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Post by Deleted on Jul 7, 2017 12:00:48 GMT -6
My guitar has two humbucker pickups, with volume & tone controls and a three position pickup switch. The tone pot is push/pull which acts as a coil split, and enables me to get some lovely single coil tones when pulled up. I love it, but recently have been wondering about trying to increase its versatility even further by adding another push pull pot where the volume pot is. I've heard about a few different ways of doing things, and think either a series/parallel or phase switch would be best, but can't decide which. Does anyone with experience of these have an opinion on which will give the best/most versatile sound, or be able to describe the sonic differences to me? Also, how would either of these mods work (if at all) with the current coil split in the tone control? Is it even possible? Any other ideas for increasing the amount of tones available from within the guitar itself? Not really interested in active electronics or drilling new holes.  Thanks in advance, Gregg |
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Post by ragan on Jul 7, 2017 12:59:18 GMT -6
My guitar has two humbucker pickups, with volume & tone controls and a three position pickup switch. The tone pot is push/pull which acts as a coil split, and enables me to get some lovely single coil tones when pulled up. I love it, but recently have been wondering about trying to increase its versatility even further by adding another push pull pot where the volume pot is. I've heard about a few different ways of doing things, and think either a series/parallel or phase switch would be best, but can't decide which. Does anyone with experience of these have an opinion on which will give the best/most versatile sound, or be able to describe the sonic differences to me? Also, how would either of these mods work (if at all) with the current coil split in the tone control? Is it even possible? Any other ideas for increasing the amount of tones available from within the guitar itself? Not really interested in active electronics or drilling new holes. Thanks in advance, Gregg I've done the Jimmy Page wiring a couple times. Certainly a ton of tones to be had with that. |
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Post by Deleted on Jul 8, 2017 1:01:36 GMT -6
Yeah I've read about that one a few times. It sounds great in theory, and has it all, but the Les Paul also has four knobs that can be push/pull, my Tele only has two.
Any one else have any ideas, Series/Parallel vs. Out of Phase?
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Post by stratboy on Jul 8, 2017 5:48:32 GMT -6
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Post by Deleted on Jul 8, 2017 6:20:05 GMT -6
Thanks stratboy!
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Post by jimwilliams on Jul 9, 2017 11:49:09 GMT -6
Two knobs isn't much to work with. 4 is plenty. On my Les Paul I used two 6 way rotary switches for the tone pots. Those are wired L6-S style with all 6 possible coil combinations for each pickup. Then there is a master volume and master tone pot. The tone pot is a push pull to bypass it, much clearer that way.
Over 400 possible pickup combinations will keep you entertained for hours. Mine is also fitted with a buffer/preamp. That presents a very high 5 meg ohm input impedance so all the tops are intact. The guitar output is low impedance and will driver 1000 feet of cable without losses. It even powers headphones for silent practice.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 9, 2017 13:19:41 GMT -6
Thanks, was hoping you'd contribute Jim, your guitar posts are always very very informative! Remember reading about your noise free buffer/preamp before, at the other place.  Wish my tech knowledge and chops were as good as yours. As for my little volume control, if I changed it for a push/pull, what would you suggest I do with that for max versatility, bearing in mind I already have a coil tap push pull on the tone pot? |
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Post by Ward on Jul 9, 2017 18:46:27 GMT -6
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Post by subspace on Jul 9, 2017 20:18:37 GMT -6
Does your tone push-pull split both humbuckers or just one? I'd wire your volume push-pull as a series-parallel on just the bridge humbucker, parallel may be more useful for Tele bridge tones than the coil split.
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Post by stratboy on Jul 9, 2017 20:38:18 GMT -6
Yeah, I tried it after I posted and the photobucket album the diagrams were in comes up empty. I emailed Becky Lawrence about it, but haven't heard back yet. Here is at least one of Bill's circuits - a 5 way tele wiring: www.premierguitar.com/articles/22967-mod-garage-the-bill-lawrence-5-way-telecaster-circuitI know this link works. By the way, totally surprised to see that you can buy this circuit as a drop in, fully built mod for $59 from Reverb.com, or walmart.com. WTF? Walmart? |
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Post by Deleted on Jul 10, 2017 1:11:14 GMT -6
None of the redirect links from this forum work for me, I always have to manually cut and paste the link text. |
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Post by Deleted on Jul 10, 2017 1:19:57 GMT -6
Does your tone push-pull split both humbuckers or just one? I'd wire your volume push-pull as a series-parallel on just the bridge humbucker, parallel may be more useful for Tele bridge tones than the coil split. Thanks, here is the wiring diagram, it an unusual Tele (MIK around 2007, dual humbucker). This is what the dude at Fender support told me: "The A500K is an audio taper and the B500K is a linear taper, so besides the push/pull that will also be the difference. Cap is 0.022." So I'm not sure if it splits both or just one, can you tell from the schematic? I'm pretty sure it splits both as the sound is different when you pull the tone pot on both pickups, when they are soloed. I love the sound of both that way (split/single coil) so would be loathe to loose one. Are you saying I wouldn't be able to have series/parallel and coil split at the same time? I must admit I'm still a little confused about the series/parallel thing. Would it switch both pickups Series/Parallel, or only the dual coils of one of the humbuckers? In theory I am thinking I want to try the out of phase thing more... |
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Post by Deleted on Jul 10, 2017 1:28:19 GMT -6
None of the redirect links from this forum work for me, I always have to manually cut and paste the link text. That sounds like a fabulous mod, just not sure how it would work with dual humbuckers instead of single coils. |
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Post by subspace on Jul 10, 2017 7:08:28 GMT -6
Does your tone push-pull split both humbuckers or just one? I'd wire your volume push-pull as a series-parallel on just the bridge humbucker, parallel may be more useful for Tele bridge tones than the coil split. Thanks, here is the wiring diagram, it an unusual Tele (MIK around 2007, dual humbucker). This is what the dude at Fender support told me: "The A500K is an audio taper and the B500K is a linear taper, so besides the push/pull that will also be the difference. Cap is 0.022." So I'm not sure if it splits both or just one, can you tell from the schematic? I'm pretty sure it splits both as the sound is different when you pull the tone pot on both pickups, when they are soloed. I love the sound of both that way (split/single coil) so would be loathe to loose one. Are you saying I wouldn't be able to have series/parallel and coil split at the same time? I must admit I'm still a little confused about the series/parallel thing. Would it switch both pickups Series/Parallel, or only the dual coils of one of the humbuckers? In theory I am thinking I want to try the out of phase thing more... The tone pot is splitting both humbuckers. Phase switch would be simple enough and active in the middle position on both settings. I've got a bridge bucker that coil splits or goes serial/parallel and find I favor the latter as it's similar to a single coil sound without as much volume drop. |
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Post by Deleted on Jul 10, 2017 7:38:09 GMT -6
Thanks, so with phase, it would only be out of phase when you have the middle pickup position selected (for both pickups, makes sense, need two pups for one to be out of phase with the other), AND the new volume pot pulled in the up position? That would be pretty cool I think, mixed pups in or out of phase with humbucker or single coil sound (via the current coil split on the tone control), should be pretty versatile, now I just need to find a schematic for that...
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Post by jimwilliams on Jul 12, 2017 9:42:05 GMT -6
Google "Gibson L6-S wiring diagrahm". Get a 6 way 4 deck rotary switch from www.allparts.comThen wire that where the 3 way switch is. Then you have all 6 possible combinations. I did that to a Fender Telecaster Jim Adkins model that has P-90's. |
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Post by Deleted on Jul 12, 2017 10:37:27 GMT -6
Cheers Jim that does look great. Six combinations PLUS the coil splitting would give a large array of tones!
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Post by jimwilliams on Jul 14, 2017 9:51:28 GMT -6
I had a Gibson L6-S back in the 1970's and wired three of those switches in. One for each pickup and one for both. I had so many sounds I could not keep track of them all. Hundreds of tone changes, I could not hear all of them in one day if I tried.
Fav's were split coil Fender sounds and all those funky out of phase tones.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 14, 2017 10:07:06 GMT -6
Fabuloous!
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Post by johneppstein on Jul 14, 2017 11:50:41 GMT -6
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Post by Deleted on Jul 14, 2017 12:12:46 GMT -6
Thanks John, some great ideas. My Tele is not standard at all, no scratch plate or control plate, rather not drill new holes myself, but could have someone else do it.
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Post by johneppstein on Jul 14, 2017 12:19:01 GMT -6
Note the edits to my original post.
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Post by johneppstein on Jul 14, 2017 12:24:29 GMT -6
Thanks John, some great ideas. My Tele is not standard at all, no scratch plate or control plate, rather not drill new holes myself, but could have someone else do it. If you do drill new holes put a strip of masking tape over the paint and drill from the outside to avoid chipping. Use a sharp (new) bit at slow speed. Bit should be undersized for the hole, finish by hand to final diameter with a small tapered reamer. You'l want to ream from both sides because of the taper and go slow. |
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Post by Deleted on Jul 14, 2017 13:29:52 GMT -6
Thanks for the extra links John, not much of a woodworker myself but my friend is an electrician/plumber/satellite installer with all the right tools and know how!
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Post by jimwilliams on Nov 11, 2017 15:51:09 GMT -6
All Parts also sells 5 way Tele switches with 4 decks, lots of possible combo's. I have a Thinline that does series, parallel, splits and out of phase.
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Wish my tech knowledge and chops were as good as yours.
