More 4-way switch agony: HH wiring

[doomsluggo]

I am a newbie (Hello all). I noticed there are already several topics on the 4-way recently. I apologize for adding yet one more, but I do not also want to hijack anyone's thread.

After reading up on how the 4-way switching works, I then held the switch in front of me and stared at it until droplets of blood formed on my forehead.

With two humbuckers, both of which are 4-conductor, is
1. bridge
2. bridge and neck in parallel
3. one coil from bridge and one coil from neck together in series (à la "virtual" humbucker)
4. neck

even possible?

Volume and tone pots are regular old 500k CTS, no push-pulls.

 

[somebodyelseuk]

Not without adding coil tap switching.
I've had the setup you're after in a Les Paul - a.k.a. 'The Jimmy Page Wiring'. It was a PITA to wire, and even trickier getting it all in the control cavity.
In a Tele? I don't even want to think about it.

 

[eallen]

I beat this drum all the time but a Schaller Megaswith M will give you a 5-way that can be wired differently for 4 different coil split options and require no changes to the switch plate slot length as a 4-way does. They have been standard on my tele & strat builds for several years. About $10 extra and worth even more.

Scroll down to the HH5 images for the options.

Schaller Webshop

schaller.info

 

[old wrench]

Another interesting switch for an HH guitar is the Freeway 3x3-04

It's not a "blade" switch though - it's a "toggle" type switch

It'll give you those combinations of the two inner or the two outer coils and then some

Products

3X3-03 Free-Way Toggle (Standard) 6 Position multi-function switch providing circuits for three pickup guitars; HH coil-split; piezo pickups; HSH and HSS schemes in particular. The 3X3-03 has 15 terminal connections providing flexibility for all kinds of variations on the above schemes and scope...

www.freewayswitch.com

JJ Custom Works | 6 Way Switch

jjcustomworks.com

.

 

[moosie]

I am a newbie (Hello all). I noticed there are already several topics on the 4-way recently. I apologize for adding yet one more, but I do not also want to hijack anyone's thread.

After reading up on how the 4-way switching works, I then held the switch in front of me and stared at it until droplets of blood formed on my forehead.

With two humbuckers, both of which are 4-conductor, is
1. bridge
2. bridge and neck in parallel
3. one coil from bridge and one coil from neck together in series (à la "virtual" humbucker)
4. neck

even possible?

Volume and tone pots are regular old 500k CTS, no push-pulls.

Ignore the fact they're humbuckers, and ignore the extra leads. Just wire it up as a standard 4-way series Tele. In series, though, you'll have two full humbuckers back to back. Yow!

To get what you want, you'd need to flip a separate DPDT or push-pull toggle, which could be wired to split both humbuckers simultaneously, to whichever coils you wish. As @somebodyelseuk said...

To make it all happen without the need for the toggle, a standard Oak-Grigsby super switch will do it, but then you have the pesky fifth position to fill with something useful...

 

[Stefano Biondo]

WARNING: Average telecaster metal control plate switch slit is 2 mm too short for 4 way switch, may also apply to 5 way. Spent all day trying to make wiring work on my Esquire then realized was getting in between settings due to this gap !!! Save yourselves grief. Now were is that Dremel?

 

[old wrench]

WARNING: Average telecaster metal control plate switch slit is 2 mm too short for 4 way switch, may also apply to 5 way. Spent all day trying to make wiring work on my Esquire then realized was getting in between settings due to this gap !!! Save yourselves grief. Now were is that Dremel?

And, if you don't have a Dremel or some other way of lengthening the slot - you can always file a little notch in the switches blade instead - either way will allow the switch to have its full range of operation

You don't need to file very much off the blade - I've never had to file off so much that I felt like I was weakening the blade.

Depending on the particular 4-way switch and the particular control plate - you might just need to file a little off of one side of the blade, rather than both sides, in order to gain full operation of all four positions


* If you use a Schaller switch - you won't need to file or cut anything - the Schaller switches always function properly in a regular Tele control plate without needing any alterations

.

 

[tfarny]

Have you done this and know from experience that the sounds are what you want? It's just that every time I get very far into the alternative pickup wiring schemes I realize that I prefer the normal sounds available from normal wiring. It's cool to see all the different things you can do, but I have never heard any humbucker sounds better than neck, bridge, both in parallel.

My current HH guitar is a Taylor solidbody, it has a 5 way switch. In addition to neck only and bridge only it has three "unique" options like bridge + one neck coil in parallel, one coil from each pickup, etc. I don't use any of them (mostly I just love the neck pickup) and kinda wish I just had a three way with "both in parallel" like a normal guitar.

YMMV as always.

 

[sjtalon]

Can be done, but IDK if it's worth all the bother. I'm thinkin' with the series you end up with, it won't sound much different than running your neck by its lonesome.

SPLITTING, then bridge and neck in parallel (as single coils) would be more of a nice option............then sound like a real Tele

and welcome to the forum !!

 

[Gclef]

Why use just a 4 way?

Get a 4 pole 5 way super switch and choose another combo you'd like.

Dimarzio has 50 different diagrams and combos to choose from. All the ones I've tried have worked too.

You could literally do anything you want with a superswitch.