Using a 4 way switch with 3 pickups (Nashville Tele)!! I NEED HELP

[Jake Ak E]

I can’t believe that I haven’t found a single diagram, how to tutorial, article, forum thread, or note of any kind on wiring a 3 pickups to a 4 way switch! Maybe I just don’t know where to look, this is very possible so I won’t say that it’s no out there. But I sure as heck looked and looked! Anyway, I am building a custom Nashville telecaster and I LOVE it!! I am currently just experimenting with all different pickups and wiring diagrams at he moment though until I find the perfect combo. If it doesn’t sound right, I’m trying it! That’s what experimenting is all about! And already I’ve found that my favorite neck pickup is the Seymour Duncan Parallel Axis stack “bridge” pickup!! Yes, it sounds amazing in the neck position and it looks badbutt!! To the point already!!’ Please help me with a diagram or just explain to me how the 4 way works and how I should do about connecting connecting 3 pickups to it! And don’t be picky and worry about “well it depends on what pickups they are, are they 2, or 4 conductor pickups, are they humbuckers or SC, do they run on four cylinders or 6, does it even Hemi bro?” My setup today (all three stacked to fit in single coil slots and only the middle is 2 conductor if you must know) is goin to be different tomorrow! So I welcome info on how to connect all combinations of 3 pickups to a 4 way! Love you all! Rock on! Thanks.

 

[jeremy]

Re: Using a 4 way switch with 3 pickups (Nashville Tele)!! I NEED HELP

why are you using a 4 way switch with three pups and what are you trying to get out of it? there are four individual contacts on each side with a common.

 

[Jake Ak E]

Re: Using a 4 way switch with 3 pickups (Nashville Tele)!! I NEED HELP

Well, I currently only have one 5 wa switch and it’s being used on my other guitar, so it’s out of the picture, and I don’t have s 3 way anymore. But I have 3 brand new 4 way switches laying around so that was my original reason for choosing the 4 way, but now that I see how unique it is to do this, I really want to try it and see if it will work. I’m not sure if I mentioned in my original post that this guitar I’m building is meant to be a complete experiment in every way. So basically I’m using it because I have no other options and I just want see what happens.

 

[jeremy]

Re: Using a 4 way switch with 3 pickups (Nashville Tele)!! I NEED HELP

you have options but with three pups and four positions, knowing what you are trying to get will be a big help

 

[beaubrummels]

Re: Using a 4 way switch with 3 pickups (Nashville Tele)!! I NEED HELP

Are the 4 positions discrete? Or is it like a 5-way where in-between positions are available?

 

[jeremy]

Re: Using a 4 way switch with 3 pickups (Nashville Tele)!! I NEED HELP

assuming its like every 4way ive seen, they are discrete so there are two banks of four contacts each with a common

 

[Jake Ak E]

Re: Using a 4 way switch with 3 pickups (Nashville Tele)!! I NEED HELP

Beaubrummels...
Well I can’t say for sure if It is truly impossible to get any in between options, but I can say that the result of every diagram for a 4 way switch is (from right to left) as follows:
1st would be your common,
2nd Bridge,
3rd neck and bridge parallel,
4th neck,
5th neck and bridge in series.

So it would appear that no, there are no in betweens. But I’m here to challenge that assumption. First and foremost I need the 4 way connect all 3 pickups instead of just two, and then if that is possible I would like to get some of those “in between” positions you were referring to! I feel like all of this should be possible since there are 5 terminals on each side compared to the 5 way switch that only has four. But if I am correct, why isn’t there a single diagram out there that does it...?
Hopefully that answers your question!

 

[Jake Ak E]

Re: Using a 4 way switch with 3 pickups (Nashville Tele)!! I NEED HELP

Jeremy,
Well, I really don’t have a desired outcome other than I want all three pickups to work... after that I’m hoping to just learn what all is possible from there that way I can experiment with all of them and stumble upon whatever it is I’m looking for. Lol

 

[beaubrummels]

Re: Using a 4 way switch with 3 pickups (Nashville Tele)!! I NEED HELP

I think the only thing you could get out of 3 pickups and a 4-way blade are Bridge, Middle, Neck, and two you want on at the same time.

I think you could do things like

Bridge
Bridge Middle
Bridge Neck
Neck

Bridge
Middle
Bridge Neck
Neck

Etc. in other words, you could get two at a time but not all three.

 

[Jake Ak E]

Re: Using a 4 way switch with 3 pickups (Nashville Tele)!! I NEED HELP

Ya, if I could get those results that’s would be great!! I just can’t find a single 4way switch diagram that includes the middle pickup so that I can make this happen. And sadly I’m still pretty new at this, so I don’t know the exact functions of the selector switch and all the other components to be able to figure out for myself how to make such a diagram. So if anything, if you could maybe try and give me your best breakdown of exactly how the 4 way selector switch (and all of it’s prices) works, or more importantly how the 4 way works differently than the 5 way with that extra terminal, maybe I can just put it all together and create my own diagrams. That would be amazing!’ Thanks!

 

[jeremy]

Re: Using a 4 way switch with 3 pickups (Nashville Tele)!! I NEED HELP

the 4 way is more like a 3 way than a 5 way. on a 5 way there are three contacts plus common on each side, positions 2 has both contact 1 & 2 active, position 4 has contact 2 & 3 active which is why a typical 5 way gives you the selections it does. a three way also has three contacts plus common but they are discrete, same with a 4 way but with one more contact/switch position