HSS with Stack SCs wiring and switch

[HvyMetul]

I'll say upfront that wiring is not my forte'. 

I'm currently exploring options for a HSS setup using Seymour Duncan passives.
I've explored a bunch HSS wiring options but none deal with Stack single coil pickups.

My plan is to use JB or Custom Custom as the bridge pickup and  STK-4S for stacked singles.
However, if they are too much hassle to wire I'm okay with classic singles.

Original idea was to use a 5 way switch, a Megaswitch Type E which would provide following combinations.

1.  HUM
2. HUM-SPLIT +  Middle SPLIT
3.  HUM-SPLIT + Neck SPLIT
4.  Middle + Neck
5. Neck

Unfortunately, true single coils are assumed.  Sure I could wire STK-S4s as single coils but that would defy the whole hum canceling deal.

I'm aware of the superswitch and trying to stay as far away as possible because figuring that out literally blows my mind lol

I guess the question is, should I bother with these hum-cancelling single coils if wiring simplicity is the goal?

Is there a simple way of wiring them with humbucker without a Superswitch? (ESP ST-1 has this exact set up with a 5-way switch)

If not, I'll just opt for classic SCs and readily available HSS wiring diagrams.

 

[Cagey]

I wired a Strat up in a similar manner 4 or 5 years ago, and to say it sucked would be an understatement. Hated it. Sounded awful. It seems like a good idea on paper, but the reality is pretty sad.

If you're determined to do it, you will need a "super-switch" to pull it off. So, if they make your brain hurt you may want to give it a little more thought. But, really, those switches are actually simpler than the standard 5-way that's used in most Strats.

The problem with the scheme is in order to get hum-cancelling, you need to have reverse-wound reverse-polarity coils wired in series. In order to get that out of stacked 'buckers like the STK-4 parts, you may have to use a bottom coil on one in combination with the top coil on another, or a side coil on a typical PAF-style design like the JB and it just doesn't sound right.

The STK-4s sound really nice, as do JBs, so if it was me, I'd just use a standard 5 position blade switch and treat them all like single coils. That is, leave the series connection alone and wire the hot/ground lines as if they existed on their own. All 5 positions will be noiseless and unique. So, something like you see in this diagram.

 

[HvyMetul]

STK-S4 middle pickup is RW/RP when split I believe.. But sounds like more hassle than worth it.
I'll explore true single coils for this project.

I wired a Strat up in a similar manner 4 or 5 years ago, and to say it sucked would be an understatement. Hated it. Sounded awful. It seems like a good idea on paper, but the reality is pretty sad.

If you're determined to do it, you will need a "super-switch" to pull it off. So, if they make your brain hurt you may want to give it a little more thought. But, really, those switches are actually simpler than the standard 5-way that's used in most Strats.

The problem with the scheme is in order to get hum-cancelling, you need to have reverse-wound reverse-polarity coils wired in series. In order to get that out of stacked 'buckers like the STK-4 parts, you may have to use a bottom coil on one in combination with the top coil on another, or a side coil on a typical PAF-style design like the JB and it just doesn't sound right.

The STK-4s sound really nice, as do JBs, so if it was me, I'd just use a standard 5 position blade switch and treat them all like single coils. That is, leave the series connection alone and wire the hot/ground lines as if they existed on their own. All 5 positions will be noiseless and unique. So, something like you see in this diagram.

 

[Cagey]

STK-S4 middle pickup is RW/RP when split I believe.. But sounds like more hassle than worth it.
I'll explore true single coils for this project.

RW/RP is relative, so you can't have one that way when split, since you only have one coil. It's only RW/RP in relation to another coil.

But, I'd still stick with the STK-S4s if you like those. They sound good. If not those, then my current favorites are GFS' "True Coil" series. To my ear, they sound even better than the SD parts.

You don't have to split the coils on the noiseless parts - in fact, it's better if you don't. Just treat them as single coils, and smile at the sky when they don't raise all sorts of hell when you plug them in.

 

[TonyFlyingSquirrel]

Are you also wanting to split the stacked SC's?
If so, I would advise against it.  The other coil is just a dummy coil to buck the hum.

Splitting a full sized humbucker makes sense, but I'd leave the SC's or stacked equivalent thereof alone.

+1 on the GFS recommendation.  Their NeoVin's and True Coils are top notch.

 

[Jumble Jumble]

Hi

I have done almost exactly what you are saying here. Two STK-S4s and a JB. I split the JB and combined with one of the stacks, also split, for one of the positions on the switch.

For the wiring you propose you would need to get two NECK versions of the STK-S4, rather than a neck and a middle. When split, these will hum cancel with the split JB (assuming you split the JB to the slug coil: the regular split wiring, shorting the red and white wires to ground).

You don't have to have coils wired in series to get hum-cancelling: parallel works fine too. The slug coil on a JB is RW/RP relative to the top coils on a neck STK-S4. So, wiring a split STK-S4 in parallel with a normally-wired split JB will get you a hum-cancelling position.

This can all be done with a super switch, yes. I'm about to go to bed but I can do you a diagram tomorrow if you like. Don't be afraid of super-switches - they actually make more sense than the standard 5-way.

For what it's worth, the split STK-S4 when combined with the split JB sounds just like it should.

 

[Jumble Jumble]

I think this is right:



I've put tone controls for bridge and neck as that seems to make the most sense.

It looks complicated, I know, but if you do all the jumpers on the switch first, then do all the wires from the pots to the switch and then finally connect each pickup in turn, it'll be fine.

 

[TonyFlyingSquirrel]

I think this is right:



I've put tone controls for bridge and neck as that seems to make the most sense.

It looks complicated, I know, but if you do all the jumpers on the switch first, then do all the wires from the pots to the switch and then finally connect each pickup in turn, it'll be fine.

I must say Jx2, you have drawn up a very fine diagram.  Did you do that in MS Paint?

 

[Jumble Jumble]

Visio.