Special HSS wiring with either MegaSwitch or Super Switch

[Mincer]

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):


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.

 

[switchman]

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.

 

[switchman]

Had to re-read prior posts and instructions and rethink . The HSS diagram 2 is meant for true single coils so it doesn't show a Neck series link.

The HSH diagram for the E Model switch can be used for an HSS with a stacked neck single. The quirk is the Strat Stacks have an opposite magnetic polarity to their non-stack single coil counterparts.

Bridge Full size Humbucker, Middle RW/RP Strat, and Neck RW/RP Strat stack should give the proper polarity to get all Hum-canceling like the left side.

 

[Mincer]

I would use a stack for the neck, a true single coil for the middle.

 

[switchman]

Neck Stack RW/RP, Mid Single coil RW/RP, and normal Bridge HB should work with the HSH diagram.

 

[Mincer]

Would it be a better idea just to use the Super Switch? I have wired several of them, but never this configuration.

 

[switchman]

Well...I always vote Super Switch because it can be rewired or tweaked if you're careful. So like I often do I realize I wish I made one of the combos P3 not P2. As long as you don't mind wiring tiny jumpers.

Do you have a diagram for this? Disclaimer: I haven't done it I'd have to draw it up. See no reason it can't be done and It wouldn't surprise me if its here in the annals of the forum already. I searched a little but didn't find it yet..

 

[Mincer]

I've done a variation with a Megaswitch (which used just the neck pickup as RW/RP), but my Superswitch wiring was limited to wiring up 2 humbuckers (with inner and outer coils on positions 2 & 4) with a lot of help from Artie. I'd need a diagram to do this particular scheme though. Funny thing- the stock Silhouette Special accomplishes this same switching with an active (9v) dummy coil for the neck pickup by itself.

 

[Mincer]

Certainly don't want any position to be the middle alone, and don't want to have to make 2 moves to get the combination I want. Also, 1 volume, 1 tone.

 

[Mincer]

Neck Stack RW/RP, Mid Single coil RW/RP, and normal Bridge HB should work with the HSH diagram.

Also, if the neck AND middle are rw/rp, and I auto-split to the top coil of the neck stack, it wouldn't hum-cancel with the middle, would it?

 

[switchman]

in the above GE diagram you could get P4 hum-canceling but not P3 or P2

With these pickups...
bridge HB screw South/ slug North
middle strat single RW/RP is North
Neck Stack RW/RP South

...you could get the hum-canceling combos

Bridge Screw (South) & Mid (North)
Bridge Slug (North) & Neck (split) (South)
Neck (split) (South) & Mid (North)
Neck Stack & Bridge HB - both self hum-canceling

exactly how to wire it would take some thought. Most of the HSS diagrams out there are going to be like this one expecting a South neck pickup.

 

[Mincer]

Some additional information about the Megaswitch E: on page 9 of this PDF, it explains the orientation of the coils that are needed here.

With this switching system, the neck and the bridge pickups in position 3 are in operating mode, although the latter (the bridge pickup) is spilt. The inner coil remains in operating mode and the outercoil is open. In position 2 the Humbucker is split; the outer coil remains in operating mode and the innercoil is short-circuited. This enables a buzz-free sound in positions 1, 2, 3 and 4. The magnetic orientation of the coils (from the bridge to the neck) is required: NS-S-N or SN-N-S. Here, the Megaswitch E is used.

In my case, position 5 would be hum-cancelling, too, because I would use both coils of the stack.