Q about coil split diagram & DPDT pots

[twilson75]

I'm installing the Hot Rodded Humbucker set (Jazz /JB) and I thinking of using CTS DPDT push-pull pots as tone controls so I can do coil splitting. I have the SD diagram (attached below) and I'm a little confused. The diagram shows the bridge pickup red/white wires going to the C1 hole and ground to the #1 hole (bridge tone control), but the neck pickup has red/white going to hole C2 and the ground to hole #3 (neck tone control). Is that correct? The wires for the bridge and the neck are on opposite lugs/holes? It doesn't match some other diagrams I've seen. I haven't quite gotten my head around how DPDT pots work, so maybe it'll make sense after I do me some more schoolin'.

Thanks for any guidance you can give me.
Tony

 

[beaubrummels]

Re: Q about coil split diagram & DPDT pots

Doesn't matter which side, but I think you'll find it's easier to solder on the outside set of lugs the way the drawing is showing.

 

[twilson75]

Re: Q about coil split diagram & DPDT pots

Thanks for the quick response. That makes a lot of sense and explains some other diagrams I've come across. I need to study the DPDT pot schematics etc, and get more familiar with how splitting works.

I'll order the pots,wire it up and see how she sounds. Thanks again for your help.

 

[BriGuy1968]

Re: Q about coil split diagram & DPDT pots

I agree 100% with what beaubrummels said, but since you mentioned that you don't really get how DPDT switches work I'll try to give you a quick explanation.

"DPDT" stand for "Dual Pole, Dual Throw," which is telling you that you have two poles in the switch. The "Dual Throw" part (not to get mixed up with how many positions the switch has) means that each pole has two different ways it can make connections.

On a Push/Pull pot, the DPDT is a two way switch (up and down). The two sides of switch are the poles, and they are completely separate from one another unless you wire them to connect. That's why it doesn't matter which side you use. The diagrams below illustrate the connections that are made when the switch is in each of its two positions.

Switch "Up"
[TABLE="class: grid, width: 120, align: left"]
[TR]
[TD="align: center"]pole #1[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]pole #2[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="align: center"]1[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]4[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="align: center"]2[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]5[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="align: center"]3[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]6[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]








Switch "Down"
[TABLE="class: grid, width: 120, align: left"]
[TR]
[TD="align: center"]pole #1[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]pole #2[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="align: center"]1[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]4[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="align: center"]2[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]5[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="align: center"]3[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]6[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]








So, going by the diagram you're using, you can see that when you pull the switch up it connects the red & white wires to ground, which essentially bypasses the south coil of the pickup. When the switch is down the red and white wires are only connected to one another and the pickup operates normally.

 

[twilson75]

Re: Q about coil split diagram & DPDT pots

Thank you for the DPDT explanation; that goes a long way in clearing up my confusion. I need to find a good book on guitar wiring; there is a lot of info online but it's not concise and in one convenient location.

Thanks again. This forum has always been a big help to me.

 

[Mikus]

Re: Q about coil split diagram & DPDT pots

Thank you for the DPDT explanation; that goes a long way in clearing up my confusion. I need to find a good book on guitar wiring; there is a lot of info online but it's not concise and in one convenient location.

Actually, there is one you should check out. http://www.seymourduncan.com/blog/the-tone-garage/guitar-wiring-diploma-course Guitar wiring course for a person with zero electronical knowledge. Teaches you most of things that you are likely to do with a guitar with passive electronics. It's concise, well written and easy to comprehend. Easily the best in the web. Enjoy reading!

 

[twilson75]

Re: Q about coil split diagram & DPDT pots

Thanks for link!
That's exactly what I needed. I don't know how I missed it. I found the section on DPDT switches and coil splitting, and it really lays it out in an easy to understand way. Maybe I can finally understand guitar wiring instead of just blindly following diagrams.

Thanks again.
Tony

 

[Mincer]

Re: Q about coil split diagram & DPDT pots

Thanks for link!
That's exactly what I needed. I don't know how I missed it. I found the section on DPDT switches and coil splitting, and it really lays it out in an easy to understand way. Maybe I can finally understand guitar wiring instead of just blindly following diagrams.

Thanks again.
Tony

Hey, I learn things every time I come on here!

 

[twilson75]

Re: Q about coil split diagram & DPDT pots

Hey, I learn things every time I come on here!

Yeah, this is really the best forum for getting friendly, helpful advice. People are very patient & thorough, even with noobs like me.

 

[twilson75]

Re: Q about coil split diagram & DPDT pots

Just to follow up: I wired it up this morning and the coil splitting works great; somewhere (maybe here) I read that with this HB set, if you split the bridge but leave the neck as a HB it creates a nice tone, and it does. I like it.

The only glitch: the volume control for the neck is reversed. I'm sure I just just goofed and soldered the wrong wires to the wrong lug. I'll look at it tonight when I have more time.

Thanks for everyones help.

 

[Mikus]

Re: Q about coil split diagram & DPDT pots

With two humbuckers wired for splitting it's worth trying independent volume controls mod. For example, you can split one pickup and leave other working conventionally. Than with vol pots you can dial in the exact mix you want between single and humbucker tones.

 

[twilson75]

Re: Q about coil split diagram & DPDT pots

I saw some posts and quite a few articles on independent volume controls. Now that I have the split coil wiring working, I feel more confident in doing some other changes. And it looks like I'm going to have to replace the bridge volume control anyway; the stem has a lot a up/down movement and it's crackling when I try to adjust the volume. Don't know if i broke it, or if it's a bad pot. I find some instructions on indep. volume before I replace the pot.

Thanks

 

[Johnny the Kid]

Re: Q about coil split diagram & DPDT pots

Yep. The two sides are mirror images of each other (unless you solder in something like phase inversion). A lot of players, particularly those using simpler control setups, will solder the bridge on one side and the neck on the other and have one push/pull pot split both pickups.