P-Rails wiring question

[rupeert]

Good Evening!

For the past two days I am trying to work out the wiring of a single P-Rails (bridge) with a three way switch (like the teles) and a push pull volume pot.
What I want to get out of all this is the possibility of selecting each pick-up (rails, p90 and humbucker) plus getting the chance to run the humbucker in series or parallel. Is this possible with this set-up? If yes could you please suggest me how to do wire it?

Thanks in advance!

 

[BriGuy1968]

Re: P-Rails wiring question

Are you saying you have a single pickup guitar utilizing a P-Rail, or are you saying that you are only using a bridge P-Rail (as opposed to a set) and some other pickup in the neck?


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[BriGuy1968]

Re: P-Rails wiring question

Well, I haven't received an answer from you, but I was interested in your idea, so I went ahead and drew up a diagram that will accomplish what you're asking for under the assumption that this is a single pickup guitar...

Pointing the 3-way blade switch toward the bridge runs the P-90, and toward the neck is the rail. In the center, with the volume p/p down, the humbucker runs in series, and with the p/p up it's in parallel.

I hope it works for you, and if I misunderstood your intention, just let me know and I'll see about helping you to accomplish your goal.

Welcome to the forum!


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[Mincer]

Re: P-Rails wiring question

Now, I am interested in what he means. That's a cool diagram, too.

 

[jebbo175]

Re: P-Rails wiring question

I put a p-rail in the bridge of an Esquire build and would like to use this wiring. How is the tone pot/control wired into this? I haven't done alot of wiring but I'm gonna give it a shot. Thanks

 

[BriGuy1968]

P-Rails wiring question

I put a p-rail in the bridge of an Esquire build and would like to use this wiring. How is the tone pot/control wired into this? I haven't done alot of wiring but I'm gonna give it a shot. Thanks

Hi jebbo175, and welcome to the forum!

No problem. All you do is run a wire from the RIGHT volume pot lug to the CENTER lug of the tone pot, then a ground wire from the volume pot to the back of the tone pot. Finally, you wire your capacitor with one end to the LEFT lug and other end to the back of the tone pot.

That's it! [emoji2][emoji1303]


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[jebbo175]

Re: P-Rails wiring question

Now for my next dumb question. Where does the hot from the jack go? On the right lug of the tone pot? Thanks for your patience.

 

[BriGuy1968]

Re: P-Rails wiring question

Nope. Just leave it where it's showing on the diagram. You'll just have two wires attached to that lug instead of one.


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[jebbo175]

Re: P-Rails wiring question

Nope. Just leave it where it's showing on the diagram. You'll just have two wires attached to that lug instead of one.


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Thanks for your help.

 

[jebbo175]

Re: P-Rails wiring question

Thanks for your help.

Just wanted to say that I wired and installed the pickup as per your diagram and it works great. I really like the P-90 sound. Thanks again.

 

[BriGuy1968]

Re: P-Rails wiring question

Just wanted to say that I wired and installed the pickup as per your diagram and it works great. I really like the P-90 sound. Thanks again.

You're very welcome... any time! [emoji1303]


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[jebbo175]

Re: P-Rails wiring question

Well....here's a new challenge. I found an old mini humbucker from a '70 Les Paul Deluxe I had. Is there a way I could incorparate it in the neck position with the P-rail wiring you posted?

 

[BriGuy1968]

Re: P-Rails wiring question

Well....here's a new challenge. I found an old mini humbucker from a '70 Les Paul Deluxe I had. Is there a way I could incorparate it in the neck position with the P-rail wiring you posted?

Certainly, but it's going to come along with some sort of sacrifice. Here are a few possibilities:

• Add a 2-way DPDT mini switch to simply turn the neck pickup on and off. Note: the bridge pickup would always be "on" with this choice.

• Add a 3-way DPDT on/on/on mini switch to act like a pickup selector.

• Turn the current 3-way back into a pickup selector and add a 3-way DPDT on/on/on mini switch to take its place as the P-Rail coil selector.

• Get a Triple-Shot ring for the P-Rail, turn the 3-way back into a pickup selector, and replace the Series-Parallel push/pull with a phase reverse (this is my favorite).


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[jebbo175]

Re: P-Rails wiring question

You're very welcome... any time! [emoji1303]


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One problem I have is that the volume knob does not completely kill the volume when turned down...hmmm.

 

[BriGuy1968]

Re: P-Rails wiring question

One problem I have is that the volume knob does not completely kill the volume when turned down...hmmm.

Do you have the leftmost lug of the volume pot connected to ground? That's an easy one to miss!

Otherwise try reversing the center and right lugs.


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[gregulator450]

Re: P-Rails wiring question

Well, I haven't received an answer from you, but I was interested in your idea, so I went ahead and drew up a diagram that will accomplish what you're asking for under the assumption that this is a single pickup guitar...

Pointing the 3-way blade switch toward the bridge runs the P-90, and toward the neck is the rail. In the center, with the volume p/p down, the humbucker runs in series, and with the p/p up it's in parallel.

I hope it works for you, and if I misunderstood your intention, just let me know and I'll see about helping you to accomplish your goal.

Welcome to the forum!


[emoji450] Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk [emoji441]

Sorry to bring this old thread up. Thank you for the wiring diagram. I have a question though- if I want to forego the push-pull (I have no need for series/parallel switching) how would I wire the P-Rail to switch between its three settings with the tele 3-way switch?

Thank you

 

[GuitarDoc]

Re: P-Rails wiring question

Sorry to bring this old thread up. Thank you for the wiring diagram. I have a question though- if I want to forego the push-pull (I have no need for series/parallel switching) how would I wire the P-Rail to switch between its three settings with the tele 3-way switch?

Thank you

What "three settings" are you referring to? The P Rails has four settings!

Why do you want a switch if you ..."have no need for series/parallel switching"? What do you want to accomplish with the switch? It would be simple to wire it for P-90-humbucker (parallel)-Rail. But if you want the humbucker in series you'll either need to forget about the switch and keep it in humbucker (series) all the time; -or- add a DPDT p/p switch; -or- use a super switch (but then it would be 5 positions).

So, what do you want to end up with?