Special HSS wiring with either MegaSwitch or Super Switch

Mincer

Administrator
Staff member
OK this is a question about wiring an HSS with either a Megaswitch E or a Superswitch. I am wanting to put together a loaded pickguard for a Music Man Silhouette Special.
I want all positions to be hum-cancelling, so the neck pickup would have to be a stack. If I use a Megaswitch model E, this is what the positions of the switch would be (number 2, not 1):

hss_wiring.webp
Now, I know there is an argument against using some Megaswitches as sometimes it leaves an unused coil acting like an antenna. Would it be better to use a SuperSwitch?
Also, would I need the neck pickup to be RW/RP to cancel hum in position 3? I've used a Megaswitch for similar wiring before (actually I don't remember if I used #1 or #2 in the pic above- I don't have the guitar anymore) and I needed an RW/RP neck pickup.
 
I think the Megaswitch E is meant for true single coils. To get hum-canceling B+D or C+D which must be parallel combos, you'd have to split the neck stack. The megaswitch has no way to do that. No connection point for the stack series link. It's why I don't like internally hardwired switches.

I have mixed opinion on the open coil antenna concern. I used to avoid it because, story I always tell, had a friend who did a Tele bridge Hot Rails or split that way, then went to record and said it had awful noise. Then I started working with Freeway Ultra toggles and you must do it that way. Many of the super switch wiring diagrams have that problem too. Anytime a humbucker is split by moving the series join to become hot instead of grounding it - which is a lot of diagrams - its happening.
 
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