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Cool trick for MegaSwitches!

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  • Cool trick for MegaSwitches!

    I just figured out a general purpose design using a DPST switch with a MegaSwitch to toggle two coils between a parallel and a series linkage. In particular I was seeing what I could come up with on my Brawley guitar, which has two pots and a selector switch mounted through the body.



    http://www.blueguitar.org/new/schem/...emplate_sm.gif

    The logic behind this is simple- one pole goes to HOT, one pole goes to ground and the other two poles are connected to the DPDT switch which will select between a series and parallel linkage between the two coils selected by the megaswitch. (If you want to use a single coil or pickup for a particular position of the selector switch, then just hook it up to the HOT and ground poles and ignore the two poles connected to the DPDT switch.

    Here is what I'm doing with my Brawley:




    http://www.blueguitar.org/new/schem/...er_harness.gif




    http://www.blueguitar.org/new/schem/...harness_wd.jpg

    A text explanation follows:

    #1 Neck * Bridge[screw coil] . . . Alt - Neck + Bridge [screw coil]
    #2 Middle * Neck . . . . . . . . . Alt - Middle + Neck
    #3 Neck * -Bridge[stud coil] . . Alt - Neck + -Bridge[stud coil]
    #4 Middle * Bridge[stud coil] . . .Alt - Middle + Bridge[stud coil]
    #5 Bridge [series hb] . . . . . . .Alt - Bridge [parallel hb]

    1. N*B(o). + -> N(w)
    . . . . . . . . N(b) -> B(r)
    . . . . . . . . . . . . .B(g) -> gnd

    1A. N+B(o) + -> N(w) & B(r)
    . . . . . . . . N(b) & B(g) -> gnd

    2. M*N . . . .+ -> M(w)
    . . . . . . . . . .M(b) -> N(w)
    . . . . . . . . . . . . . .N(b) -> gnd

    2A. N+M . . . + -> M(w) & N(w)
    . . . . . . . . . .M(b) & N(b) -> gnd


    3. N*[-B(i)] + -> N(w)
    . . . . . . . . . N(b) -> B(w)
    . . . . . . . . . . . . . B(b) -> gnd

    3A. N+[-B(i)] + -> N(w) & B(w)
    . . . . . . . . . .N(b) & B(b) -> gnd

    4. M*B(i) . + -> M(w)
    . . . . . . . . .M(b) -> B(b)
    . . . . . . . . . . . . .B(w) -> gnd

    4A. M+B(i) + -> M(w) & B(b)
    . . . . . . . . M(b) & B(w) -> gnd

    5. B(i)*B(o) . + -> B(b)
    . . . . . . . . . . B(w) -> B(r)
    . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B(g) -> gnd

    5A. B(i)+B(o) . + -> B(b) & B(r)
    . . . . . . . . . . .B(w) & B(g) -> gnd

    Legend:

    on the left...
    * indicates SERIES linkage
    + indicates PARALLEL linkage
    - indicates that the coil is Out Of Phase (OOP)
    B(i) is the Inner (stud) coil of the Bridge humbucker
    B(o) is the Outer (screw) coil of the Bridge humbucker

    on the right...
    + indicates the Hot signal lead from the Volume pot
    gnd indicates the signal return or ground connection
    -> indicates continuity between the two adjacent terms
    N(w) and N(b) are the two leads from the Neck pickup
    M(w) and M(b) are the two leads from the Middle pickup
    B(b) B(w) B(r) B(g) are the HB leads with Duncan color codes


    --Enjoy!

    Steve Ahola

    P.S. "Looks great, Steve, but what if you want to use the Neck or Middle pickups by themselves?" I'm glad you asked, Mr. Too-Busy-To-Leave-Your-Name... I further modified the design by adding a second DPDT push-pull pot (as shown in the drawings) which will ground out the black leads coming from the Neck and Middle pickups, which will give you those pickups alone in Positions 1 -4 in Series mode.
    Attached Files
    Last edited by Steve A.; 07-12-2006, 11:08 PM.
    The Blue Guitar
    www.blueguitar.org
    Some recordings:
    https://soundcloud.com/sssteeve/sets...e-blue-guitar/
    .

  • #2
    Steve,

    It looks great. I will have to study it more, but I've used some of your wiring for other guitars with great results!

    Aron

    Comment


    • #3
      Hey Steve. I like it.

      Thats similar to an idea I have with a Strat. With the push-pull "down", you have normal Strat operation.
      (#2 and #4 positions are parallel.)

      With the switch "up", the #2 and #4 positions become series. Its like getting humbuckers out of singles rather than singles out of humbuckers.



      Artie

      Comment


      • #4
        Very cool!
        It would be possible to describe everything scientifically, but it would make no sense; it would be without meaning, as if you described a Beethoven symphony as a variation of wave pressure. — Albert Einstein


        http://coneyislandguitars.com
        www.soundcloud.com/davidravenmoon

        Comment

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