Another weird alternative wiring question!

[Chuck]

Okay, time for another one - probably for Weirdy to solve! This time I’m looking at using two three-way slide switches to control a build with two P90s (trying to use bits I have in my spare parts box rather than buying new things!). What I would like to have is the following:

First switch
Up - neck pickup only
Middle - both pickups
Down - bridge pickup only

Second switch (I guess only active when first switch is in middle position)
Up - both pickups in parallel, in phase
Middle - both pickups in parallel, out of phase
Down - both pickups in series, like a humbucker

As usual I have no idea how to do this, but the following diagram does show me how to do the first switch set-up (my sliders have the same eight-pole setup). As far as the second switch goes, is there a way I can do what I want using a three-way slider? Of course I'm always open to other options of what I could do with the second switch ;-)

[WeirdBits]

I'll work something up when I get a chance. I sketched out some options with that type of slider a while ago, so I should be able to dig them up as a point of reference.

[Chuck]

You are, as always, a legend!

[Simon Barden]

To switch phase you'd need the right type of P90. All the one's I've seen have the single core wiring with a braided screen (that is also the signal ground), so aren't suitable for phase switching. You'd need to find some that had two core wiring plus a separate screen.

For example, the Tonerider and IronGear P90 pickups both have the single core 'vintage braid' wiring.

What pickups did you plan on using?

[Chuck]

To switch phase you'd need the right type of P90. All the one's I've seen have the single core wiring with a braided screen (that is also the signal ground), so aren't suitable for phase switching. You'd need to find some that had two core wiring plus a separate screen.

For example, the Tonerider and IronGear P90 pickups both have the single core 'vintage braid' wiring.

What pickups did you plan on using?

At the moment I'm purely playing around with the standard ones that come with a PBG kit - which I'm assuming are not the right type ... I wasn't aware of the difference. I was going to just see how I went with them before contemplating any kind of pickup upgrade.

[Chuck]

Actually just thinking about this a bit more, I've read about people doing phase switching on Mustangs, and they're just a couple of strat single coil pickups. They're single core rather than two-core aren't they?

[Simon Barden]

From the PBG wiring diagram, it looks like the Pitbull P90 has a single-core plus screen cable (so similar but not quite the same as the vintage braid). So if you try and revere the phase of one, that means the screen will be carrying the signal, which is not a good idea. Also, it is very likely that the magnets and base plate will be connected to the shield, so all those parts will also be carrying the signal. A P90 is never the quietest of pickups, but this way round, it is going to be very noisy indeed!

You could probably dismantle a P90, and replace the cable with a 2-core plus screen cable. The screen gets connected to the baseplate (and by association the magnets and pole pieces), whilst the two core wires get attached to the two ends of the coil.

It's going to be fiddly, but it is possible. I'm struggling to find another make of P90 that doesn't have a screened single core cable, short of going for a custom order.

[Simon Barden]

However you may be able to switch in a filter circuit to get some different sounds with the pickups you've got. Weirdy might have some ideas there.

[WeirdBits]

Got some workable options sketched out, just need to draw them up on the PC.

[Chuck]

Got some workable options sketched out, just need to draw them up on the PC.

Thanks so much Weirdy - can't wait to see what you've come up with!