PRS-Style HH wiring with Fender 5 way super switch

E

Elgermeister

New member
Hi guys,

I´m looking for a diagram to get a "PRS-Style" switching for my HH setup with 1 Volume and 1 Tone control.
PRS Style means to me:

1. Position: Bridge only
2. Position: Outside coils
3. Position: Both Humbucker
4. Position: Inside coils
5. Position: Neck Humbucker

I try to make this work with a "Fender 5 Way Super Switch" (https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/0992251000--fender-5-position-strat-tele-super-switch)

I found this wiring on the net, but it´s not working (maybe due to the reversed Bridge HB!? Which I don´t want to do...): https://www.seymourduncan.com/blogs/wp-content/uploads/HHInOutSplit5WORKS-1024x786.gif

Has anyone a wiring-template to make this work?

Thx a lot for your help in advance! :)

Cheers from Germany
Heiko
 
Schaller offers the Megaswitch P which gives similar coil combinations, except that its center position uses inner coils in series.
I believe that's what the PRS rotary does since 1990 or so.

My earliest PRS rotary - from'87 - gives both full hums parallel in position 3 (and both full hums out-of-phase in position 2).
But my '95 PRS rotary gives inner coils in series for position 3 and outer coils parallel for position 3.
 
Thank you so much for your super-quick support! Highly appreciated! :)

I used this diagram of that "do it all" project:
For me it seems like this is the final and "approved" one...

Positions 1-4 are working fine, but I don´t get any sound out of the 5th position (which supposed to be the Neck HB alone).
Do I miss anything?
I checked my wiring a couple of times but can't find no mistake. :confused:

Again - thx a lot and all the best
Heiko
 
Are you getting neck pup sounds in positions 2-4? Check that your solder connection is good on the lug #5 on the switch. Sometimes everything LOOKS good when checking your wiring, but the solder joint may not be good. Also heck for any stray wires shorting out to another terminal.
 
Yes, that is the right diagram. Standard troubleshooting procedures if the neck isn't working- make sure you get at least 1 coil of the neck in 2 & 4 and if you don't, see if you are getting a reading from the neck using a meter.
 
Hi guys,

your support is really awesome! :)
And YES it´s working now!

I was re-doing almost every solder connection and it works fine now. Must have been my semi-professional soldering skills ;)

Next step: Trying to fix the volume drop between full-HB and split-HB sounds.
I found a fix for a push-pull setup on YT: Video here
Maybe someone has an idea how to get those resistors in the right place :)

All the best
Heiko
 
Awesome! It is really a great system that I've used for several years There is a volume drop, but to me, that is a bonus.
 
Elgermeister said:
Next step: Trying to fix the volume drop between full-HB and split-HB sounds.
I found a fix for a push-pull setup on YT.
Maybe someone has an idea how to get those resistors in the right place.

All the best
Heiko
Click to expand...

I assume you're talking about a different guitar now, yes?

Resistor split wiring is easy: a resistors is wired between the series link of a humbucker and the connection to ground.
They simply limit the amount of signal that's shunted to ground, leaving more of the pickup's output for stronger sound.

The wiring in the first post shouldn't have any serious volume drop like the one you get when splitting a humbucker.
Slightly lower volume in the 2-coils-parallel positions is normal, and as mentioned many of us actually find it pretty useful.

If you are talking about the same guitar as before, you'd still put the resistors between the series link and ground.
That would be between the red & white wires (which should remain joined together) and their corresponding lugs on the switch.
(Most often the resistor is wired after a switch, but here putting it between pickup red & white the and blade switch is perfectly okay.)

You'd probably want smaller value resistors, though. The PRS 1.1K & 2.2K values are for splits, a larger volume drop than parallel.
Best way to find the right values IMO would be to hook up a 10K pot or trimpot and adjust it to suit your preference.
Then measure the resistance and use that value for your resistors.

For resistor splits I often recommend using trimpots permanently in place of resistors, so levels can be tweaked later if desired.
But in this case I suspect you might not have enough space for two extra trimpots to be practical. At least, not easily.​
 
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eclecticsynergy said:
I assume you're talking about a different guitar now, yes?

Resistor split wiring is easy: a resistors is wired between the series link of a humbucker and the connection to ground.
They simply limit the amount of signal that's shunted to ground, leaving more of the pickup's output for stronger sound.

The wiring in the first post shouldn't have any serious volume drop like the one you get when splitting a humbucker.
Slightly lower volume in the 2-coils-parallel positions is normal, and as mentioned many of us actually find it pretty useful.

If you are talking about the same guitar as before, you'd still put the resistors between the series link and ground.
That would be between the red & white wires (which should remain joined together) and their corresponding lugs on the switch.
(Most often the resistor is wired after a switch, but here putting it between pickup red & white the and blade switch is perfectly okay.)

You'd probably want smaller value resistors, though. The PRS 1.1K & 2.2K values are for splits, a larger volume drop than parallel.
Best way to find the right values IMO would be to hook up a 10K pot or trimpot and adjust it to suit your preference.
Then measure the resistance and use that value for your resistors.

For resistor splits I often recommend using trimpots permanently in place of resistors, so levels can be tweaked later if desired.
But in this case I suspect you might not have enough space for two extra trimpots to be practical. At least, not easily.​
Click to expand...


Actually - I´m still talking about the same guitar / wiring :)

Bear with me - I´m more a player with some tech-skills but not a real technician...
But I guess I got your input so far.

I´d do it that way:

HH_DoItAll_Wiring_plus_SplitTrimpot.jpg

Is that correct?

Cheers
Heiko
 
Last edited:
Elgermeister said:
Actually - I´m still talking about the same guitar / wiring :)

Bear with me - I´m more a player with some tech-skills but not a real technician...
But I guess I got your input so far.

I´d do it that way:



Is that correct?

Cheers
Heiko
Click to expand...

Yep, that should work just fine.

I've never done partial coilcuts in conjunction with combining coils from two different humbuckers.
This seems likely to lessen the difference between your outside-coils tone and your inside-coils tone.
How much it does that will depend on what resistance you dial in.

Personally I find the inside-coils-parallel setting magic, and I wouldn't want to alter it much myself.
 
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