Rotary 4-Way selector for a MM style dual coil, SOLVED

Discussion in 'Pickups & Electronics [BG]' started by rojo412, Jun 27, 2020.

  1. rojo412

    rojo412 Sit down, Danny... Supporting Member

    Feb 26, 2000
    Cleveland, OH.
    In my latest project, I wanted to use the full capacity of a MM style pickup with 4 leads and a switch. Basically, having the ability to use the coils together in series OR parallel, as well as use each coil on its own.

    A diagram I came across was this one:
    Screen Shot 2020-06-27 at 11.39.14 AM.png
    And that would work for sure. The "neck" and "bridge" correspond to the coils of the single pickup.

    What I would love to do, though, is modify this to where the selection order is changed. But I always end up with a bit of a mental block when it comes to this, so if anyone can help me, I'd much appreciate it. I love being TAUGHT to fish, so I don't have to starve.

    Rotating the pot counterclockwise (back towards bridge), with 1 being towards the neck, here's the order I'd like to have:
    1 - Neck coil
    2 - Bridge coil
    3 - Both coils SERIES
    4 - Both coils PARALLEL

    So how would I go about altering that?
    Thanks for any help!
     
    PawleeP likes this.
  2. rojo412

    rojo412 Sit down, Danny... Supporting Member

    Feb 26, 2000
    Cleveland, OH.
    And I guess to complicate this, the rotary I bought was a 3P4T. The diagram above seems to be a 2P4T.

    IMG_7497.jpg
    What would that do to the setup I'd like to attain?

    Okay, I mapped out how it connects in each position, 1 being the rotated towards the neck, 4 being all the way back.
    I'm gonna give this a shot...

    IMG_7498.jpg
     
    Last edited: Jun 28, 2020
    4StringTheorist likes this.
  3. rojo412

    rojo412 Sit down, Danny... Supporting Member

    Feb 26, 2000
    Cleveland, OH.
    Okay, I figured it out. This works. I wired it up and tested it.
    EDIT: For this particular wiring color scheme, the "BRIDGE +" should be the black wire and "BRIDGE -" is white. Everything else works right.

    IMG_7498.jpg
    This is done with the Nordy wiring color scheme, but if you wanted to change it for others or 2 separate pickups, this would work for that. Positions correspond to the desired controls I listed above (rotating counter clockwise from 1):

    Pos 1) Neck coil
    Pos 2) Bridge coil
    Pos 3) Both in series
    Pos 4) Both in parallel

    This was done with a 3P4T rotary switch.

    Hope this helps someone, some day.
     
    Last edited: Jul 15, 2020
  4. amper

    amper

    Dec 4, 2002
    US
    I'm curious, why do you want/like it that way? I want to do something similar in a Jazz Bass, and the reason why most people wire a 4-way switch as bridge/parallel/neck/series is because it goes progressively from brightest to darkest tone, that way.
     
  5. rojo412

    rojo412 Sit down, Danny... Supporting Member

    Feb 26, 2000
    Cleveland, OH.
    In the typical MM setup, their blade’s 1st position (all the way back) is their “signature” sound. So I wanted that to be the same on this.
    And for me, series is the next most likely used setting for an MM pickup. That could have easily been chosen for the 4th position, but that means I’d have to switch over 2 other settings.
    Essentially, I just thought this would be a setup which would operate the best for my needs on this type of bass.
     
    amper likes this.
  6. amper

    amper

    Dec 4, 2002
    US
    Gotcha. I've never owned a StingRay 5 or a Sterling, so I have no memory of how the blade switch works on those.
     
  7. rojo412

    rojo412 Sit down, Danny... Supporting Member

    Feb 26, 2000
    Cleveland, OH.
    Typically, the rear position is Parallel, which is the signature sound of MM, for the most part.
    Second goes to single coil, which on older models with the dual coil pickup, would hum. And I don't even remember which coil it selects. Newer models have the 3rd, phantom coil activated with it to avoid that.
    Third is series. Definitely meatier than the parallel! On my 89 SR5, it actually hums in that position. But that bass is pretty much always in parallel for me, if I'm playing it.
     
    Thud Staff and amper like this.