4-way switch explanation

[Delta Lion]

Hey crew! Can anyone shed some light on 4-way switches. Ya know... what they are, benefits of installing one and all the combinations of wirings for differant sounds. I have a Squier Vintage Modified Thinline that I want to install Sumarian Noiseless Cobalt pups from Fender and would like to Know the sounds I might be expecting if I put in a four way. If we could use this thread to talk about types of switches that would be sweet. Thanks for helpin the noob nation

[JohnnyCrash]

It gives you the option of running your Bridge and Neck in Parallel (the normal old way) or in Series (fatter and more output).

1. In the far back setting it's just the Bridge pickup as normal.
2. Second spot is Bridge and Neck on together in Parallel (like normal).
3. Third spot is just the Neck pickup by itself.
4. The fourth spot is Bridge and Neck on together in Series.

When in Series the sound is thicker with more output than any other setting on the switch.

[Delta Lion]

Awesome. Do you mean fatter like a humbucker? Are there better switches or worse quality ones? will it work well with 500k pots? And do you think the wiring in my guitar will support it. Thanks J Crash for your help!

[nosuch]

it goes in that direction, yeah. but the sound is different to a humbucker cause the coils are much more apart.
when I installed a 4 way switch to my esp 400 years ago, I had to change something in the neck pickup, like seperating mass from shielding - can't remember exactly.
personally I did not like the in series sound, so for me it wasn't worth the hassle.

[JohnnyCrash]

Originally Posted by Delta Lion

Awesome. Do you mean fatter like a humbucker? Are there better switches or worse quality ones? will it work well with 500k pots? And do you think the wiring in my guitar will support it. Thanks J Crash for your help!

nosuch described the sound pretty well.

Your best bet for pots is to see what Fender uses on guitars already equipped with those pickups use.

You can find wiring diagrams on the Fender website under the Support section.

I believe the SCN sound better with 500k pots - but I'm not sure.

[nosuch]

what i did not like about the 4 way switch, was that I lost the simplicity of the traditional 3-way switching - as I used to change between bridge & neck pickup quit often, I missed the "just throw the switch feeling", I had to take care not to go to far, thus landing on the unloved position instead of the beloved neck pickup.
personally I didn't like the "in series" sound it was like a "nicht fleisch, nicht fisch" (as we'd say in german) undecided thing for me. that said, I am playing clear to semi driven sounds. i had a conversation with fellow member elliot easton a couple of months ago, he thinks the "in series" sound is quit useful when you play with a lot of overdrive, like switching to a turbo for that long susatining notes.
I'm glad my guitar has the 3 way switch now, if I'd wanted the "in series option" I'd probably go with a pull-pot or S1-switch, but that's just me.

[Delta Lion]

Thanks you guys for the input. I definately appreciate the brain food. If anyone else has any comments please post. I could use all the angles I can get. I'm wondering if the "in series" sound could help me get the overdriven sound of say.... The Blues Explosion, Black Keys or White Stripes. I love traditional Muddy Waters electric slidin' Chicago sound but this grunge blues is really grabbin me by the face piece!! Thanks again