4 pole 6 position switch problem

[radii]

I just tried to hook up 2 bass humbuckers I made, to a 4 pole 6 position switch, following the 3rd schematic in this link:http://alexplorer.net/guitar/mods/rotary.html

Needless to say, I must have done something wrong along the way.
I seem to get the first four positions correctly (neck only, both parallel, bridge only, both series), the last two however are (practically) mute and neck only ( pos. 5 and 6 respectively).
I have double and triple checked every connection for correctness and switched the pickup out and in wires around, every possible way ( 3 in all ).
The 2 coils in each pickup are hard-wired in in series, not out-of-phase, and sound fine ( actually, they sound pretty damn good ).

Does anybody have a clue as to why that might be ?
I think I understand, according to the schematic, how the pickups are switched at every position, yet I can't seem to wrap my brain around it completely.

Thanks

[David Schwab]

Do the pickups have at least two conductors separate from the shield? If not, you might be shorting them out if two of the positions on this switch are out-oh-phase.

I didn't look at the link, but I'm assuming it's like the L-6S, and the last two positions are parallel out-of-phase, and series out-of-phase.

You need to make sure the grounded shield is not attached to the pickup's common wire.

So the pickups can't use "vintage" style single conductor + shield wire, they need either four conductor wiring, or two conductors + the shield.

[radii]

Yes, the last 2 positions are supposed to be out of phase.

The pickups have a shield, attached to the shield of a four conductor shielded cable. It's overkill with the humbuckers, I know
Is the shield that is connected to ground the problem ? What is the common wire ? ( Pardon my ignorance )

[David Schwab]

Yes, the last 2 positions are supposed to be out of phase.

The pickups have a shield, attached to the shield of a four conductor shielded cable. It's overkill with the humbuckers, I know
Is the shield that is connected to ground the problem ? What is the common wire ? ( Pardon my ignorance )

The common wire is the end of the pickup that connects to ground, in your normal series wiring. You don't want that connected to the shield, or ground in this case, since at some point it will be the hot wire, since the phase has been flipped around.

Think of the way guitar humbuckers are made... if you have a 2 conductor wire, the pickup attaches to aground right at the pickup's baseplate. You don't want that, because when you reverse the polarity, the output will be shorted to ground.

I didn't get a chance to look over that circuit, but look up the Gibson L-6S.. same thing.

[radii]

All right !!!

I got it now

The shield must come in contact with the common wire right at the pickup, as they exit the housing. Probably they all bunched up and smashed together in the cavity as the pickup got lowered.

I havn't checked yet, but I'm pretty certain ...

Thanks David

How is Montclair ? Hoboken isn't too far ...

[David Schwab]

All right !!!

I got it now

The shield must come in contact with the common wire right at the pickup, as they exit the housing. Probably they all bunched up and smashed together in the cavity as the pickup got lowered.

I havn't checked yet, but I'm pretty certain ...

Thanks David[/QUOTE]

Yeah, I get if you check it, I bet the common has shorted to ground. This isn't a problem unless you want to reverse the polarity, and is how 2 conductor wired pickups are done.

Glad to help.

How is Montclair ? Hoboken isn't too far ...

Montclair is great. I always called it a baby Hoboken, but with mansions. We don't have cool clubs like Maxwell's though. I used to have my workshop in Hoboken, in the same space once occupied by Guild Guitars, in the Newman Leather Building over on Observer Highway. Hoboken is a cool place. Just don't try and find a parking space!

[radii]

Ha !

It's a small world. I live next to Neuman Leathers AND work in the building!
Yes, I rarely leave my block EVER

I asked the current owner ( a grandson of the original Neuman ? ) if he knew on what floor exactly Guild was on, but he said that that was before his time.
Oh well ...
It is one of the last places in Hoboken that has not been converted by Toll Brothers into a red brick and copper condo box. There has been talk however to do just that, once all the resistance by the arts community has faded. We're just sitting tight until then

[David Schwab]

Ha !

It's a small world. I live next to Neuman Leathers AND work in the building!
Yes, I rarely leave my block EVER

I asked the current owner ( a grandson of the original Neuman ? ) if he knew on what floor exactly Guild was on, but he said that that was before his time.
Oh well ...
It is one of the last places in Hoboken that has not been converted by Toll Brothers into a red brick and copper condo box. There has been talk however to do just that, once all the resistance by the arts community has faded. We're just sitting tight until then

We were on the third floor. I forget who told us they were in that spot... that was back in the 90's.

Yeah things are changing there. I'm still waiting for them to restore the train station. I hate to see beautiful old buildings like that in disrepair. At least they fixed up the waiting room.

I love old buildings. I get pissed off everytime I'm in Penn Station in NYC. That was a wonderful building, only to be torn down and replaced with MSG!

Everything is about money....