Small super switch?

[BenPerkins]

Hi guys, I’m working on a HH guitar that has a fairly shallow cavity; it came with a 3 way switch that’s approx 1.25” in height. What are my options for coil splitting without using a Fender super switch?

All of the 5 ways I’ve found (so far) are for 3 pickup guitars like a Strat.

Thank you

 

[Jack_TriPpEr]

Hi guys, I’m working on a HH guitar that has a fairly shallow cavity; it came with a 3 way switch that’s approx 1.25” in height. What are my options for coil splitting without using a Fender super switch?

All of the 5 ways I’ve found (so far) are for 3 pickup guitars like a Strat.

Thank you

There's a few options:

1. convert the volume or tone pot to a push-pull, push-push, or Fender S1 (also acts as push-push), and use one mode of that to coilsplit both pups

2. There's a relatively recent (year 2018) 3 way switch design by German company Goldo that is a 3 way, 4 pole switch (superswitch). Ref:
https://www.premierguitar.com/pro-ad...r-3-way-switch
Member ArtieToo posted some feedback about this switch a few months ago, make sure to look for it using the Advanced Search feature of the forum.

3. The Freeway brand 3B3-01 blade switch design.
ref: https://www.freewayswitch.com/schematics-blade/

4. If you're open to 5 way superswitches and its really just the cavity height clearance you're worried about, you can check out the low profile Ibanez VLX91 superswitxh and some of the Freeway 5 way switch designs.

 

[Jack_TriPpEr]

By the way Ben, i love that your avatar is the album art from Pink Floyd's "Saucerful of Sexrets" album.

 

[Mincer]

A small toggle switch or a push/pull pot might take up less space, and let you use the stock switch.

 

[beaubrummels]

Why do you need a super switch 5-way to coil split HH? If you use a master no-load tone, you can use the other side of the 5-way for splits.

 

[Jack_TriPpEr]

Why do you need a super switch 5-way to coil split HH? If you use a master no-load tone, you can use the other side of the 5-way for splits.

Hi Beau,
I'm having trouble visualizing how the coilsplits would not be permanently active by doing what you suggest with a standard 5 way? Can you explain how the 2 poles of the standard 5 way would be wired?
Also, why is it contigent on the tone control being setup as a no-load?

 

[beaubrummels]

Hi Beau,
I'm having trouble visualizing how the coilsplits would not be permanently active by doing what you suggest with a standard 5 way? Can you explain how the 2 poles of the standard 5 way would be wired?
Also, why is it contigent on the tone control being setup as a no-load?

Don't you need one side of the blade to run tones normally? If it's off the blade, one side is free to use for other things.

I guess I was mis-remembering one of these kinds of drawings:

 

[ThreeChordWonder]

^ I can't figure out how P-4 and P-5 in that diagram work.

Anyway, to the OP look at Schaller megaswitches.

 

[nexion218]

I was thinking about doing something similar and found this to be a solution that I might try (dunno bout the exact dimensions of the switch tho):

https://d2emr0qhzqfj88.cloudfront.ne...b_single_0.pdf


Might just be a rebranded version of the same Fender stuff.

 

[Jack_TriPpEr]

Beau,

Yes you're correct, that diagram does leverage the 2nd pole of the 5 way switch to yield some coilsplit positions. But it has a couple weird tradeoffs.

The two coilsplits that it yields, I'm not sure most people want them. i.e., this one yields Neck slug coil (inner) coil in parallel with Bridge screw coil (outer) in Position 4 and Bridge screw coil (inner) in Position 5. E.g. it doesn't yield Neck screw (outer) nor Bridge slug (inner).

Additionally, this diagram also has the tradeoff that the other traditonal pickup combinations are moved around to different positions on the switch.
I.e.
1. Bridge HB only (this stays the same as normal)
2. Bridge HB / Neck HB
3. Neck HB
4. Neck slug / Bridge screw
5. Bridge screw

Finally, the tone pot in this diagram is wired wrong. This diagram is listed in the thread about diagrams that have errors.

I've worked up an alternate version that gives this..
1. Neck HB
2. Bridge HB / Neck HB
3. Bridge HB
4. Bridge screw / Neck slug
5. Neck slug

 

[Jack_TriPpEr]

I was thinking about doing something similar and found this to be a solution that I might try (dunno bout the exact dimensions of the switch tho):

https://d2emr0qhzqfj88.cloudfront.ne...b_single_0.pdf


Might just be a rebranded version of the same Fender stuff.

Thats the Dimarzio EP-1112 superswitch and its the same size as the Fender superswitch, maybe even larger.

 

[beaubrummels]

Beau,

Yes you're correct, that diagram does leverage the 2nd pole of the 5 way switch to yield some coilsplit positions. But it has a couple weird tradeoffs.

The two coilsplits that it yields, I'm not sure most people want them. i.e., this one yields Neck slug coil (inner) coil in parallel with Bridge screw coil (outer) in Position 4 and Bridge screw coil (inner) in Position 5. E.g. it doesn't yield Neck screw (outer) nor Bridge slug (inner).

Additionally, this diagram also has the tradeoff that the other traditonal pickup combinations are moved around to different positions on the switch.
I.e.
1. Bridge HB only (this stays the same as normal)
2. Bridge HB / Neck HB
3. Neck HB
4. Neck slug / Bridge screw
5. Bridge screw

Finally, the tone pot in this diagram is wired wrong. This diagram is listed in the thread about diagrams that have errors.

I've worked up an alternate version that gives this..
1. Neck HB
2. Bridge HB / Neck HB
3. Bridge HB
4. Bridge screw / Neck slug
5. Neck slug

Yeah, there is an older drawing that worked but Duncan has replaced or removed all the old ones so I can't link to it. I believe having one screw plus one slug gives hum-cancelling, no? It is a trade off on the positions, but does fit in a small cavity that can house a normal 5-way. But if it doesn't work here, not sure what else would fit. Most Super Switches I have are larger, width-wise.