Coil Splitting with 5-Way

[Matt Madden]

I am putting together a strat-style 2 humbucker guitar. This is more assembly than building, as I have a bunch of parts, including a body and pickguard, and will mail order the rest.

I'm thinking of using a 5 way blade-style switch to be able to split the coils, so it would be....

Pos 1 neck single
Pos 2 neck humbucker
Pos 3 both humbuckers
Pos 4 bridge humbucker
Pos 5 bridge single

I'm calling position 1 toward the neck and pos 5 toward the bridge. Not sure if that is the usual convention.

How's that sound? Is there a better way? I've only built one guitar, so I don't have a bunch of experience with wiring.

Matt

[Nick Middleton]

It will depend on what sound you like and what the humbuckers sound like. In some cases it works and some pickups don't sound good when you try to get any other sound than the intended humbucker.

Which ones did you buy?

Another option could be to make the #2 & #4 positions to be inner & outer coils of the humbucker. It will sound more like the in-between positions of the strat or like a tele.

It takes a Super 5-Way switch, but it would make:

1) Neck Humbucker
2) Neck Top-coil + Bridge Bottom-Coil
3) Neck and Bridge Humbuckers
4) Neck Bottom-Coil + Bridge Top-Coil
5) Bridge Humbucker

Do you want a bright and punchy single-coil or a clucky/scooped sound of 2 single-coils?

[Matt Madden]

Hey, thanks for the reply.

The pick-ups are both Seymour Duncan. A Little 59r and a JB Jr. This is a "run what you brung" type of project and that is what I have. I have a pickguard with 2 single coil slots (the body and pickguard are from an '84 Squier Bullet).

So yeah, I'm not sure what sound I want. Original plan was to just use a three way switch and stay in humbucker mode. I have used both of these pickups in my other guitar at different times, but only in humbucker mode, never splitting the coils. Just thought I might try it this time.

Thanks.

[Nick Middleton]

OK, I have a Little 59 in one of my Strats and I used to have a JB jr. Both pickups can sound OK as a single-coil, but if it were my guitar: I would either use the pairs of coils, like I mentioned above or, maybe consider putting the humbuckers in parallel vs. as 1 coil only in the #1 & #5 positions to maintain cancellation.

[David King]

Just do the coil splitting with a separate switch like everyone else does. Use push/pull pot switches if you hate the mini-switches.

[Art Davila]

Just do the coil splitting with a separate switch like everyone else does. Use push/pull pot switches if you hate the mini-switches.

But then, he has a guitar like every body else.
He's trying to do something different just to see the results.

Its not like you can't rewire it if your not happy with the results, just try it doesn't suit your taste,
un solder it and try something else.
Only thing you lose is time.

[David King]

I do sound like a crank and I'm sorry about that. I've also come to realize that everything has been tried and the more effective choices chosen over and over again. A bit like natural selection? It doesn't stop anyone from trying out a different way for themselves.

[Matt Madden]

Hey all:

Thanks for the advice. Thanks Art, for stickin' up for the rookie. And thanks David for sharing your knowledge, even if you did sound a little cranky I do appreciate the input. And honestly, the expertise on this forum is invaluable.

I'll probably try a couple of different things with this guitar, but I think I'll start with a 3-way and split the humbuckers with mini switches when I get around to it, or not.

Matt