Another switch conversion question....

[Perry]

I am considering the 5-way rotary to 3-way toggle conversion kit, but am unable to find out whether the resulting middle position will give me the single coil from each pickup in series or in parallel. One of my favourite sounds using the existng 5-way, is position 8 below, but the only info I could find doesn't specify which coils (inner or outer) Are selected, nor whether they will be in series or parallel. I would wish to retain the series setting if possible.

ROTARY POSITIONS:

Position 10: Treble pickup
Position 9: Outside coils- deep and clear - parallel
Position 8: Series single coils – Warm version of the "in between the treble and middle pickups"
Position 7: Parallel single coils – Crisp version of the "in between the treble and middle pickups"
Position 6: Bass pickup


3-WAY SWITCHING:

PUSH-PULL DOWN POSITIONS

Position 1: Treble Humbucker
Position 2: Both Humbuckers
Position 3: Bass Humbucker

PUSH-PULL UP POSITIONS

Position 1: Bridge Single Coil
Position 2: Both Single Coils
Position 3: Neck Single Coil

Can anyone help?

 

[toothace]

I believe it is the outer coils, not sure if series or parallel.

 

[Perry]

Okay, I have installed the 3-way conversion kit (ACC-4120) and neither of the middle (position 2) positions - humbucker or single coil - gives me that nice quacky out-of-phase sound that I got from the 'old' position 8. Bummer. On a positive note, however, the guitar now sounds more 'alive', as though the signal from the pickups is somehow stronger .
Also, I now appear to have some unwanted hum, particularly when the volume pot is turned to either end of its taper (0 or 10). Likely an earthing issue, so now having to do a search to see if others have found the cause.

 

[Boogie]

It should be in series.

 

[justmund]

Are you sure you wired it up right? Moving the ground on the neck pickup and moving the hot on the bridge pickup (or was it the other way around?). You can easily check by selecting the pickup, activating the coil split, and tapping on the pole pieces to see which coil is active (it should be the outer coils).

I'd also recommend "the resistor mod" for less volume drop when coil splitting, also can sound a bit more single coily too in some instances.

The hum could be a grounding issue, make sure all your grounds (2 on each pickup) are properly connected/soldered and make sure nothing is touching the inside of the cavity that isn't a ground e.g. a capacitor.

Good luck and hope you work it out!

 

[Perry]

Thanks guys. Yes, I seem to have wired everything correctly, as per the schematic on the PRS website. However, there was no mention in the schematic about the braided earthing. Due to the position of the existing wiring after I had removed the 5-way, I had soldered the earth braiding from both PUs and input socket, to the casing of the nearest pot, in this instance the new tone pot. Turns out it prefers the earthing to be done on the volume pot instead. Now, I dont understand why, but my initial remedy of soldering an additional earth connection between the tone and volume casings seemed to render the tone pot u/s, although the earthing hum had disappeared. I simply unsoldered the earths from the tone casing and all appears well.