Red Special Wiring Alternatives

[Torren61]

So, I made this prototype guitar (with help). It's a Thinline Tele with Adeson Brian May spec Burns Tri-Sonics. I did the three on/off switches and three phase switches and single volume and single tone pots. I want a more elegant solution. If I can reverse phase any two pickups, I won't need to reverse all three. If I can figure out how to install push/pull pots for the volume and tone and use them as volume and tone and reverse any two pickups, I'll still need three switches for on/off but it'll eliminate three phase switches.

Got any ideas?

 

[Artie]

Doing phase, (polarity actually), is the same with a push-pull as a switch. Just wire your Vol/Tone like this. One for the two pups you want to select. (Probably bridge and neck.)

 

[ThreeChordWonder]

Agreed, that's easy.

For parallel pickup wiring the OP will need a 6-lug on-off-on switch, so each pickup can be wired normal phase, off, or reversed phase. That kind of switch won't be hard to find.

For series wiring, however, a 3-position switch that allows a straight pass-through in the middle position is needed. That will need to "bypass" or "short" the pickup in the middle or "off" position. Otherwise the series chain will be broken. That might be more difficult to find.

Maybe one of these for each pickup will work in series:

https://www.stewmac.com/electronics/components-and-parts/switches/switchcraft-slide-switches/

 

[Artie]

Are you doing this basic design?

 

[ThreeChordWonder]

Stewmac switch.

I can figure out the wiring later.

 

[Torren61]

Are you doing this basic design?

No, I actually have three pickups. I'll go out this morning to my music room and get a pic of the guitar and post it.

 

[beaubrummels]

Brian's favorite out of phase position was middle-neck. On my Brian May guitar, I tend to keep my middle pickup out of phase all the time, because using each pickup individually it doesn't matter and when going to middle-neck that tone is right there. It always sounds full because the pickups are in series, and it never sounds bloated/muddy/overly-fat because the middle is always out of phase, whether using bridge-middle or all three at the same time.

 

[ThreeChordWonder]

I think this will work:

P1 - off
P2 - normal
P3 - phase flipped

Sorry it's not neater, I'm not near a computer today.

 

[Artie]

Sorry it's not neater, I'm not near a computer today.

That's pretty neat.

 

[Torren61]

Here are some pics of my Red Special Tele. If I could eliminate the toggle switches, that would be the best option.

 

[Mincer]

I have to say, that is a pretty unique guitar. I'd probably try to find a way to hardwire my 5 favorite sounds onto 1 switch (if possible).

 

[Spaghetti Bolo]

I think this will work:

P1 - off
P2 - normal
P3 - phase flipped

Sorry it's not neater, I'm not near a computer today.

That's what I do. It's a little fiddly though.

 

[ThreeChordWonder]

Brian's favorite out of phase position was middle-neck. On my Brian May guitar, I tend to keep my middle pickup out of phase all the time, because using each pickup individually it doesn't matter and when going to middle-neck that tone is right there. It always sounds full because the pickups are in series, and it never sounds bloated/muddy/overly-fat because the middle is always out of phase, whether using bridge-middle or all three at the same time.

That's cheating