Need switch to split humbucker

[dude]

Want to split a humbucker in a SG, a push/pull pot is too long to fit in the back control cavity, the cover won't fit. I had a small toggle switch on the back control cavity but kept turning it on and off when playing by accident.  I guess I could use a small slider switch on the back cover but besides that any suggestions?

Any other way or type of switch I can use? Or wiring...? I don't want to lose the control of the tone pots as I use them a lot.

al

[Ed_Chambley]

I have replaced the toggle with a rotary.  Then you can wire up any combination you desire.  You know, like Pete Townsend wired his Les Paul.

[dude]

I have replaced the toggle with a rotary.  Then you can wire up any combination you desire.  You know, like Pete Townsend wired his Les Paul.

Never thought of a rotary switch, possible to replace the tone pot with a rotary switch pot...? Do they make a rotary pot switchable? I only need to switch one leg to turn on the single coil.

I'll look up Townsend Les Paul wiring.

al

[SILVERGUN]

Here's something that has been hovering under the radar for a while:
http://www.seymourduncan.com/products/accessories/triple-shot-mou/triple_shot_swi/

[dude]

Nice, very interesting.  I have a set of Gibson 57 classic's but they're older ones with only two leads. I have rewired a two lead humbucker with four wires before but it's very delicate work, that coil wire is thin and breaks easily. The only problem is the 57's are waxed and the wax is all over the place preventing me form opening the p/u carefully. I'll have to melt some of the wax away to get to the start and end of each coil. I guess I take the chance that I can ruin the p/u. I guess I could always send them out to Lindy Frailin or the like to do it for me...?   

No use in getting just one and splitting the neck coil only with all those options I have to do the Full Monty, 

Thanks for the link, something to think about.

al 

[HotBluePlates]

I have a set of Gibson 57 classic's ... with only two leads. ... I guess I could always send them out to Lindy Frailin or the like to do it for me...?

'57 Classics are nice pickups but not irreplaceable. I would personally buy a set of 4-wire pickups that sound good & sell the '57 Classics. I'm sure others could recommend a good brand/model.


You described the wax potting. It would be just as much hassle for a rewinder to alter as you (though they might have more practice and some tooling to make things easier). I don't know what the charge would be for the service, plus shipping both ways. A new pickup might be cheaper after selling the old ones.

[dude]

You described the wax potting. It would be just as much hassle for a rewinder to alter as you (though they might have more practice and some tooling to make things easier). I don't know what the charge would be for the service, plus shipping both ways. A new pickup might be cheaper after selling the old ones.

Yeah, that makes a lot of sense. If it wasn't for the wax I'd do it, my chances of getting to that p/u wire where the two coils meet is pretty risky with the wax all over the place. I'd have a high chance of breaking the wire at the base of the p/u rendering it useless and a rewind would be necessary. I've had lindey rewind a few p/u's, he's good but isn't cheap, with shipping a rewound humbucker is $65 last time, a few years ago, probably more now. There are several guys around Philly that are close and less....?

I usually play strats, tele's, single coils not real a humbucker guy, so I hardly use this 81 SG but it has a lot of mojo, TV yellow and no pick guard, very easy player too. I just felt the neck p/u for rhythm was too thick and not bright enough, guess I'm just used to singles. 

I was assuming the split neck would be a big change, is this true in your opinion? I understand tone is subjective but I do understand it's probably not worth taking the chance and destroy a good p/u.

So, I'd get another newer 57 with four leads if i was pretty much assured there would be a sufficient change for rhythm playing...?   

Thanks,
al

[Ed_Chambley]

Take the screws out of the neck PUP and that will give you an idea of what it will sound like if you install a coil tap PUP.

[jjasilli]

Rotary SW sounds good in theory.  I have an L6-s with a rotary SW but play it only once in awhile.  As a result I have no clue what the rotary positions are.  I guess the moral is that for live performance, complex switches might not live up to their supposed potential.

[dude]

Take the screws out of the neck PUP and that will give you an idea of what it will sound like if you install a coil tap PUP.

Taking the pole screws out will cut out that coil..?  Never thought of that, I guess the coil with the poles out would still be on but so weak, it would be very close to a coil tapped HB?

Thanks Ed,
al

[Ed_Chambley]

Take the screws out of the neck PUP and that will give you an idea of what it will sound like if you install a coil tap PUP.

Taking the pole screws out will cut out that coil..?  Never thought of that, I guess the coil with the poles out would still be on but so weak, it would be very close to a coil tapped HB?

Thanks Ed,
al

Yes, I have actually gotten away with using a humbucker in the bridge and gotten a very good country chicken pickin tone.  Give it a try.  I was skeptical, but it works very well.

[HotBluePlates]

I was assuming the split neck would be a big change, is this true in your opinion?

A long while back I has a '72 Les Paul Custom. Took the stock pickups out because I wanted a brighter sound available and put in 4-wire pickups. Replaced 2 of the pots with push-pull pots, and wired the switch for series coils when pushed in and parallel coils when pulled out.

The parallel option was brighter with less output, but still hum-cancelling. I kept it that way until I sold the guitar.