switching system for a strat

[Marco Pancaldi]

Hello,

I'd wish to try to use three miniswitch to control each pickup, having serial, parallel and OFF in the center position. After some try, I can't find a good solution.
Any advice?
Thanks
m.p.

[big_teee]

Hello,

I'd wish to try to use three miniswitch to control each pickup, having serial, parallel and OFF in the center position. After some try, I can't find a good solution.
Any advice?
Thanks
m.p.

Not sure if you have this already, and trying to make it work, or just trying to figure out the how to before you try it.
Here's a Seymour Duncan wiring diagram, maybe this will help!
Wiring Diagram
Terry

[Chuck H]

Trouble is, as I see it, if each pickup is on it's own switch, how can one position of the switch dictate if it's in series or parallel with the other pickups that could be switched off??? So, if you have, say, the middle pickup selected in it's series "on" position but the other two pickups are off there is nothing to be in series with, so the current path is broken. I think you need to consider a different arrangement before spending too much time on this.

Perhaps four DP switches with one for series/parallel operation and then an on/off for each pickup. Of course then you have a lot of switches to place. It's been my experience with single coils and series wiring that not every option available creates a good useable tone. Perhaps do some rough experimenting to find the pickup arrangements that work for you and then design with the standard blade switch and a switch for series/parallel options.

Chuck

[David Schwab]

If you use more than three switches you can do it. There are wiring schemes like this for people building Brian May Red Special guitars, which normally have the three pickups in series. The extra switch switches them into parallel.

You can try something like this, which has an extra series parallel switch for the bridge pickup. You could probably replace the phase switches with additonal series parallel switches, but I haven't traced through the circuit to see if it would work:



The same web page has one with a master series parallel switch:



Pickup Wiring Modification for Brian May Guitar: Series to Parallel Mod

[big_teee]

This sells at Guitar Fetish for $39.95.
Don't know the quality, but thats a start.
This will let you do it Davids way!
"BHM STYLE" Series-Phase 6-switch wiring kits
Terry

[Marco Pancaldi]

Thanks all;

David: I think the schem you attached is the simpler (functioning).
The big problem I can't solve with 3PDT is that the OFF (central) position is a bypass (needed to manage the serial circuit - same as the "your" scheme). So, when all the PU are OFF or Parallel ON, the hot is closed to ground. No sound.
It needs a logical circuit that, when all PU are NOT serial, opens the series circuit. Very simple, but not a possible thing to manage with mechanical switches...

Or maybe you have another idea...

Thanks again
m.p.

[David Schwab]

Or maybe you have another idea...

I've done it with two pickups. I have one circuit that uses two DPDT switches to select between one or the other pickup, in series or parallel.

When I get a chance I'll sit down and see what I can come up with.

The problem with three pickups is when you have two, they are either in series or parallel. With three you have an issue, because if you switch the neck in series with the middle, the middle can't be in parallel with the bridge. The series pair can be, but the switching becomes tricky.

Here's a good site to check out. They have scads of wiring ideas.

DGB Studio for Guitar Players &amp Builders