HSS Question Regarding 5 Way Switch. - Telecaster Guitar Forum

• Forums New posts Search forums
• Newsletter
• What's new New posts New media New media comments New profile posts Latest activity
• Media New media New comments Search media
• Members Registered members Current visitors New profile posts Search profile posts
• Classifieds Guitar Classifieds Guitars (Complete) Guitar Bodies Guitar Necks Guitar Pickups Misc Guitar Parts Amp Classifieds Amplifiers (complete) Amp Speakers Amp Tubes Misc Amp Parts Accessories Classifieds Guitar/Amp Accessories Effects Classifieds Effects & Stompboxes Published Materials Music/Lessons/Books & Videos Recording Gear Classifieds Studio / Recording Gear
• Subscribe

Log in Register What's new Search

Search

Everywhere Threads This forum This thread Search titles only By: Search Advanced search…

• New posts
• Search forums

Menu Log in Register Navigation Install the app Install More options Contact us Close Menu

• Forums
• Other Discussion Forums
• Stratocaster Discussion Forum

You are using an out of date browser. It may not display this or other websites correctly.You should upgrade or use an alternative browser. HSS question regarding 5 way switch.

• Thread starter rompo420
• Start date Mar 10, 2010
This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links like Ebay, Amazon, and others.

rompo420

Tele-Meister

Joined Jan 12, 2010 Posts 357 Location Harrison, AR When the switch is in the first position, it's the Humbucker. When it is in the third position, it's the middle PUP. Fourth, blah blah blah...Fifth, blah blah blah... My question is this: When the switch is in the 2nd position, is it The full humbucker plus the middle pup? It doesn't seem to be as noise cancelling as he 4th position. Just looking for general info...

sjtalon

Doctor of Teleocity

Joined Oct 27, 2006 Posts 11,965 Location Upper Peninsula of Michigan I beleive in position 2 it is single single ( like a SSS Strat) (link removed)

rompo420

Tele-Meister

Joined Jan 12, 2010 Posts 357 Location Harrison, AR

sjtalon said: I beleive in position 2 it is single single ( like a SSS Strat) (link removed) Click to expand...

So it actually disables part of the humbucker, almost as if it were tapped?:?: C

cc9cii

Friend of Leo's

Joined Feb 24, 2009 Posts 2,001 Location Sydney If you change the lead to ground (in (link removed)) to instead to go to the bridge hot lead (far left lug of the switch as it is drawn) then the two pickups may be RWRP and cancel hum. NB. I've not tried it so I can't guarantee...

rompo420

Tele-Meister

Joined Jan 12, 2010 Posts 357 Location Harrison, AR excellent information, guys! Thank you both! That was one of those things I honestly didn't know! R

randomhitz

Tele-Meister

Joined Jan 29, 2008 Posts 449 Location Missoula, MT If you use a MegaSwitch (available from stewmac) you can set it up so position 3 is neck and bridge (full humbucker) together. You lose the sound of the middle pickup alone but the neck and bridge combo is a very useful sound. You can then wire the switch so that the position that is normally middle and bridge is middle and split coil on the bucker. That gives you a sound that is closer to the traditional strat sound for that position but you still get the full humbucker sound for the bridge position.

rompo420

Tele-Meister

Joined Jan 12, 2010 Posts 357 Location Harrison, AR

randomhitz said: if you use a megaswitch (available from stewmac) you can set it up so position 3 is neck and bridge (full humbucker) together. You lose the sound of the middle pickup alone but the neck and bridge combo is a very useful sound. You can then wire the switch so that the position that is normally middle and bridge is middle and split coil on the bucker. That gives you a sound that is closer to the traditional strat sound for that position but you still get the full humbucker sound for the bridge position. Click to expand...

now that is sweet!!

Deaf Eddie

Friend of Leo's

Silver Supporter Joined Mar 17, 2003 Posts 3,654 Location Beautiful Idyllwild, CA To address the original question, the answer is, it depends on the make and model of the guitar. USA and MIM Fat Strats DO coil-shunt the bridge pup in the bridge+mid throw, but most FAT Squiers I have seen DO NOT. NEXT: Just because the bridge HB is split does not guaranty that you have a noise-canceling (RW/RP) pair of coils in the bridge+mid throw. Although, I would imagine that Fender takes the time to be sure that this is the case... For a homebuilt or HSS conversion, here's a quick and easy test: hold the mid pup over one of the coils of the humbucker, face to face. If it repels, then that coil of the HB is the same magnetic polarity as the mid pup. IF it ATTRACTS, then that coil of the HB is RP from the mid pup. When you coil-shunt the bridge pup, make sure to leave the coil that ATTRACTS active, and shunt the other. To select/change which coil is shunted, all you have to do is change the path of the shunt lead. I have edited the Fender drawing to show the two paths: image removed As you can see, no special 5-way is required for this simple task.

rompo420

Tele-Meister

Joined Jan 12, 2010 Posts 357 Location Harrison, AR

deaf eddie said: to address the original question, the answer is, it depends on the make and model of the guitar. Usa and mim fat strats do coil-shunt the bridge pup in the bridge+mid throw, but most fat squiers i have seen do not. Next: Just because the bridge hb is split does not guaranty that you have a noise-canceling (rw/rp) pair of coils in the bridge+mid throw. Although, i would imagine that fender takes the time to be sure that this is the case... For a homebuilt or hss conversion, here's a quick and easy test: Hold the mid pup over one of the coils of the humbucker, face to face. If it repels, then that coil of the hb is the same magnetic polarity as the mid pup. If it attracts, then that coil of the hb is rp from the mid pup. When you coil-shunt the bridge pup, make sure to leave the coil that attracts active, and shunt the other. To select/change which coil is shunted, all you have to do is change the path of the shunt lead. I have edited the fender drawing to show the two paths: image removed as you can see, no special 5-way is required for this simple task. Click to expand...

amazing information! Thank you! You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

Stratocaster wiring diagram help

• ithomas22
• Dec 6, 2025
• Stratocaster Discussion Forum

Replies 9 Views 202 Dec 9, 2025 ithomas22 M Wiring Yamaha Pacifica (HH, 5 way switch, no coil split

• michael1122
• Dec 5, 2025
• Tele-Technical

Replies 5 Views 151 Dec 11, 2025 michael1122 M B New wiring

• benthesquireman
• Nov 11, 2025
• Tele-Technical

Replies 4 Views 244 Nov 18, 2025 Angel LaHash M Buzz when on bridge pickup

• Michael Lai
• Nov 17, 2025
• Tele-Technical

Replies 9 Views 292 Dec 6, 2025 Michael Lai M B Technical/polarity question

• bigben55
• Dec 10, 2025
• Just Pickups

Replies 6 Views 151 Saturday at 7:31 AM uOpt Share: Reddit Pinterest Tumblr WhatsApp Email Share Link

New Posts

• Your favorite Christmas album
  • Latest: Colo Springs E
  • A moment ago
  Bad Dog Cafe
• K NGD dove head first into the Nash world
  • Latest: Kbaileybzz
  • 4 minutes ago
  Other T-Types and Partscasters
• Trailer For The Odyssey
  • Latest: Ed Driscoll
  • 6 minutes ago
  Bad Dog Cafe
• Wiring humbuckers in series
  • Latest: NoTeleBob
  • 8 minutes ago
  Just Pickups
• Chord / Lyric App iPad
  • Latest: joeybcdt
  • 11 minutes ago
  Bad Dog Cafe

• Forums
• Other Discussion Forums
• Stratocaster Discussion Forum

Top