Serial / Parallel HB volume

[crazet]

I signed up just to post this question... I've looked a lot of places, it's a little obscure.

I'm working on making a HHH strat with 3 single-coil sized HB's. I have 5-wire HB's which I have split with a DPDT switch, to wire each pickup parallel or serial. Serial will be louder.

So, is it worth it to put in a hidden variable resistor (set once after testing, then locked down) to make the parallel and serial setting the same volume? Or would it just be a bad idea?

I'm adding a bridge-on switch and will be able to turn on any set of pickups at once. I was thinking I could switch any pickup from parallel to serial and not have the serial one overwhelm the others, but worried that with the serial turned down to the parallel volume, the tone difference between parallel and serial would disappear.

Anyone tried this?

 

[daenius]

Re: Serial / Parallel HB volume

Better to boost the parallel than step down the series

 

[AlexR]

Re: Serial / Parallel HB volume

These sort of things are best left kept 'as nature intended' so to speak. Parallel is an option for a clearer lower output tone that allows for better cleans or lower drive.
If you feel like you want only a fraction of drop or want most of the series just employ a spin-a-split wiring.

 

[hamerfan]

Re: Serial / Parallel HB volume

i think it would be an option with a very brite humbucker like a dimebucker.
It could work with 500k resistor in parallel with a 500k volume pot, that makes 250 k overall with the humbucker - less highs and less volume. If you take a 750k resistor you get 300k overall.
Just a thought.

 

[Mincer]

Re: Serial / Parallel HB volume

Personally, I wouldn't worry about the volume difference...that is one of the reasons why people love the parallel option, is that it knocks the volume (and changes the dynamics). You could get all fancy and even install a preamp to come on in parallel mode, but I think you lose what makes parallel so appealing- it isn't just the tone,it is the 'feel'.

 

[crazet]

Re: Serial / Parallel HB volume

Thanks for the feedback. It seems like it won't work too well. I'm something of a mad scientist though, so I ordered 3 500k trim pots ($0.99 delivered) and will test- wire them in. The pots are tiny, they supposed to be circuit-board mounted and adjusted with a flat head screwdriver. If I like the sounds I get,, I can either lock the adjustment and hide them under the pickguard, or get fancy and attach them to my switches and drill a tiny hole to allow a screwdriver access, for future adjustment.

I worry that the cheap trim pots will be too notchy and not fine-adjustable enough for what I want. Plus tone changes etc. but as long as it adjusts to 0 resistance and doesn't mess up the signal it probably won't hurt anything.

If the cheap trim pots are no good, I'm not out much. And I'll know more either way.

 

[Artie]

Re: Serial / Parallel HB volume

If you split all three at once, with one switch, you only need one trim-pot. But I'd need to see how you are splitting three pups with one DPDT in order to tell you where to place the trim pot.

 

[crazet]

Re: Serial / Parallel HB volume

If you split all three at once, with one switch, you only need one trim-pot. But I'd need to see how you are splitting three pups with one DPDT in order to tell you where to place the trim pot.

I would need one DPDT switch per pickup. 4 total, one by volume and three up near bridge pickup. I'll try to attach a sketch of about where I'm thinking.

 

[Artie]

Re: Serial / Parallel HB volume

If you're using a standard 5-way, you only need one DPDT switch. (I'll see if I can find the Duncan diagram.) A single push-pull will work, so you don't need to cut any holes. Let me dig up that diagram before you dig up your pickguard and waste money on switches.

Here: http://www.seymourduncan.com/wiring-diagrams?meta_params=guitar-options,3-pickups,neck-sch,middle-sch,bridge-sch,1-volume,2-tone,5-way-blade

 

[crazet]

Re: Serial / Parallel HB volume

This diagram is close to what I'm starting with - 3 single-coil sized HB: http://www.seymourduncan.com/wiring-diagrams?meta_params=guitar-options,3-pickups,neck-h,middle-h,bridge-h,1-volume,2-tone,5-way-blade,
with each of the leads between the pickup and 5-way replaced with a DPDT switch.The bottom two posts of that switch are jumpered (see pic below), that path only gets used in serial mode - I'm going to try putting a trimpot resistor in place of that jumper.

Nothing ventured, nothing gained. I'll blast Lee "Scratch" Perry's "In My Secret Laboratory" as I put it together. (If I was going to get completely carried away I'd think of in/out of phase switching and ability to drop one half of each humbucker, but this should do for now.)

.