Two modes for an HSH Setup

[nicholaspaul]

I want to wire a Humbucker-Single-Humbucker guitar with a switch to change the way a 5 way switch would work.
In one mode, I want the 5 way to do this:

1. Bridge Humbucker
2. Bridge split + Neck Split, series
3. Bridge split + Neck Split, parallel
4. Neck split
5. Neck Humbucker

Basically, that's using the humbuckers and avoiding the middle single coil.
The second mode would be:

1. Bridge split
2. Bridge split + middle
3. Bridge split + Neck Split
4. Neck split + middle
5. Neck split

Is this even possible?

[nicholaspaul]

I've been thinking. Would it be easier/possible to have the five way select neck HB, neck +middle, neck +bridge, middle + bridge HB, Bridge HB and then use the switch to coil tap/split the humbuckers?

[eschertron]

I've been thinking. Would it be easier/possible to have the five way select neck HB, neck +middle, neck +bridge, middle + bridge HB, Bridge HB and then use the switch to coil tap/split the humbuckers?

Tap/split switches are one way to go. I tend to avoid them simply because it's too hard for me to push or pull a knob without disturbing my playing. That's just me.

The problem with the standard 5-way strat switch (from a design point of view) is the that once you join a combination of pickup 'hot' wires together on a switch contact, they're electrically connected together - think of them as being shorted together - regardless of whether or not the switch is selecting that contact point. There are other switches out there: google "mega switch" or "super switch" and you should find a couple different makes. These switches provide you with multiple levels (poles) of switching so that only when a particular switch position is selected do all the poles make continuity through the common. There's a lot of options available to you if you go this route. Look and you will find examples of these in use.

Just for reference, I have HSH with the selector doing: Neck + middle (2 singles in parallel), middle + bridge (2 singles in parallel), Neck HB, Neck HB + bridge HB in parallel, Bridge HB.

If you can draw a 'cocktail napkin' version of what you want, then you can start to decide what switching hardware you will need to accomplish your goals.

[nicholaspaul]

I was thinking of using a Superswitch as standard 5-ways are too limiting for me. I've used superswitches on a couple of guitars, including a tele-style where it's wired bridge / both, neck out of phase / both parallel / both series / neck. I want to have similar options for neck and bridge singlecoils in the HSH guitar which is why I kept the 5-way switch idea.
I'll probably go with my second option. A push-pull will at least keep the number of knobs and holes down to a minimum. I was hoping there was a way to change how the 5-way is wired with a two way switch but it's probably too complicated, in retrospect. I'll stick to 'Standard wiring plus coil tap with neck and bridge in middle'. It's easier to think that way too!

[big_teee]

Another option is to use a standard strat 5 way.
Here's where it gets tricky.
Instead of
1.bridge
2. bridge and middle
3. middle
4. middle and neck
5.neck
You could do
1. middle
2.middle, bridge
3.Bridge
4.bridge and neck
5. neck
or put the neck in the middle
1.bridge
2.bridge neck
3. neck
4. neck and middle
5. middle
put the bucker on a DPST, or a DPDT Mini switch.

[nicholaspaul]

Thanks for the suggestions, Terry. I'm worried that having middle in position one or five might be counter intuitive. I like the idea, though.

If i go with this - WDU-HSH5L11-02 how would I wire in the DPDT to split both humbuckers? Would the pairs of finish wires go to the 5 way as well as the DPDT?

[David Schwab]

I want to wire a Humbucker-Single-Humbucker guitar with a switch to change the way a 5 way switch would work.
In one mode, I want the 5 way to do this:

1. Bridge Humbucker
2. Bridge split + Neck Split, series
3. Bridge split + Neck Split, parallel
4. Neck split
5. Neck Humbucker

Basically, that's using the humbuckers and avoiding the middle single coil.
The second mode would be:

1. Bridge split
2. Bridge split + middle
3. Bridge split + Neck Split
4. Neck split + middle
5. Neck split

Is this even possible?

Sure, you can do that with a super switch.

My 3 pickup Tele-ish is wired up to do;

1. neck
2. neck/middle
3. neck/bridge — both split
4. middle/bridge
5. bridge

It uses three single coil size humbuckers. I used a T Mega Switch that I modded. I almost never use the middle pickup alone on Strat style guitars.

[nicholaspaul]

That's good to know, thanks David. Are there any restrictions when it comes to using these super switches? Can you use a second one to be like a DPDT, doing the coil split/parallel options ? Now I'm thinking of using one 5 way as a selector and another for humbucker / split / parallel / split, out of phase middle pickup / split, parallel middle pickup. I'm willing to bet the insides will look like a plate of spaghetti but I like the versatility.

Just to clarify, the first 5 way would do this:
1. bridge
2. bridge + middle
3. bridge + neck
4. neck + middle
5. neck

The second 5 way would do this:
1. humbuckers in series
2. humbuckers split
3. humbuckers in parallel
4. both split, middle pickup out of phase
5. both split, middle pickup parallel.

So far, I've been trying to amalgamate different diagrams, but haven't found anything that shows how you would wire a humbucker in parallel for certain options in a 5 way. Anyone have any diagrams?

[Rick Turner]

Ultimately, it comes down to this: "How many of these pickup combinations sound good enough to actually use?" You can get all kinds of possibilities including many that just plain suck. I wouldn't waste "bandwidth" on combinations of pickups and coils that don't sound good just to take up a switch position. The other trick is to "program" a switch so it goes intuitively from the most trebly tone to the fattest in logical steps. A guitarist should not have to be intellectually sussing out a particular combination of switch positions to get from one tone to another...it should all be in a logical set of steps. You need a bit more "fat"...well, progress one more step on a lever or rotary switch. It has to be intuitive or it just plain sucks... The human interface rules all... That's why Apple has done so well.

[Rick Turner]

One other thought...

Humbuckers sound like crap when the coils of a given pickup are in parallel. To my ears, it's a totally unusable sound. So it's there and easy to get to...but it sounds terrible! So why put it on a guitar or bass? Just so you can say there's another tone available? Not a good reason when it's so sucky...