Mustang S/S series/parallel+3-way selector wiring help?

DarrylC. · Post by **DarrylC.** » 26 Dec 2012, 19:25

Ok, so I have been banging my head against the wall on this one. It is very strange to me that no one out there wants this wiring, but I have search high and low for weeks and can't find a diagram for this. I initially set out to convert one mustang switch to a normal 3-way toggle pickup selector and the other switch to give series/phase/parallel options. The mustang sliders are really throwing me for a loop. I understand how they are working, but those extra two lugs are confusing me. I finally have concluded that it isn't possible to assign the switch to have all three options so I decided that I can do without the phase flip in exchange for the series config. As long as I can keep one slider wired for the 3-way toggle I am ok with one of the positions on the other slider being lame. I just want to be able to keep the original switches and have series/parallel options along with a normal 3-way slider. Can anyone point me in the right direction?

blackbunny · Post by **blackbunny** » 27 Dec 2012, 02:37

I thought the Mustang switches were always 3 position on-off-on type, so not suitable for 3 way pickup selector on one switch.

Can you post a drawing or image of the switches, and test the contacts with a multimeter to establish whether the switches are on-off-on or on-on-on?

Cub · Post by **Cub** » 27 Dec 2012, 08:24

Image found on the Guitar Electronics site:
Switchcraft 3-Way Guitar Slider Switch-White

First, let's have a look at what connections are being made and are being broken when the switch is in different positions in the image above. Then it's all just a matter of connecting the dots.

A2: neck pickup +
B3: bridge pickup +

Then connect A1, B2, A3 and B4 with the bit of wire that goes to the volume pot and there you have it, a switch that lets you select the neck, both and bridge pickup on the three positions. Just like a Les Paul or Tele.

I've toyed about with the switches Mustangs and Duo Sonics in my days. Though it is possible to get six different sounds from with two of those switches, I'd advise against that. First of all, it's not possible to put the sounds on logical positions on the switches, making it very frustrating and time consuming to find the right tone and second, not all sounds are useful.

You could put a couple of different caps on the other switch for different tones. The stock .047µF always sounded slightly too dark to me, but you can include it, put in a .022µF for some more room the breathe for the sound a .015µF cap sounds great when playing with lots of distortion and the tone all the way down, some of Clapton's "Woman Tone" honk. You could also take the cap completely out of the circuit if you like.
That reminds me of another way to wire the second switch, you start out with volume and tone and remove things along the way. First thing to go is the tone pot and another click on the switch takes out the volume as well.

DarrylC. · Post by **DarrylC.** » 27 Dec 2012, 15:30

https://i1218.photobucket.com/albums/dd ... angMod.png
Here is the setup that I am using until I get the series/parallel switching figured out.
What they did here was a 3-way toggle for switch 2 and a out of phase,in phase, neck w/ tone cap switch out of switch 1. The tone cap thing is cool, but I would easily trade that and the phase flip for a series/parallel switch.

Cub · Post by **Cub** » 27 Dec 2012, 21:35

There's only one way to get all the sounds you want, using the two stock switches. As I mentioned, they won't be on logical positions on the switches. Most of the added sounds are useless and a couple of muted positions are inevitable... Bit Awright. Knock yersel' oot, laddie !

Code: Select all

I-- I-- : muted
-I- I-- : neck
--I I-- : neck

I-- -I- : muted
-I- -I- : bridge and neck parallel and out of phase
--I -I- : bridge and neck parallel

I-- --I : bridge
-I- --I : bridge and neck in series and out of phase
--I --I : bridge and neck in series

DarrylC. · Post by **DarrylC.** » 28 Dec 2012, 06:32

Thanks for the help! I went ahead and decided to just bang in a mini toggle in the control plate to go from normal mode(all controls work correctly) to series mode ( most positions are muted except 1 that gives the series configuration). The only thing that is getting me now is I think because I'm using a strat bridge and neck pup and had to put the brigde pup in backwards it's giving me series-out of phase operation. I'm thinking that if I correct it by flipping the leads around it will ground out the pups in "normal mode." my series mode gives a 13k reading on my meter but the sound his pretty much the same as the phase flipped parallel sound except a little louder

I might just have to find a reverse wound reverse pole middle pickup to get the sounds I am wanting.

GuitarlCarl · Post by **GuitarlCarl** » 17 Jan 2013, 04:10

Turning the pickup around does not change it's phase, it is still clockwise or counrterclockwise same as it was before... think about it. Personally, I dislike phase switching, not enough umph, but series/ parallel switching is awesome. Google Tele wiring for a fourway switch, see if that gets you where you want to go... I've even used Esquire wiring in my Tele for tonal changes and added a LesPaul style pickup selector in the upper bout. Don't let conventional thinking get in your way...