2 humbucker and Super Switch wiring question

[joeh]

I've read through last year's posts (and searched), but didn't find this specific scenario being mentioned. I'm new to wiring a guitar (done many other things), so any suggestions/advice is appreciated.

Actually, I wanted to ask the obvious - can the "5-way Super Switch" (from StewMac) fit in place of a regular 5-Way, and if not, can Warmoth rout the proper cavity to mount a Super Switch?  From what I'm looking for, I don't think a regular 5-way would work.

Anyways, here is what I was hoping to do. I plan on building a Warmoth LP Carved Top, with 2 humbuckers.  I wanted a single switch that will allow these position:

1) Neck - Series
2) Neck - Parallel
3) Neck (or bridge - not sure yet) in pure single coil - or maybe a Neck+Bridge mix - any advice?
4) Bridge - Parallel
5) Bridge - Series

I really like the tone/sound difference between series/parallel (esp coming from a single coil Fender/Mustang, I sometimes like the "twang"). The only reason I kept the "Single Coil" is to allow the few times I purposely want a "noiser" background - such as with high gain, high feedback - am I wrong to think with SC it is easier to get this sound ("Hendrix"ish crazy feedback) versus a hum-cancelling?

Also, has anyone ever used a "secondardy" volume pot tied to the "series" leg of a pickup (in a series/parallel wiring)?  From limited experience, the series wiring is always hotter (usually significantly), so I though maybe a volume pot could be used. This way, if during a song I switch between the two, I can "preset" the volume so when switching, I can "control" the volume difference (even make the series winding "quieter" than parallel)?  I would still have a Master Volume.  What is the harm in having two volumes in the signal path?  Also, what resistance (250k, or 500k) should I use in this case?

Any advice on this setup, or how to wire would be appreciated!  Thanks,

 

[Orpheo]

feedback's got nothing to do with noise or singlecoil/humbucker. its got something to do with waxpotting. if a pup has been waxpotted, it wont squeel as much.

I dont know if this is possible. I tend to say: no. but then again; it might be! but I dont think its this easy... sorry.

 

[joeh]

It's not the extra feedback (your right, I can get that easily on my humbuckers - maybe even easier since it has more windings and pick up better), but the "rawness" - gritty sound that Hendrix used to do. I always chalked it up to noise/hum - but then again, it could be all the pedal effects and the amp he's using.

 

[ironiguana]

I have superswitches in 3 guitars. 1 fender starcaster(strat), 1 lotus fender strat copy, and 1 warmoth WGD.  I did not have to have a special routing for any of them. It fit just fine.  Wouldn't hurt to ask though.

I have tried splitting a bridge pickup and using only 1 coil from it with a push-pull.  I did not care for the tone.  Too thin and not like a single coil at all.  I ended up changing the push-pull to put the bridge HB in parallel instead and like it a lot more.  If you are going to do the single coil thing, I would suggest using the neck pickup.

If you want a mix of HB's in position 3, I have this wiring setup in my 2 hb wgd:

pos1- neck
pos2- outside coils in parallel
pos3- both hb's
pos4- inside coils in parallel
pos5- bridge

I like the clean tones in postions 2 and 4 (4 has more twang) but they are hum-cancelling which is something you said you might not want to get that Hendrix sound.

 

[onedrop]

I have seen the superswitch mounted in a standard warmoth strat body, so it should fit ok.

That guitar was wired up like this (i think)

1. Neck HB
2. Neck & Bridge HB (parallel)
3. Neck & Bridge HB (series)
4. Outer coils
5. Bridge HB

You'll probably want at least one position that combines the neck and bridge pups.

You know what might be cool, basically the same as what you mentioned, but with position 3 being your standard neck&bridge HB combination, and a couple of push/pull pots for splitting the neck and bridge pickups into SC mode.. (this might not work when in pos 2 & 4, single humbucker in parallel).. Not that it wouldn't work, just the switch would have no effect in those positions. I think. Depends how you wire it up.

 

[macerson]

ironiguana,  the setup you listed is exactly what i'm trying to do with my guitar.  do you have a wiring diagram or pic of how you wired yours up?  Would be a HUGE help.

 

[tfarny]

With those super switches you can do almost any combo that you want - there are three separate sets of lugs, so  you can incorporate series / parallel, coil taps, bring in / out a volume pot, just about anything you'd like. It fits in a W body no prob. I did one with the same setup as mr. iguana, though I didn't see a lot of difference between the inner taps and outer taps.
I think that if you want to do some really original wiring thing, you need to understand how the stuff works - then you're free to just do whatever you want. Lots of people here could maybe make a diagram for you but it would take some time, and you're probably going to change your mind anyhow (no offense, we all do!).

Once you 'get it' as far as pots, switches, caps, etc., then sit down with several of the more complex diagrams from seymour duncan until you can see the logic behind them. Then you can start on your own. You could post your schematic here and people will be happy to critique it, but i doubt anyone will spend all the time to make you a custom one.

 

[ironiguana]

Here is the website I got it from:

http://www.dimarzio.com//media/diagrams/E.pdf

I have a superdistortion/PAF Pro combo with it and I really like it.

 

[macerson]

Thanks to both of you.  Tfarny, I didn't mean for someone to hand draw me a schematic; I meant a pic or link like the one ironiguana kindly gave.  The pickups I'm dealing with are TV Jones Powertrons with 4 conductor wiring btw.

 

[tfarny]

macerson, I was talking to the OP.

 

[Wana_make_a_guitar]

feedback's got nothing to do with noise or singlecoil/humbucker. its got something to do with waxpotting. if a pup has been waxpotted, it wont squeel as much.

I dont know if this is possible. I tend to say: no. but then again; it might be! but I dont think its this easy... sorry.

doest foam under, or around the pup also reduce feedback?

 

[Orpheo]

feedback's got nothing to do with noise or singlecoil/humbucker. its got something to do with waxpotting. if a pup has been waxpotted, it wont squeel as much.

I dont know if this is possible. I tend to say: no. but then again; it might be! but I dont think its this easy... sorry.

doest foam under, or around the pup also reduce feedback?

yes, but thats the 'classic' case of feedback; air 'in' the guitar resonating and vibrating in such a way that the strings 'vibrate' (or the pickup itself) and that gives you feedback aswell.

in theory, a gretsch 6120 with emg's should not squeel/feedback because the picups are so silent.

 

[macerson]

Oh, sorry Tfarny...