Twin output jack idea...

[Chuck]

I’ve started thinking about build #2! Yep, getting in early while the TL-1 Telemaster is curing…

The plan for this one is a bit different. I’ll be ordering a JM-1 kit from Andy, but getting a maple neck to go with it. I’ve got a couple of ideas around some shape modifications (because I can’t help myself!) but we’ll see how that goes.

The more interesting thing with this one is what I plan to do with the electronics – and I’m very much a rookie in this space so there will be lots of questions.

I’m planning to use just the humbucker in the bridge and a single coil in the neck. Both pickups will be wired directly to their own volume pots and I won’t be using any tone pots. Where the third pot sits on the control plate I’ll be putting a second output jack – yep, two output jacks, each one wired directly to their own pickup. Where the switch is on the upper horn I’ll put a single toggle switch (bridge on, both on, neck on).

The idea is that I’ll be able to use each output jack to a separate amp. I realise I could just use a splitter box to send the same signal to two amps, but I want to capture the characteristics of each pickup individually.

Working out how to do the wiring for this will be a challenge but I’ve started poking around to find some basic diagrams. I have found one bloke who did something similar but was able to have the one of the jacks service both pickups unless the second jack also had a plug in it in which case the pickups were kept on different paths. Something about using a Switchcraft #12A jacks rather than the stand #11 one – I’ll look into that a bit more.

Interested in anyone’s thoughts as it’s still an idea in gestation…

[wokkaboy]

Hi Chuck, sounds like a cool concept. I'm sure Weirdy will be able to guide you with a wiring diagram.
If you are happy to have 2 guitar leads going to 2 amps then go for it.
Not sure how the sound levels will vary when just the bridge or just the neck pup is on, then when both on should be a full sound.
Be an interesting project I've never thought of this

[Chuck]

Hi Chuck, sounds like a cool concept. I'm sure Weirdy will be able to guide you with a wiring diagram.
If you are happy to have 2 guitar leads going to 2 amps then go for it.
Not sure how the sound levels will vary when just the bridge or just the neck pup is on, then when both on should be a full sound.
Be an interesting project I've never thought of this
At worst I can just revert to something a bit more normal if it doesn't work I guess. I've done the twin amp thing with my Bass VI, sending one path with all the bass rolled off to a guitar amp with a bit of fuzz, and a clean bass path to a bass amp. It works quite well for power chords. I've no idea how this will sound, but someone's gotta be the guinea pig I guess!

[wokkaboy]

wow that's an interesting concept Chuck.

I think the single coil will have a lower output so you may need to turn that amp up a bit more than the bucker.

I reckon both pups on the walls would be shaking - nice one

[Chuck]

Yeah, at least having independent volume controls for each pickup will allow me to adjust the output levels on the fly.

[Dan]

You should be able to do something similar with a single stereo jack.

Wire the neck pickup vol pot output to the ring terminal on the jack with a dpdt switch in line in place of the third pot, and the normal output path via pickup selector switch to the tip. Wire the switch so that one side makes a connection between the neck pickup vol pot output and the ring terminal and the other side makes a connection between the neck pickup vol pot output and the pickup selector switch.

Stereo cable with switch set gets you bridge pickup to one amp (assuming pickup selector allows it) and neck pickup to the other.

Mono cable and switch unset gets you normal output path.

Saves running more cables to trip over. If you want to do things like neck + bridge to one amp and neck to the other then it would get a bit trickier.

[Chuck]

Thanks Dan, I think I follow that...kinda. When you say "switch set/unset" I'm not sure I understand. And also, I get using the stereo cable, but how do I split that cable into two paths? Some kind of splitter that recognised tip and and ring?

[Dedman]

I like your headspace Chuck.

[wazkelly]

I would have to agree with the stereo output socket as that is what I did about 30 odd years ago on my yammy fretless bass which was the backup to my stereo Ric 4001 at the time.

It was dead simple, just replace the mono output jack, clip the capacitor off the tone pot, then make sure both pots are wired to run as volumes, then run the output signals to the different lugs on the output socket.

Only downside is this way makes it permanent stereo use however you can use it with a mono cable but that would drop one of the PUP's. Also, you can buy a stereo splitter like this one below that I bought recently for my Ric 4003. The 2 amp setup sounds awesome and easy enough to adjust their volumes so that you get a decent balance without having to fiddle around on the guitar all the time.
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[WeirdBits]

You could use a stereo socket with a separate toggle switch to select between stereo/mono wiring, it's an easy reliable solution. Or, if you're set on using two jacks, you could have one normal mono jack and then make the other jack a switched version... plug into the mono jack and you get a mono guitar, plug a second lead into the switched jack and you get stereo output, one pickup per jack.

i'm not sure switched jacks would be as robust as a typical Switchcraft mono guitar jack.

[Dan]

Switch set/unset - that just means toggled one way or the other. The switch is just there to work around the problem of losing one of the pickups when you use a mono cable.

A splitter like the one above would work, but I would make up a cable where the split is closer to the amps/pedalboard so there is only one cable to the guitar - or you could use a stereo extension cable going into one of those splitters.

[kimball492]

This Guy at Boz Digital did just that with two output jacks one for neck pickup one for the bridge. He shows the guitar about halfway through that was used on the stem tracks. It's a mixing competition. So if any of you guys are interested in entering the contest to win some nice prizes. Go sign up download the stems and get your mix uploaded details are on the site.
https://youtu.be/cAVHbNxdHUs
Website http://www.bozdigitallabs.com/2016-mixing-contest/?utm_source=Website+Registration&utm_campaign=eef109369d-Mixing_Contest_20168_17_2016&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_c1bea59c85-eef109369d-94931665&mc_cid=eef109369d&mc_eid=b302d5fe19

[wazkelly]

Switch set/unset - that just means toggled one way or the other. The switch is just there to work around the problem of losing one of the pickups when you use a mono cable.

A splitter like the one above would work, but I would make up a cable where the split is closer to the amps/pedalboard so there is only one cable to the guitar - or you could use a stereo extension cable going into one of those splitters.
Originally I used a stereo microphone lead that was 25' long that went from a phone plug to a female canon connector. From there I cut a 20' mono cable in half and wired the cut ends into the corresponding male canon connector and then used heat shrink to protect that end. It was a very, very long cable and on small stages I kept tripping over it and paranoid about standing on it too much and thus breaking the shielding.

On this occasion I had set out to do exactly the same thing when a guy in the music store showed me the splitter which ended up costing about a third of proposed project and saved plenty of time by not having to solder anything. Agree that 2 cables hanging that close to the end of the axe feels weird and a bit heavy at first but you get used to it, and besides you can either tape or zip tie the 2 cables together until they reach their respective amps which presumably would be situated either side by side or one on top of the other. Pointless having an amp either side of a drum kit as you would only hear the one closest and end up cranking the other one too loud just so you could hear some of the sound coming out of it.

I like weirdy's idea about a mini switch to toggle between stereo & mono, and yes, the switchcraft stereo output jacks are just as robust as the mono's. Just need to spend the extra coin on this vital component as cheapies will only let you down.

[fender3x]

I like the switch idea too. If going that route I'd use high quality switches like C&K.

Regular 1/4" Switchcraft Jacks are very robust, and hard to beat for reliability.

Nobody makes a reliable barril jack, though, including Switchcraft. G&L uses a stereo berril jack on its basses. In that case it's wired as a switch to disconnect the battery when the bass is unplugged. Nothing but trouble.

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