Wiring for 2 mini humbuckers with split coil switches and a 3-way switch

[samba19]

Hi!

A newbie to the forum here! Wanted to ask if there was a wiring diagram available for what I have in mind. I'm building guitar into which I'm going to install 2 singlecoil-sized humbuckers and I want to be able to split both individually using a lever switch for each pickup.

Question 1) What kind of a DPDT switch and wiring should be used for this?

The pickups might be something like JB Jr for bridge & little 59 for neck. Wanting to be able to get some stratty sounds and some les paulish humbuckios as well from the same guitar. Or at least towards that

Question 2) Are neck & bridge versions of little 59, jb jr etc. reverse wound when in split mode or can they be ordered that way? so I can achieve a humbucking effect in the middle position.

I'm planning also to use a 3-way switch to select neck/middle/bridge-positions and 1 master vol and perhaps 1 master tone or a 3-way switch with different capacitors values. No push-pull pots!

Question 3) Is there some sort of a wiring diagram available for this type of setup?

Cheers for help! :knockedou

 

[BriGuy1968]

Re: Wiring for 2 mini humbuckers with split coil switches and a 3-way switch

Hi samba19, and welcome to the forum! [emoji2]

Question 1) What kind of a DPDT switch and wiring should be used for this?

Since you’re looking to split each pickup individually, any 2-way DPDT, or even a 2-way SPDT will work fine... nothing special needed.

Question 2) Are neck & bridge versions of little 59, jb jr etc. reverse wound when in split mode or can they be ordered that way? so I can achieve a humbucking effect in the middle position.

When we’re talking about humbuckers, there’s not really any need to be concerned about a reverse wind because they’re made up of two coils (north and south), one being RWRP from the other. When splitting two humbuckers, as long as you split to opposite coils (one to the north and the other to the south) you’ll have hum-canceling in the middle position.

I'm planning also to use a 3-way switch to select neck/middle/bridge-positions and 1 master vol and perhaps 1 master tone or a 3-way switch with different capacitors values. No push-pull pots!

Question 3) Is there some sort of a wiring diagram available for this type of setup?

I can come up with a diagram for you, but I just need to know a couple more details...

1) What type of 3-way pickup selector will you be using? A blade-style like on a Telecaster? A Les Paul style toggle? A ”box-style” toggle?

2) Anything is probably possible, so when you say “perhaps 1 master tone or a 3-way switch with different capacitors values,” What is it that you WANT?

 

[samba19]

Re: Wiring for 2 mini humbuckers with split coil switches and a 3-way switch

Since you’re looking to split each pickup individually, any 2-way DPDT, or even a 2-way SPDT will work fine... nothing special needed.

Cool! So just a 2-way, 3-terminal on-on -lever would work fine? Like this one:

https://www.dccconcepts.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/dcp-cms-sp-switch1-w.jpg

When we’re talking about humbuckers, there’s not really any need to be concerned about a reverse wind because they’re made up of two coils (north and south), one being RWRP from the other. When splitting two humbuckers, as long as you split to opposite coils (one to the north and the other to the south) you’ll have hum-canceling in the middle position.

Haha, ofcourse! How dummy of me. I quess the coil on the 'right' side is always the other and 'left' side is always the other and seymour duncan hopefully doesn't mix these between different pickup models... so splitting to left on the other and right on the other should produce the desired result regardless of pickup model. I'd probably choose the coils nearest to neck and bridge.

1) What type of 3-way pickup selector will you be using? A blade-style like on a Telecaster? A Les Paul style toggle? A ”box-style” toggle?

A Les Paul style most probably since the body is only 36mm deep so a strat/tele-toggle won't fit I think. So something like this:

https://www.premierguitar.com/ext/r...S/May15_PG_CLM_Guitar-Shop-101_image1_WEB.jpg

2) Anything is probably possible, so when you say “perhaps 1 master tone or a 3-way switch with different capacitors values,” What is it that you WANT?

The constant question in life, lols! I think the most desirable option would be a DPDT switch with 3xon action. One direct-trough, and two with different capacitors. And a master volume pot. Probably a 250K so the single coils would work the best?

Awesome if you can make a diagram for me! I can send you money through paypal if that works for you!

 

[samba19]

Re: Wiring for 2 mini humbuckers with split coil switches and a 3-way switch

on 2nd thought, 500K vol pot might be better for buckers...

 

[Mincer]

Re: Wiring for 2 mini humbuckers with split coil switches and a 3-way switch

Well, the single coil sized humbuckers were originally designed to drop in a Strat, so 250k pots should be fine. Pots are cheap, so you can experiment, however.

 

[BriGuy1968]

Re: Wiring for 2 mini humbuckers with split coil switches and a 3-way switch

All right samba19, I will see what I can come up with. I’m not sure if I’ll get a chance to work on it tonight or tomorrow night, though, so it may not be completed until this weekend when I have some time around home to work on it. [emoji1303]

 

[samba19]

Re: Wiring for 2 mini humbuckers with split coil switches and a 3-way switch

Hey!

I think I may have changed my mind and go for 2 P-Rails, just heard a couple of clips and those thing convinced me. Sorry if you went through a lot of work already!

But yea, everything else would stay the same. I might use those frames with pickup selector switches in them so no need for wiring diagram at the moment! And even for a dpdt switch I think Duncan had some diagram available for accessing the three modes (rail, P90, HB)...

 

[BriGuy1968]

Re: Wiring for 2 mini humbuckers with split coil switches and a 3-way switch

No trouble at all... I hadn’t started it yet.

The P-Rails are awesome pickups and the Triple Shot rings work great. Good choice!

 

[samba19]

Re: Wiring for 2 mini humbuckers with split coil switches and a 3-way switch

Ok cool! By the way, does someone know what it means when the triple shot can put the the p-rail into serial or parallel humbucker mode: is parallel same as 'normal' humbucker with noise cancelling effect, and serial same as one coil going into another giving more output but not noise cancellation? Am I on the right track?

 

[beaubrummels]

Wiring for 2 mini humbuckers with split coil switches and a 3-way switch

Ok cool! By the way, does someone know what it means when the triple shot can put the the p-rail into serial or parallel humbucker mode: is parallel same as 'normal' humbucker with noise cancelling effect, and serial same as one coil going into another giving more output but not noise cancellation? Am I on the right track?

Coils in series is a normal humbucker. Coils in parallel is also humbucking, but a slightly brighter thinner sound.

 

[samba19]

Re: Wiring for 2 mini humbuckers with split coil switches and a 3-way switch

ok, so I was way off. thanks a lot!

and do you guys think the triple shots can be put on a pickguard or do they have to be mounted to the body directly?

 

[BriGuy1968]

Re: Wiring for 2 mini humbuckers with split coil switches and a 3-way switch

ok, so I was way off. thanks a lot!

and do you guys think the triple shots can be put on a pickguard or do they have to be mounted to the body directly?

You should be able to mount them to the pickguard… Just make sure you get the flat bottomed ones.

 

[Mincer]

Re: Wiring for 2 mini humbuckers with split coil switches and a 3-way switch

Many people have mounted Triple Shots on a pickguard. It will certainly work.

 

[beaubrummels]

Re: Wiring for 2 mini humbuckers with split coil switches and a 3-way switch

Many people have mounted Triple Shots on a pickguard. It will certainly work.

I think you have to get the flat version, no? Or am I not remembering correctly that there are two versions?