Three way blade for HS auto split in the middle

[Blille]

I would like to do a simple setup for an HS guitar with a three way blade, no push pull, no switches:

- neck single
- neck single + bridge split
- bridge humbucker (series)

I don’t think it can be done with a normal 3 way blade. I know how to do it with a 5 way or a a special 3 way toggle.

Is there a way to wire it with a special three way blade I don’t know about?

 

[Mincer]

I think you can do this with a 3 way Superswitch. You can read about this switch here.

 

[beaubrummels]

Why couldn't you do something like this?

C - hot
1A - bridge
2A - neck (jumper from 3A)
3A - neck

1B
2B - bridge red/white
3B
C - jumper to hot

granted, it's split to screw instead of slug, but wouldn't this work with a standard discrete 3-way blade?

Also, if you flip the phase on both, then the bridge would split to slug, no?

 

[hamerfan]

With a 5 way you can do this

 

[ThreeChordWonder]

I'm think there may be a way of doing it by connecting the hots directly to a pot then using the 3-way to control the grounds.

P1 left - full humbucker bridge ground only
P2 left - full humbucker bridge and neck grounds
P3 left - neck ground only

P1 right - nothing
P2 right - humbucker middle wires, coil splitting to the north pickup
P3 right - not sure yet

Working on a wiring diagram now.

 

[Blille]

I think you can do this with a 3 way Superswitch. You can read about this switch here.

That’s super cool, I had not seen those before. I rarely use more than three positions at the end of the day on any given guitar.

With a 5 way you can do this

Thanks!

Why couldn't you do something like this?

C - hot
1A - bridge
2A - neck (jumper from 3A)
3A - neck

1B
2B - bridge red/white
3B
C - jumper to hot

granted, it's split to screw instead of slug, but wouldn't this work with a standard discrete 3-way blade?

Also, if you flip the phase on both, then the bridge would split to slug, no?

You’re absolutely right! (I think lol)

Not sure why I thought it was not possible. Maybe I listened to someone on the internet.

 

[Blille]

I'm think there may be a way of doing it by connecting the hots directly to a pot then using the 3-way to control the grounds.

P1 left - full humbucker bridge ground only
P2 left - full humbucker bridge and neck grounds
P3 left - neck ground only

P1 right - nothing
P2 right - humbucker middle wires, coil splitting to the north pickup
P3 right - not sure yet

Working on a wiring diagram now.

It’s all good. I got it based on beau’s. Thanks!

 

[ThreeChordWonder]

This will work with a standard 3-way switch and SD pickups - I think.

As I said in my last post, both pickup hots go straight to the volume pot input lug, and pickup selection is made by activating / deactivating the pickup grounds.

Currently I've evolved it as far as using a single volume and a single tone. I expect it can be modified to use two volumes and a master tone quite easily. You just wire the volumes in between each pickup hot (white on the single coil, black on the humbucker) and the output jack, then wire the single tone between that "node" and ground. A configuration with a master volume and two tones may be possible, but I haven't got that far.

The coil split in P2 splits to the north coil of the pickup. IIRC, SD single coils are usually "south" coils so you should get hum canceling in P2 as well as P1 (of course - it's a humbucker).

 

[Blille]

This will work with a standard 3-way switch and SD pickups - I think.

As I said in my last post, both pickup hots go straight to the volume pot input lug, and pickup selection is made by activating / deactivating the pickup grounds.

Currently I've evolved it as far as using a single volume and a single tone. I expect it can be modified to use two volumes and a master tone quite easily. You just wire the volumes in between each pickup hot (white on the single coil, black on the humbucker) and the output jack, then wire the single tone between that "node" and ground. A configuration with a master volume and two tones may be possible, but I haven't got that far.

The coil split in P2 splits to the north coil of the pickup. IIRC, SD single coils are usually "south" coils so you should get hum canceling in P2 as well as P1 (of course - it's a humbucker).

Very nice, thx. I’m sure it will also be useful for other folks searching for it.