Tone Control Question on HSH + SuperSwitch

[jmcecil]

On my first guitar I kept the switching super simple.  My current build is HSH and I'm being a glutton for punishment using both a Push/Pull Volume and a super switch.

My question is actually simple.  In positions 2 and 4 I'm considering leaving the Middle Pickup out of the tone loop.  So the tone pot will only affect the Neck or Bridge (north/south depending on up/down).  Bridge tone pot will control Middle tone in position 3 .  Check the diagram and the dotted purple line.  If I connect the dotted line, then 2/4 will also control tone of the Middle pickup. If I leave dotted off, then 2/4 will only control the buckers tone.

I was just wondering if leaving the Middle pickup full on in conjunction with the split buckers is a better choice.  Have any of you done it this way?  I did a google and couldn't find audio examples. 

 

[jmcecil]

Oops, just noticed ... 1 - should be labeled Bridge on the switch and 5 - should be labeled Neck.  For the purpose of the discussion, it doesn't matter though.

 

[line6man]

If the neck or bridge pickup are attached to a tone control, and you add in the middle pickup, then the tone control will also affect the middle pickup. This is the nature of having three things parallel to each other. If you want to be able to have a tone control that does not affect the middle pickup, when two pickups are combined, the only way that you can do this is to place a resistor in series with the neck pickup, so as to isolate it from the tone control. Should you choose to do this, you will lose some output from the middle pickup.

 

[jmcecil]

If the neck or bridge pickup are attached to a tone control, and you add in the middle pickup, then the tone control will also affect the middle pickup. This is the nature of having three things parallel to each other. If you want to be able to have a tone control that does not affect the middle pickup, when two pickups are combined, the only way that you can do this is to place a resistor in series with the neck pickup, so as to isolate it from the tone control. Should you choose to do this, you will lose some output from the middle pickup.

ah, that makes sense.  At least it will simplify the wiring if I choose to leave it regular.  No need for the extra connections.