Help and is this possible?

[E MAN]

So I'm doing my first build in many years and I have a good idea of how I want to do do this but not sure if its possible or I'm just not thinking correctly. I'm hoping someone here could help? I like to keep things simple so my plan is to just use one tone and one volume. However, my build consist of two pickups (joe Barden HB's) that I'd like to both split using switches. so essentially have a 4 position toggle for each pick up: coil 1,both, coil 2, off. than run them to a master volume and tone? Am I being stupid? Is it possible or am I leaving something out? How exactly could I get that done? If i can do it, I think it gives me 15 possible sound configurations out of just 2 pick ups....

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[Logrinn]

I don’t believe I’ve ever seen or heard of a 4 position toggle switch. But there is the old wiring with a 3 position mini switch that will give each pickup the option of full humbucker/split/off.
I think that would do it. The difference in sound between the two coils in a humbucker would probably be very small and something one could live without.

 

[stratamania]

Which Joe Barden pickups exactly are you asking about?

For example Joe Barden Two tones have six wires versus the four of a standard humbucker.

 

[Rick]

Anything is possible, but do you really want it?  There's probably a reason why there are no diagrams on line for this set up.  IMO you don't get much juice out of this squeeze.  Might I suggest this:

4 way tele switch for, bridge, bridge and neck para, neck, bridge and neck series.  Then seperate  push-push for the volume and tone to split the humbuckers leaving on the southern bridge coil and the northern neck coil.

That's at least 12 different combos and they will be flavorful.

 

[bagman67]

I'm with Rick.  I shouldn't expect substantially different performance by switching between two coils that are side-by-side, and managing that in a performance setting is likely to be a pain.

 

[TonyFlyingSquirrel]

I've seen people use 5 EMG SA's in a similar fashion, housed in a guitar with a HSH config, but nuances between coils individually in the bridge/neck positions are subjective.  Best outcome in such a config is with on/on/on switches for the bridge positions, in conjunction with  on/off switches for all pickup positions respectively in order to get the benefit of all positions/options, but that's a lot of dang switches, and really only useful/practical in a studio environment.

 

[drewfx]

Seymour Duncan Triple Shot HB rings have 2 mini switches for a HB to select any combination of the 2 coils. But they are better for "presetting" each HB to a given coil configuration than on the fly switching.

There are 4 way rotary switches as well, but you might not really want 2 in phase coils anyway because then you are doubling the single coil noise problem.

I would usually try things out first with jumper wires and then pick the options that are worthwhile.