P-Rails Wiring - Neck only, 2 volume 1 tone

slugworth

New member
I've been searching this forum extensively but haven't found anything that is totally helpful. I'm going to install one P-Rails pickup in the neck of a Dean 79 Z. Two humbucker setup, 3-way switch, 2 volume controls and 1 tone. The bridge has a JB that I'm leaving as-is.

I want to add one switch (DPDT) to control the P-rail's series/P-90/rail modes, and then a second switch (SPST) that, when activated, disables/overrides the DPDT switch and puts the P-90 and rail in parallel. The part that has me scratching my head is using the SPST switch to get the neck pickup coils in parallel.

I really just need to end up with a way to get all 4 sounds out of the P-rails in the neck. If there's a better way to go about this than what I've described then I'm open to other ideas as well as long as they don't involve push-pull pots or the Triple Shot.

I would deeply appreciate any help that anyone here could provide. Thank you VERY much!
 
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Re: P-Rails Wiring - Neck only, 2 volume 1 tone

Thanks for your reply. I've searched and searched and searched, seen a lot of your diagrams, but still haven't found anything that fits that description. Perhaps you have such a diagram saved somewhere?
 
Re: P-Rails Wiring - Neck only, 2 volume 1 tone

Aha! I found it:

https://forum.seymourduncan.com/showthread.php?t=141088

sprailsx1nw6.jpg
 
Re: P-Rails Wiring - Neck only, 2 volume 1 tone

Just for the benefit of anyone who finds this in the future, this wiring method worked out great... EXCEPT up and down are reversed for both switches. Up on the on/on switch puts the 3-sound switch in control, and up on the on/off/on switch enables the P90.
 
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Re: P-Rails Wiring - Neck only, 2 volume 1 tone

Of course. But in my case some of the wiring was very tight -- the leads just BARELY reached the on/on switch. So in order to flip it I'll have to resolder some of the connections. I probably will at some point, but for now I just wanted to point it out so the next person will know ahead of time. This seems like it would be a very commonly used setup for a P-Rails.

Thanks again for the diagram, Hermetico! I could not have done this job without you.
 
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