5 way switch ideas.

[nickmsmith]

So.. I took the 2 Strat pickups out of my Tele, and put back in the stock covered pickup. I have the 5 way still attached. I have it run B/BN/N/N/Nothing, now.

Is there any interesting alternative that I can do with that last position, without adding another pickup? If not, I’m just fine with the way it is.

 

[Masmus]

Maybe a blend circuit or crooked wah or even direct out on Bridge. There is a lot you can do

 

[dogmeat]

make a series connection. I've done it on a P90s guitar but you probably need a Superswitch. don't think it can be done with a single blade switch but I could be wrong

 

[jvin248]

.

If you only have two pickups in the guitar ... I'd drop down to a 4-way switch:

N/parallel/B/series

The 'normal' 4-way is series/N/parallel/B but I find it more useful to go from clean to distorted humbucker 'lock to lock' on the switch and back up one for the other options.
I use the normal 4-way wiring diagram but swap the neck and bridge hots then rotate the switch around 180deg when done.

.

 

[eallen]

It looks like you currently only have the positions or a 3 way just repeated in position 4. As said above, make one position series as are standard for a 4 way which then gives you 4 different positions.

I install 5-ways standard ony teles with an added series and parallel out of phase but that requires a Schaller Megaswitch M as I use or a super switch. The standard 5-way switch is a bit more limited. A good option with a standard 5-way switch is the Bill Lawrence 5-way option.

Mod Garage: The Bill Lawrence 5-way Telecaster Circuit

Get convincing “in-between” Strat sounds from Teles and other two-pickup guitars.

www.premierguitar.com

 

[Deaf Eddie]

You could add the Eldred mod to the last lug. That would give you B / B+N / N / N+Edlred / nothing. The Eldred mod puts a .005uF cap in parallel with the pickup, can give you a mellower, kind of jazzy/woman tone, depending on your pickups. Go with a bigger value for more mellow, less highs.

 

[JetTech582]

Get a freeway switch and get six positions

 

[Billy3]

Check out Anderton Mod. B / B+N / N / n with cap / B+N in series.

 

[nickmsmith]

Thanks for the input! I will be looking into that!!

 

[Canadiense. El]

B+N in series is common and a useful option. Less useful but unique would be the combo out of phase.
Having a position where the selected pickup bypasses the tone control could be interesting.
Not sure what kind of music you play, but the alternate cap on the neck pickup could be cool as a 'Jaguar rhythm circuit' type option.

 

[AAT65]

Fit a 3-way switch and out the 5-way in the parts box. That's what I always do!

 

[moosie]

The two pole 5-way Strat switch is a niche item. Good for what it does, but very limited in terms of other options. If it really was a full two pole 5 way, it would have a separate lug for each position, on each pole. But instead, it's really a three-way with detents that stop mid way to make up the 2 and 4 positions.

Series is out of the question. So is OOP.

All is possible with a super switch, of course.

 

[Billy3]

The two pole 5-way Strat switch is a niche item. Good for what it does, but very limited in terms of other options. If it really was a full two pole 5 way, it would have a separate lug for each position, on each pole. But instead, it's really a three-way with detents that stop mid way to make up the 2 and 4 positions.

Series is out of the question. So is OOP.

All is possible with a super switch, of course.

The 5 way Anderton mod can do b+n in series on standard 5 way switch.

 

[Deaf Eddie]

Anderton, redrawn:

 

[moosie]

The 5 way Anderton mod can do b+n in series on standard 5 way switch.

Not familiar with it by name, but that can easily be done by moving the pickups around on the switch. It doesn't allow you to say where you want the positions to fall, though.

It's still a niche switch, not a generic multi pole switch like a 3- or 4- way, or a super. The 6-way is another niche item.

While those niche designs can often solve one problem very elegantly, everything else is either impossible or a workaround to make it possible in spite of the switch design.

 

[Billy3]

Not familiar with it by name, but that can easily be done by moving the pickups around on the switch. It doesn't allow you to say where you want the positions to fall, though.

It's still a niche switch, not a generic multi pole switch like a 3- or 4- way, or a super. The 6-way is another niche item.

While those niche designs can often solve one problem very elegantly, everything else is either impossible or a workaround to make it possible in spite of the switch design.

I added a push pull for hoop or oop and a mini blower toggle in-between the volume and tone and am set for everything I need.

 

[Billy3]

Anderton, redrawn:

View attachment 961255

Exactly what I use. Added push pull for hoop as well as a mini blower toggle switch in between the volume and tone. Love it. Thanks DE.

 

[moosie]

I drew up the Anderton's scheme, so I have a copy in this format. Drawing is how I wrap my head around a design. I flipped the poles of the switch from @Deaf Eddie's drawing, but it's still the same circuit. It just seemed a little more tidy this way, when laid out with the entire harness.

One thing not mentioned yet is the need to separate the baseplate ground from the common lead on the bridge pickup. Since the bridge common lead is on the switch, and not always grounded, if the pickup has a metal baseplate, it needs to be grounded separately. It can't be simply attached to the common lead, like it will have been from the factory. Not all Tele bridge pickups have a baseplate, but many do. Separate the connection, attach a new ground wire to the baseplate, and ground it at the vol pot.


@Billy3, I must apologize. I totally missed the word "series" (several times!) in regards to the Anderton wiring. D'oh! So, obviously I was wrong when I said series was not an option with a Strat switch. But more, when you said you achieved it, I still missed the fact that it was series. I replied (fairly dismissively, too) that it was easy to get N+B (parallel) by swapping the order of the leads. What? Somehow I was thinking that we were talking about a three pickup wiring. The old Nashville-wants-N+B issue. One easy solution is to swap pickup leads, done, but it messes up the order of the positions, and you can't fix that, because it's a Strat switch.

I do have a bit of a dislike for the Strat switch and I guess I'm prone to rant about it. While there are a handful of cool designs based on it, and while they're very clever, I just don't see the switch as a generic tool in my box of tricks. With the generic switches, one can do most anything, given the poles. It's often an issue when people come here asking about 'exotic' switching options, only to find that the Strat switch needs to be upgraded.

Anyway, this is my first time looking at the Anderton design, and it's pretty cool. I wouldn't have a use for the cap, personally, as I wouldn't want the neck pickup even darker, but different tastes.

 

[Deaf Eddie]

Nice drawing, Moosie! The cap on the neck-with-cap throw could be considered in the same way people view the Eldred mod - makes for a mellow-tone-on-demand. Some players think it sounds "jazz-box-y," some think it approaches the "woman" tone. It all depends on your pickups and the value of the cap you use.

Yeah, no one has mentioned the "unground/reground" the baseplate task that may be required when you run the bridge in series. Some bridge pickups don't have the baseplate, so no mod is necessary, but if your bridge pickup DOES have a metal baseplate, you'll have to pull the bridge assembly and break the connection between the pickup's negative lead and the baseplate. While you have the bridge off, it's a good idea to go ahead and run a ground lead from the back of the volume pot to be "captured" when you remount the bridge assembly.

 

[moosie]

The cap on the neck-with-cap throw could be considered in the same way people view the Eldred mod - makes for a mellow-tone-on-demand. Some players think it sounds "jazz-box-y," some think it approaches the "woman" tone. It all depends on your pickups and the value of the cap you use.

I guess what threw me with that idea is that it's still on the tone pot. The Eldred is in place of the tone pot.

But sure. Just put the no-load tone on 10.

Yeah, no one has mentioned the "unground/reground" the baseplate task that may be required when you run the bridge in series. Some bridge pickups don't have the baseplate, so no mod is necessary, but if your bridge pickup DOES have a metal baseplate, you'll have to pull the bridge assembly and break the connection between the pickup's negative lead and the baseplate. While you have the bridge off, it's a good idea to go ahead and run a ground lead from the back of the volume pot to be "captured" when you remount the bridge assembly.

We usually choose to mod the neck cover when it comes to selecting a pickup to have a conditionally lifted ground. It's generally easier. But here (and here goes the mini rant again) we have no choice. The Strat switch allows for some clever, but brittle, designs. OK, rant over.