Parallel/series switch for Vintage Rails bridge

[h3r3t1k]

I want to play dirty blues rock with this guitar. Think ZZ Top. What would a Vintage Rails in series sound like? Like a hot rails? Would a master series/parallel switch for all 3 vintage rails be possible? Does it only make sense for the bridge?

 

[vinnie1971]

Parallel/series switch for Vintage Rails bridge

I personally I think separate push pulls for the bridge and neck to get parallel neck series bridge and vice-versa giving SSS like tones, and HSH, HSS and SSH options. I say like as they are single coil like but not single coil. You could do the middle too, but not sure how useful that would be.

I am not familiar with this pickup but have guitars wired up series parallel and coil split and it's all pretty cool with the right pickups. Done work well others less so.

Bridge Parallel and neck series is a great tone btw


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[h3r3t1k]

Re: Parallel/series switch for Vintage Rails bridge

2 switches for series/parallel on bridge and neck would be pretty cool. If somebody could make a schematic that'd be awesome. I prefer no tone for the bridge PU, so standard Strat wiring plus the switches.

 

[Will S-T]

Re: Parallel/series switch for Vintage Rails bridge

A Fender S-1 switch (master vol) will do series/parallel for all three pickups,
however they will all be either one or the other.

Push/pull vol for neck and middle tone for bridge will allow to S/P both pickups separately.
You can then replace the other tone pot with a Bourns Blender pot that dials in the neck
or bridge pickup depending on what position the 5 way switch is in. Check it out at Stewmac.
This will give you all three with variables of neck or bridge volume and S/P for neck and bridge
but also neck and bridge and all the standard 5 positions.

Enjoy

 

[vinnie1971]

Parallel/series switch for Vintage Rails bridge

A Fender S-1 switch (master vol) will do series/parallel for all three pickups,
however they will all be either one or the other.

Push/pull vol for neck and middle tone for bridge will allow to S/P both pickups separately.
You can then replace the other tone pot with a Bourns Blender pot that dials in the neck
or bridge pickup depending on what position the 5 way switch is in. Check it out at Stewmac.
This will give you all three with variables of neck or bridge volume and S/P for neck and bridge
but also neck and bridge and all the standard 5 positions.

Enjoy

In my HSH I got volume and tone 1 push push doing coil splits on neck and bridge (but could have done series/parallel) and tone 2 push push is neck plus bridge on.

Then tone 1 pot is tone for the humbuckers and tone 2 is tone control for the middle, but I guess in an HHH guitar then master tone is probably enough and blend pot is a cool mid but having used both Bourns and CTS no load pot, I recommend the CTS no load pot as better: the taper is much more of a blend the bourns is a bit on off.


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[vinnie1971]

Re: Parallel/series switch for Vintage Rails bridge

Regarding series parallel just wire each push pull for the humbuckers you want series parallel switching on as per diagram below. Just treat both single coils as the 2 coils of your humbucker.
Everything else can be standard strat wiring using a standard 5 way switch

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