Off Topic Rotary switch selector opinions

[Sticky1973]

'Evening people.

I have many a mod for my little Sub1 in the planning (very little action as yet!).

Not being a fan of the sliding blade style selector switch, I can just about cope with the aesthetic appeal of the toggle. I just don't like the hole in the wood/scratchplate that the blade switch leaves; even if it is an intuitive and practical switching technique.

So, what of the rotary switch? Anyone used them extensively? Does anyone find them practical? Ease of use? Noise? Limitations?

I can't ever see me taking to the stage, guitar in hand, so rapid "on-the-fly" switching is not essential for me.

I have notions of using a rotary switch with a single volume control, to give five favoured tonal sounds from a five position switch, without the use of a tone control.

Any opinions?

Cheers!

 

[jamminjim]

Well,, I think PRS uses a rotary switch. I thought about setting up a Sub1 like a McCarty once too. StewMac has a kit

Wiring Kit for Paul Reed Smith at Stewart-MacDonald

from PRS

Customer Support Center | Schematics

'nuther switch source

GuitarElectronics.com 5-Way Rotary Switch

diagram

GuitarElectronics.com WDU-HH5R11-01

sounds cool man, keep us updated....

 

[andynpeters]

From my PRS experience.....whilst it works, you have no visual indication of where you are at any time (and it's easy to forget). The switch can slip with sweaty hands and gives an audible thump between positions. I also don't like a 5 position knob with 10 figures on it. I personally would much prefer it to have the blade switch....I would never use it on stage for this reason....the EBMMs come out instead.

 

[Mon_AM_lunatic]

Instead of a rotary switch, why not try a blend pot for the pickup control?

A buddy of mine had one installed on a custom guitar he had made a few years ago. It really allows you to dial in your tonal variation.

 

[swamp2]

'Evening people.

I have many a mod for my little Sub1 in the planning (very little action as yet!).

Not being a fan of the sliding blade style selector switch, I can just about cope with the aesthetic appeal of the toggle. I just don't like the hole in the wood/scratchplate that the blade switch leaves; even if it is an intuitive and practical switching technique.

So, what of the rotary switch? Anyone used them extensively? Does anyone find them practical? Ease of use? Noise? Limitations?

I can't ever see me taking to the stage, guitar in hand, so rapid "on-the-fly" switching is not essential for me.

I have notions of using a rotary switch with a single volume control, to give five favoured tonal sounds from a five position switch, without the use of a tone control.

Any opinions?

Cheers!

Well... I'm planning on modding my newly acquired SUB1 and have been thinking about this a bit. From pulling off the pickguard and looking - a rotary switch will not fit where the toggle currently is. The diameter of the rotary is too big and will run in to the cavity routing if you want to put it where the current toggle is. So, ok - if you want to put it where the tone control is, might work - I don't remember - but what are you going to do with the toggle and it's hole? And, personally, I really want to have the tone control.

I'm pretty sure what I'm going to do - just put in 2 on/on/on mini-toggles - one for each pu to pick between single coil/series/parallel wiring for each pu. Leave the normal toggle in place. Put push/pulls on each pot - one for series/parallel between the pu selctions, and one for phase. Appearance is pretty unmolested except for the 2 mini-toggles.

All the appropriate parts are on order and should be here shortly. Should be fun...

Steve

 

[beej]

Steve- you can do both pickups series/split/parallel with a single toggle if you want. I have that arrangement on my homemade HSH strat.

 

[swamp2]

Steve- you can do both pickups series/split/parallel with a single toggle if you want. I have that arrangement on my homemade HSH strat.

beej - yeah, I just figured since I'm going to the trouble, I'd make them independently controllable for each.

Do you find the tonal variety between the settings is enough to make it worth while? I'll probably do it regardless, but I haven't seen much describing the differences in tone. I'm not going to bother with independent selection of each coil in the pu in single coil mode as I can't believe there's any significantly perceptable difference there.

Thanks,
Steve

 

[beej]

Do you find the tonal variety between the settings is enough to make it worth while?

There's definitely a noticeable difference between parallel and split. Split is a better single coil sound (depending on the quality of your pickups to start), but noisy. Parallel misses a bit of the high end you get with the split, but is close, and noisefree. I find with a bit of gain, parallel is great. Clean, split is better.

Another option is to find yourself a used Silent Circuit and wire that up to the coil split. Then you get split with much less hum.

With you on the coil selection- I've never found it made a huge difference, at least the way I play.

The downside of making the controls so complicated (and I've been guilty of this on many occasions) is that it's a bitch to use on the fly.

 

[swamp2]

Another option is to find yourself a used Silent Circuit and wire that up to the coil split. Then you get split with much less hum.

...

The downside of making the controls so complicated (and I've been guilty of this on many occasions) is that it's a bitch to use on the fly.

What does this "Silent Circuit" consist of? I've seen it referenced a few times but don't know what it is. A dummy coil?

With regard to the complexity - I hear you. But, I always figure you can ignore it, or just pre-set the coil settings you want to use - and then just use the standard SUB1 toggle switch. I also find when I've been responsible for the implementation of these mods, I don't have any problem keeping the usability of them straight.

Last year I modded a old USA Peavey Falcon (pretty decent strat clone w/ 3 single coils) to give all 35 possible wiring combinations. Talk about complexity! Pretty impractical and a lot of relative tonal redunancy in the combinations, but it was fun - and now I don't have to wonder how "the neck and bridge out of phase in parallel, in series with the mid" or other silly combinations sound - I know!

I was looking at some of the MM diagrams last night - that Steve Morse looks a little complex...

 

[Sticky1973]

Thanks for the input chaps; some really great info in there.

At the moment, my lil' Sub1 is a single HB model, no switching.

I love the simplicity of the layout, so when I add a neck pickup (leaning towards an Air Norton & D Sonic combo as it is tried and tested), but I don't want a clutter of controls.

I'll probably get another pick guard made up anyway, so I can be as flexible as I want with positions.

jamminjim, great PRS links; thanks fella. Lots to think about in there, i'm looking at those links right now. I'll definately keep things posted. I really fancy a project log; keep track of things. The danger then is that my lazy-arseness shows with lack of progress!

andynpeters, very valid experiences, brother. I appreciate the issues you've highlighted. I wonder if you could forgive those limitations of the switching if you were only using it in a jamming/recording situation? That's my debate right now. Is it a major pain, or just not ideal for live use (which would be ok for me)?

Mon_AM_lunatic, I am intruiged by the blending idea. Using the pickup as a tone itself, I like that. Might source one and trial it, cheers buddy.

swamp2 and beej, i'm listening; some great ideas flowing here.

Cheers.

 

[beej]

What does this "Silent Circuit" consist of? I've seen it referenced a few times but don't know what it is. A dummy coil?

Basically. But it's fed through an op-amp so it's buffered and doesn't load the signal from the p'ups the way a typical dummy coil does. Works really well. Downside is it's location sensitive, typically the coil nearest the SC gets the best noise reduction.

Still, a great implementation. Would be cool to see dummy coils wired near each of the p'ups and then fed through the same little op-amp before being wired up. More complicated, but probably get better noise reduction. (I've seen this done this with old single coils too- just knock out the magnets so you have coil only, then wire them up to a small buffer amp and mix with the p'ups.)

I was looking at some of the MM diagrams last night - that Steve Morse looks a little complex...

Wired mine up with a piezo, active/passive switch and coil splits. I've lost track of the # options, but she's up there

Oh ... great looking Sub!

 

[andynpeters]

andynpeters, very valid experiences, brother. I appreciate the issues you've highlighted. I wonder if you could forgive those limitations of the switching if you were only using it in a jamming/recording situation? That's my debate right now. Is it a major pain, or just not ideal for live use (which would be ok for me)?

, .

I think you are correct, it would be much less of a problem in a home/studio situation, though I would not consider swapping a blade selector for a rotary....but then again the PRS is the only HH guitar I own.

 

[Sticky1973]

Thanks for the help chaps; i'll be making a few purchases this week.

Hopefully some progress after that with regards to my switching options.

I'm off to study some EBMM wiring diagrams for inspiration