series/parallel switch

G

guitarist

New member
Hey, what type of switch do I need to get that will fit where one of my tone knobs was (strat style guitar) that will allow me to toggle one of the humbuckers between series and parallel?
 
Well, most of the time, that would be done with an On-On double pole, double throw mini switch, but that would be too small to fit in the hole for the tone knob. We would usually just drill another hole for the switch. I am pretty sure Gibson makes a switch that would fit, but I am not at the shop right now, so I don't have a catalog here.

There are a few other possibilities, however. You could use a Mega-Switch (or one of the other similar brands). I would have to figure out the wiring, but I am pretty sure it could be done. That would just use one of the five positions in the switch. The other possibility (the one I would suggest, and would probably use myself if I wanted such a setup) is a push-pull pot or a push-push pot (I like the push-push idea myself). Some thing like THIS.

THIS is how you wire a DPDT switch (whether a mini switch or a push-push pot), if you need it.


Light

"Cowards can never be moral."
M.K. Gandhi
 
Hmm. If I go with the on-on-on switch, what determines which coil is used in split mode. For instance if I split the bridge and neck and put them together, if the inside coil of the bridge is used, for it to still be noise cancelling the inside coil of the neck pickup will have to be on.
 
guitarist said:
Hmm. If I go with the on-on-on switch, what determines which coil is used in split mode. For instance if I split the bridge and neck and put them together, if the inside coil of the bridge is used, for it to still be noise cancelling the inside coil of the neck pickup will have to be on.
Click to expand...


If you want to change which coil the split activates, you swap the green for the white, and the black for the red (I believe). I will have to ask our electronics guy at the shop. The two coils would be humbucking only if one of them has a reverse wind/reverse polarity from the other.


Light

"Cowards can never be moral."
M.K. Gandhi
 
I was looking through a radio shack catalog and they have mini toggle switches that require a 1/4" mounting hole. the diameter of the hole where the tone pot was is about 1/4" also (a tad bigger but not much) I dont think the switches are on/on/on though, some of them say center-off but I dont think thats what I'm looking for.
 
Don't get this stuff from Rat Shack. Don't get me wrong, I get stuff from them, but not for guitars. The quality just sucks. At the very least get stuff from Switchcraft. Any good repair shop should have what you need though, or at least be able to get it.


Light

"Cowards can never be moral."
M.K. Gandhi
 
Light said:
Ifyou swap the green for the white, and the black for the red
Click to expand...

OOOPS!!!

That is wrong. I talked to our shop manager today (who knows this stuff better than I. You swap th black for the green, and the white for the red. Of course, I do not know if all companies hold to this standard, but this is acurate for Seymour Duncan. Other companes might use different colors, though I sould be surprised if the black and green where different.


Light

"Cowards can never be moral."
M.K. Gandhi
 
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