[LegatoVibrato]

Here is my configuration:

Neck - Humbucker - Seymour Duncan SH-1n '59 - 2 Wire
Middle - Single Coil - Lace Sensor Gold - 2 Wire
Bridge - Humbucker - Seymour Duncan TB-12 - 4 Wire

Three questions.

1) Does anyone know what the Ibanez wiring diagram gives me in each switch position?

2) According to the picture of the Ibanez 5 way switch, shouldn't I connect the volume and ground each to one of the common terminals in the center of the 5-way switch? This way the signal would go from the PuP, to the volume pot, to the tone pot, to the ground. The diagrams show the ground in the next to last or 2nd to last position. This does not make sense to me.

3) If I am understanding the diagrams, the bridge needs to be grounded as well. Why?

Thanks,

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Legato

 

[VB]

First things first.... ditch that cheezy ass switch and get either a Genuine Fender , Switchcraft, or EB 5 way switch. That switch isnt gonna last a long time that was installed at the factory.

Instead of using the standard volume control and using the 5 way for a coil tap, invest in a 500k Push Pull switch from WD or all parts. ( bout 15 bucks) . Wire the push pull in place of the volume control. On either center lug of the push pull switch. ( push pulls have 6 lugs ) wire the secondary coil ( red and white wires that are soldered together) to the center lug. and a short lead from the bottom lug on the same side to ground.
When you pull the volume up. it will shunt the secondary coil to ground and give you a single coil output.
If ya need a diagram I can draw you one up and send it to you via email.
VB

 

[LegatoVibrato]

Vint,

Thanks for your help on this man. I should say that all I am only interested in being able to select each PuP individually. I am fine with the straight single coil sound of the Lace (hum and all) and only having one HB active at a time. It is also not a big deal to me if I need to change out additional parts later to try a new wiring config. I like tweaking...can't help it.

So I bought some new components, as you suggested, but a Fender 3 way instead of a 5 way. If this is a bad idea, I can get a 5 way...I just don't see the need for it if I can use a push/pull pot.

Next, I got 2 WD 500S / 500K pots. I can still get a push/pull pot if need be, but again, I am not sure I really need the coil splitting at all, especially since I have a single coil in the middle position.

Hopefully WD is a decent brand (you did not mention them). However, they are both audio taper. They did not have any linear taper in stock at the store I went to. I usually play with the vol pot on full or almost full, so I do not know if the taper is going to be a problem.

So, I am still not sure about the need to ground the bridge. Is it a safety issue or somehow necessary for tone? Just curious.

Any resources you can point me to that explain more than just wiring diagrams? I would like to understand more about how the audio components work together so I can really analyze my wants/needs.

Thanks again!

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Legato

 

[VB]

the bridge ground is the same as a string ground. it helps eliminate hum when your hand contacts the strings. WD parts are good and audio taper will get you by... but i always use linear taper because the sweep is much better.
using a 3 way you cant combine pickups and there will be times you may want to do that.

 

[LegatoVibrato]

Vint,

Ok, I will use a 5 way switch then, just to make it easier to tweak later.

Thanks again!

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Legato

 

[LegatoVibrato]

Well, I got everything installed. Here is what I wound up with.

I installed 2 new pots, and a .022 capacitor on the tone pot. I was not able to install the fender switch, due to the small cavity in the Ibanez; it was too large of a switch.

I wired it straight up with no combinations of more than one Pup. I had tried the TBX tone control, to see if it would give me better control of the tone. I thought this would be a good thing, because anything I do will be compromise. The reason is that the pots are usually different for single coil versus humbucker (250k pots vs 500k pots) and this affects the tone. However, the TBX did not work very well for my set up. In fact, the center position caused the volume to drop out completely.

If anyone is interested, I recorded before and after examples of how everything sounded. I also have pictures.

Peace,

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Legato