4-way switch vs 5-way with HB/SC configuration

I have a Fender MIM Standard Telecaster with a Dimarzio EJ Custom Humbucker in the neck pickup position and a Dimarzio Area Hot T in the bridge position. I currently am using a 4-way switch to be able to get that fatter Neck+Bridge in Series tone. I use that position the most, with just the neck pickup for warmer tones, and the Neck+Bridge in Parallel and just the Bridge pickup itself the least.

I am trying to determine what tone(s) I might be losing, or what I might be gaining if I upgraded to a 5-way switch that gives me these options:

Position 1 = Bridge pickup alone
Position 2 = Bridge pickup and SPLIT neck pickup
Position 3 = Bridge pickups and FULL neck pickup
Position 4 = SPLIT neck pickup
Position 5 = FULL neck pickup.

If Position 3 would be the Neck+Bridge in Series tone, and Position 2 would be like the Neck+Bridge in Parallel tone, then all I might be gaining would be Position 4; but I am not sure exactly the tone difference between Positions 4 and 5 in this configuration.

Can anyone tell me how this configuration might differ in versatilty and difference in tones than what I have now with the 4-way switch?

Assuming that both of your humbuckers are 4-conductor pickups, I would suggest just adding a push-pull or push-push pot that will split the coils of the humbuckers & leaving the 4-way switch. That way, you can have all the humbucker & single coil options and maintain the switching you're used to.

This may be a dumb question, but when you split a humbucker pickup and only use one half of it, does it matter which half you are playing on, or would either half by itself sound the same as the other?

I've never liked the 'series' tone, so I'm biased but I find the 5-way switching you've described to be invaluable. You get all the classic Tele tones PLUS the humbucker ones. Very cool set-up.

Also, When you coil tap one generally taps the side with the pole-pieces.

This may be a dumb question, but when you split a humbucker pickup and only use one half of it, does it matter which half you are playing on, or would either half by itself sound the same as the other?

There will be differences in the sounds of the splits. I don't typically like the outside coil of a bridge HB by itself - too thin & bright. The inside one sounds more like a tilted Fender bridge pup to me. OTOH, I like the outside coil on the neck by itself better than the inside. And then, the outsides in parallel are closer to the Tele middle position, but the insides in parallel are closer to a Strat in-between sound.

Right now, I'm working on a 2 HB guitar & using a 5-way Super Switch and a 4PDT switch (or a Fender S-1 switch) to get all of the tones I like.

I've never liked the 'series' tone, so I'm biased...

WHAT?! That's the killer tone! :razz: I love it on the Strat, too.

WHAT?! That's the killer tone! :razz: I love it on the Strat, too.

So can any humbucker pickup be split and used separately as a single coil pickup with a push/pull pot, or are some designed where that is not possible?

So can any humbucker pickup be split and used separately as a single coil pickup with a push/pull pot, or are some designed where that is not possible?

It needs to have 3 or 4-conductor leads to split.

WHAT?! That's the killer tone! :razz: I love it on the Strat, too.

To be fair, I've never heard it one a Strat but on the few Teles I've heard it....it just didn't grab me as being special at all. OK, it didn't sound BAD; it just didn't sound like something I felt I would like to have on a guitar of mine. Lots of mids, but not in a good way, to my ears. Certainly not a convincing humbucker sound.

Oh well.