less predictable.

bridge pickup - series
bridge pickup / neck pickup - coilsplit (inner coils)
bridge pickup / neck pickup - standard les paul 2nd tone
neck pickup - parallel
neck pickup - series
so we're on the same page - series is your standard humbucking tone. Parallel is quieter and weaker

with a basic import switch - Alpha, standard cortek kind (on the ibanez RG350 for example) to no name chinese ones your switch options are limited for two pickups. Limited is a nice way of me saying not many useful tones such as the Anderton wiring . Personally I'd recommend a super 5 way switch if I was you. If that's the case I have around 40 diagrams I could pass along.

Standard import ones work best on 3 pickup setups. There are a few weird wirings out there but I never cared for enough of them to bother.
1
3
5
0
0
1
3
5

certain import ones have just a single common to activate the pole and there are other 5 way blades where there is 8 contacts yet one pole. I built my share of projects out of bargain bin parts

for the cortek switch to show how insane it is

 

[Tydonaldson]

Re: Needing a diagram for 5 way import switch

Yeah I watched that video a few days ago and it blew my mind. I bought the YM-50
would you suggest a different one???

 

[Jack_TriPpEr]

Re: Needing a diagram for 5 way import switch

I am new to the import 5 way switch and it's throwing me off, because SD only put the Strat style switch diagram. I bought an Iron Label Ibanez that was gutted and I put an SDSentient/Nazgul set in. I'm working with 1 tone, 1 volume. I' ve found other diagrams that would translate somewhat, but I want to be sure what I'm soldiering is correct the first time. From reading the forums I feel like this is a noob question, but any help is appreciated. :headbang:

Back to your original question about verifying your translation of a standard five-way switch to the YM-50, the 2nd post in the following thread does a good job of mapping the two switches' contacts. Using it, you would be able to figure out how to wire the switch up for the typical 3 combinations (neck/both/bridge)

https://forum.seymourduncan.com/showthread.php?54628-Please-someone-help-me-use-a-ym-50-switch

Whether you "need" another switch is really dependent on what pickup combinations you actually want from your guitar. The YM-50 will do the typical 3 combinations (neck/both/bridge) just fine like i wrote above, and because it is a 5 way switch, it could also be wired to provide some coilsplitting capability.

Think about what you really want/need, and if its more than the typical 3, i will be glad to help.

 

[Downrazor11]

Re: Needing a diagram for 5 way import switch

IF your switch WERE the COR-TEK 2502N/3PS1SC5 switch, here is some of the information I have developed/collected (and posted on SD forum in other threads) about how to work out wiring the switch:

https://forum.seymourduncan.com/showthread.php?335809-Please-help-me-wire-this-2502N-Ibanez-style-switch&highlight=3PS1SC5

AND

https://forum.seymourduncan.com/showthread.php?333661-Ibanez-HH-wiring-comprehension-requested&highlight=3PS1SC5

This will not work for the new YM-50 switch you bought, but it will explain how to get the 'Parallel Neck' position offered on many Ibanez guitars and it may help others that stumble upon this thread..

 

[shadowfire90]

Re: Needing a diagram for 5 way import switch

Back to my insight
More than anything find what sounds you want to use and more importantly how skilled you are with a soldering iron. I'll give you some ideas and of course whoever has the best advice go with it.

The Cortek one I've mentioned first as it's the usual one. It's a brilliant wiring however it's only got the one use and you may run into some problems. Take the Fender showmaster. It has a set of seymour duncan pickups. 5 way blade. Same settings. The neck pickup on it if i remember correctly the magnet is flipped so anyone who wanted to do that wiring or sticking to Ibanez the RG7321, RG1527 and so forth would need to flip the pickups magnet. No big deal to most but I can't be bothered.

Luckily Dimarzio and a fellow forum user helped me put a diagram together using a super 5 way blade to get those same tones. Now using a super 5 way blade is more difficult as it's 3x the contacts (8 vs 24). Super 5 way switches are far better documented and it's not one or two custom tailored wirings you'll have to try. Like I said I'm not even joking I must have 40 diagrams on my computer and not just little changes like 50s wiring or with or without treble bleeds.

With the super 5 way switch explained quickly
the numbers 1234 and 5 represent switch positions
0 activates a portion of the switch
there is 4 rows of 12345 , and four zeroes. So each zero is your common. The commons are used to activate a portion of the switch
luckily there are some easy diagrams you solder in the new switch in minutes, than there are others that'll take a lot more practice.


some ideas for tones
series - standard humbucker tone
coilsplit - a typical single coil tone, you can focus on either of the coils
parallel - a weaker humbucker tone without hum

one of the easiest super 5 way switch wirings is below. It's pretty much just one gigantic jumper on the left side. I really want to re-draw this as this is a personal image I used as reference last summer. This gives you the following. Positions 2 and 4 are hum cancelling and similar to a strat which are far more useful than any standard 5 way blade aside from that cortek one.
position 1 - bridge pickup
position 2 - bridge/neck coilsplit 1
position 3 - bridge/neck pickup - standard 2nd position on a les paul, sg or tele
position 4 - bridge/neck coilsplit 2
position 5 - neck - series

coilsplit 1 and 2 are totally different in sound

at the end of the day it's finding 5 sounds you want. If not I'd say go with a cheap 3 way blade and a push pull pot or 2. Regardless you're in good hands here for suggestions. Lots of help and in my case I like to draw diagrams.
View attachment 103005

 

[Tydonaldson]

Re: Needing a diagram for 5 way import switch

Awesome thanks so much guys!!! I definitely have much more of a handle on what I’m wanting to do and what steps to take.