Tried wiring my Dual Humbucking Warmoth Strat with 50s wiring

[Schneidas]

So I have this Swamp-Ash Strat Warmoth Body with H-H, so just dual humbuckers with no Single in the middle and a 3-way selector switch.
I figured giving 50s wiring a try, so got the attached wiring diagram and followed everything.

Now all seems to be working fine except the middle position on the 3-way selector switch: there is no sound at all, while I should get Neck and Bridge humbuckers combined.
Any idea what I need to change?

 

[stratamania]

Your switch has nothing connected in terms of pickup signal when in the middle position.

The diagram also says gorunded rather than grounded.

Look for a Tele wiring diagram to see how the 3 way needs to be wired.

 

[Schneidas]

Ok, so after looking at a Tele wiring diagram, I'm still stuck.
I don't understand how a switch works exctly and don't have any idea how a closed circuit works.

So in simple terms, what would I need to wire in for the middle position to get active, while keeping the 50s wiring?

 

[stratamania]

So in simple terms, what would I need to wire in for the middle position to get active, while keeping the 50s wiring?

The wiring you have will not work with that type of switch.

The closest you can get is to wire the switch like a traditional Tele 3 way wiring diagram. Then take a wire from each terminal where the hot wire of the pickup attaches and connect it to the respective tone control.

 

[Schneidas]

The wiring you have will not work with that type of switch.

The closest you can get is to wire the switch like a traditional Tele 3 way wiring diagram. Then take a wire from each terminal where the hot wire of the pickup attaches and connect it to the respective tone control.

Thanks, that was the answer I was looking for!

I will look for a different wiring diagram then. Thanks!

 

[Schneidas]

Ok, after studying the Seymour Duncan page with how a 5-way switch works for many hours (hey, I am a complete newbie at wiring!), I think this still might work, if I connect 4 additional jumper cables.
2 Green ones from the pickup terminals and 2 blue ones from the tone pots.

Wouldn't that solve the issue?

 

[stratamania]

Did your tone controls work at all when wired as post #1 ?

The solution is in post #4.

 

[Hodgo]

Neither of these will work, the first one for the reason @stratamania said, the second because you’ve tied the two hot leads of the pickups together.

Do you absolutely need two tone pots AND 50s wiring? This would be very simple without 50s wiring, or if you re-used a tone pot for something like a spin a split or a passive bass cut so the tone control didn’t need to be switched.

Or, you can buy a three way super switch and I can show you how to achieve your desired 50s style V/T/T setup.

 

[Schneidas]

I see, thanks to the both of you.
@stratamania - yes, my tone controls worked in the initial try.

@Hodgo - ok, I could be perfectly fine with just 1 tone control and 1 volume. Can you make one up like this?
Thanks

 

[Hodgo]

Yep, that’s just a modified Tele wiring with the tone control moved to the middle lug of the vol pot instead of the input lug as @stratamania suggested. Note that the pickups are wired to the commons - the red terminals in your diagrams.

 

[Schneidas]

View attachment 67216
Yep, that’s just a modified Tele wiring with the tone control moved to the middle lug of the vol pot instead of the input lug as @stratamania suggested. Note that the pickups are wired to the commons - the red terminals in your diagrams.

Thank you so much!!!!
I will study this extensively to understand it and implement it in my Strat!

Many thanks, seeing it visually helps a lot for a newbie like me!

 

[supertruper1988]

for a 3 knob setup, I would do Volume/Volume/Tone where the tone will be "50s" wiring by default because a master tone will only be able to connect to the hot of the jack in a VVT setup.

 

[Hodgo]

for a 3 knob setup, I would do Volume/Volume/Tone where the tone will be "50s" wiring by default because a master tone will only be able to connect to the hot of the jack in a VVT setup.

Good call! Although to be a totally unnecessary pedant, *all* things are connected to the hot of the jack

V/V/T makes more sense to me than V/T/T for sure.

 

[supertruper1988]

Good call! Although to be a totally unnecessary pedant, *all* things are connected to the hot of the jack

V/V/T makes more sense to me than V/T/T for sure.