SxH w/ 4-way tele switch

[dNA]

Just bout to order the last of my hardware for the thinline while I wait for Ken to make my neck pickup. I'm probably just going to try a DiMarzio 36th Ann PAF in the bridge since I have one already. Then i'll set the guitar up, get used to the thing, and figure out what pickup I really want to go with in the bridge.

That being said, I'm wondering if I should bother getting a 4-way switch. My initial intention was to have a standard 3-way bridge/bridge split + neck/neck. But I didn't know if I'd go series or parallel in the center.
I was wondering if I can do the 4-way thing with a humbucker in the bridge
1) bridge
2) bridge split + neck (series)
3) bridge split + neck (parallel)
4) neck

Is that doable and if so, could anyone sketch me up a diagram?

 

[Jet-Jaguar]

I recently did this on a guitar I have.  I learned that there are two versions of the 4-way switch. 

For one version, this diagram, from Seymourduncan.com, should work:

For the other version, this diagram, from Guitarelectronics.com, will work:

The difference between them is on one version of the switch, the lugs on the right are higher, on the other version, the lugs on the left are higher.

 

[dNA]

I appreciate the input, but those are both for single coil pickups in the bridge. I've got a humbucker in the bridge and I'm looking to have it split when combined with the neck pickup. I got a diagram from DiMarzio for that setup with a 3-way, but wanted to know if i could get the series/parallel variety in the middle position with a 4-way

 

[Jet-Jaguar]

I appreciate the input, but those are both for single coil pickups in the bridge. I've got a humbucker in the bridge and I'm looking to have it split when combined with the neck pickup. I got a diagram from DiMarzio for that setup with a 3-way, but wanted to know if i could get the series/parallel variety in the middle position with a 4-way

I forgot to mention I did the split thing with a SD triple shot. Actually, I need to post photos of that build.

 

[dNA]

Bump - I don't think I got this resolved in any way

 

[drewfx]

Sorry, no diagram, but I think this will work:

N-  to ground
B coil1+ to Volume
B coil2- to ground
L side of switch:
1   -
2   -
3   N+
4   N+
C   To Volume

R side of switch:
1   B coil2+
2   N+
3   ground
4   -
C   B coil1-

And if you wanted to use a 5-way (needs to be 5 poles X2, not strat-style 3 poles X2), you could add B HB + N parallel:
5L N+
5R B coil2+

 

[mgaut051]

For one version, this diagram, from Seymourduncan.com, should work:

Easy peasy -

Wire as per the diagram, except put a push-push under one of your pots, as per SD:

Wire your single coil to the switch normally, your humbucker's signal lead to the switch (black for SD), your two middle (red and white for SD) to the tap, which grounds out the red to green (again, on SD) when it's pushed in, and your ground to the ground. Easy peasy.

This is what you get:

PP out (no coil tap):

1. B (your HB's coils will be in series w/ RE to ea other)
2. N & B in P (note that your HB's coils are in series with respect to each other, and in parallel with the N)
3. N
4. N & B in S (basically all coils in S)

PP in (coil tap, using SD coding):

1. B (black to white coil only)
2. N & (Bl to W) coil in P
3. N
4. N & (Bl to W) coil in S

Now I'm unsure which coil will lead to hum cancelling with the SC and the coil tap, but this image leads me to believe that it's the black to white. If it isn't I can help you with switching the coil.

Hope that helps.

 

[dNA]

Sorry, no diagram, but I think this will work:

N-  to ground
B coil1+ to Volume
B coil2- to ground
L side of switch:
1  -
2  -
3  N+
4  N+
C  To Volume

R side of switch:
1  B coil2+
2  N+
3  ground
4  -
C  B coil1-

And if you wanted to use a 5-way (needs to be 5 poles X2, not strat-style 3 poles X2), you could add B HB + N parallel:
5L N+
5R B coil2+

I'm not totally sure I understand everything you've written, but I'll give it a wack when I get the chance either today or tomorrow. That sounds about right to me.
mgaut, I appreciate the help, but I would rather not have a push-pull switch in the equation. I don't like using push-pull pots, and I also don't want to have to use an extra switch to get the combinations I'm after. But if I have to take that approach, I'll probably just use a mini toggle.

thanks both for the help! I'm less than 48 hours away from rockin out my thinline

 

[drewfx]

I'm not sure which part you didn't understand, but I should mention what I call "coil1" should be whichever of the 2 Bridge coils hum cancels with the neck (assuming the neck is a true single coil).

For a Dimarzio HB, the coils/wires are:
+Red and -Black for one coil, +White and -Green for the other.

 

[dNA]

I'm not sure which part you didn't understand, but I should mention what I call "coil1" should be whichever of the 2 Bridge coils hum cancels with the neck (assuming the neck is a true single coil).

For a Dimarzio HB, the coils/wires are:
+Red and -Black for one coil, +White and -Green for the other.

ah ok. with that info i think i've got a complete understanding of what it is. thanks

 

[dNA]

Well unfortunately I didn't get the chance to work on wiring the guitar - i basically had time to drill the mounting holes for the pickguard and mount the pickups.
DiMarzio tells me the wiring I want isn't possible without a push/pull or mini toggle, so I may just stick to a three-way switch, which i was unable to get at the guitarshop this afternoon. lame... If I can't get one at the other guitar shop tomorrow then I'll try your wiring drewfx and see what comes of it. Worst comes to worst I do it twice. Practice makes perfect, right?

 

[drewfx]

Well, of course I may have made a mistake somewhere and what I posted may not work. OTOH, my experience is that sometimes when people say "It's impossible!", they really mean "I don't know of any way of doing that". IOW, I wouldn't really trust either them or me too much on this...

Interested to see how it works out whichever way you go.

 

[dNA]

Will let you know. I'm pretty pissed at myself for not assembling it when i had two days off work. It just lays there on the table looking pretty, itching to be played. I even got a working leslie cab to play it through.
I hope to get to it either tonight or tomorrow before work (unfortunately i may be picking up a second job, which significantly reduces free time to work on guitars.)