Dimarzio Series Parallel Help?

Discussion in 'Pickups & Electronics [BG]' started by Basstovsky, Jan 12, 2009.

  1. Basstovsky

    Basstovsky Stuck on those 4-strings

    Feb 29, 2008
    Massachusetts
    I know I know there have been plenty of threads, but all the links and images are too old and no longer exist. Also almost every thread was about both pickups as model J, P-J, ultra-jazzes or push-pull pots. This is just one neck pickup with a DPDT switch.

    I installed a single Dimarzio Model J in the neck position of my SX jazz, wired in series, worked great, then decided to add in the switch to get parallel as an option.
    After soldering, only one side of the switch works, the other just shuts the pickup off. I wired it just like http://www.dimarzio.com/media/diagrams/4Conductor.pdf
    except I have pole 1 going to ground on the pot and pole 4 going to hot to keep it in phase with the regular jazz pickup in the bridge (I had it like that originally, green to hot because it was out of phase when using red to hot). The white is just as shown and same with the black going across both those poles (3+5).

    Anyone know exactly what the DPDT switch does (how it connects which poles when its flipped one way or the other) so I could maybe find whats wrong?

    Newest info: When i tap the switch poles when it's plugged in, it buzzes.
    When the switch is one way (the way the pickup WORKS), it sounds trebley as if its in parallel, and the other way (when the pickup seems to be off/no sound) it's a louder and deeper sounding buzz, as if it is in series.
    Any idea why in series there is no sound but it works in parallel? I originally wired it in series and it worked perfectly.

    I know this switch works, I pulled it out of my T-40 (previous owner used the DPDT for pickup selector, I put in a DPTT so I could get both pickups as well as one or the other) and both positions worked fine.
     
  2. the mojo hobo

    the mojo hobo

    Nov 13, 2005
    Ohio
    So, you're not using the switch that came with the pickup?

    Check that in one position you have continuity between poles 1 -2, and 4 - 5. In the other position you should have continuity between poles 2-3 and 5 -6.

    The first position will join the 1 red and 2 white together and the 5 black and 4 green together for parallel mode.

    The second position would be series wiring with the circuit being from pole 1 red to 2 white to 3 black to 5 to 4 green.
     
  3. Eilif

    Eilif Grooving under the MDW runway.

    Oct 1, 2001
    Chicago
  4. Basstovsky

    Basstovsky Stuck on those 4-strings

    Feb 29, 2008
    Massachusetts
    No switch came with it, its a NOS model J from the 70s/80s.

    I tested conductivity, it appeared to be exactly as you described, so I soldered it back together, scratching my head as to why it wasnt functioning. It was back as I previously had it....except it worked!

    While your information didn't show me the problem, it helped me to fix it somehow! Thanks! Maybe I had 2 pins too close to each other (the base of this switch is VERY small, i'd say 1/4 inch or less!) that were supposed to be separated but touched or arced or something and this fixed them up. :hyper:
     
  5. the mojo hobo

    the mojo hobo

    Nov 13, 2005
    Ohio
    Cool! It sounded like you had it wired right. Hope it sounds great.
     
  6. fender3x

    fender3x

    Mar 12, 2006
    If it were me (and it was ;-) I'd write an email to DiMarzio tech support. They'll send you a schematic for whatever sort of switching and control configuration you tell them.

    I put J's on an SX. Wired the neck pup to a push pull master volume. Wired the bridge pup to a push-pull master tone control, and put a blend pot in the middle. I didn't invent a thing. I just wired it exactly as the chart DiMarzio sent me said and it worked like a charm.

    At first I didn't think it was worth it...series with both pups was better...and then I discovered parallel neck, series bridge. Nice!