1. The Gear Page is run by musicians for musicians. We listen, we learn and if we misstep we are not afraid to do the right thing. We proposed some changes to the Emporiums. Based on feedback from members, we have decided to not go ahead with those changes. However, it has also highlighted that we need some community input into what is working and what is not working for members here. Primarily focused on the Emporiums, we'd like input on your thoughts about TGP and how things work in the Emporiums for you and how you'd improve them. The discussion thread on the is here!

    Dismiss Notice

4 or 5 way Telecaster Switching

Discussion in 'Guitars in General' started by freak4liferu, Jan 4, 2008.

  1. Jan 4, 2008 #1
    freak4liferu

    freak4liferu Member

    Messages:
    90
    Joined:
    Sep 25, 2007
    I'm interested in wiring my telecaster with a 4 or 5 way switch to have some out of phase and in series options. I honestly am not great on reading schematics and was wondering if there was a picture or layout drawing of this somewhere to guide me. I feel proficient in doing it if i could find this. Thanks.

    brian.
     
    freak4liferu, Jan 4, 2008
    freak4liferu, Jan 4, 2008
    #1
  2. Jan 4, 2008 #2
    guitarfish

    guitarfish Member

    Messages:
    4,014
    Joined:
    Jul 2, 2006
    On the Seymour Duncan website you can see a variety of schematics, I know they have the Tele 4-way there. That's a great switch.
     
    guitarfish, Jan 4, 2008
    guitarfish, Jan 4, 2008
    #2
  3. Jan 5, 2008 #3
    mainsale

    mainsale Member

    Messages:
    1,699
    Joined:
    Nov 16, 2002
    Location:
    Cape Cod Blues
    mainsale, Jan 5, 2008
    mainsale, Jan 5, 2008
    #3
  4. Jan 5, 2008 #4
    Dylan61

    Dylan61 Member

    Messages:
    958
    Joined:
    Mar 4, 2006
    Location:
    the Netherlands
    Dylan61, Jan 5, 2008
    Dylan61, Jan 5, 2008
    #4
  5. Jan 5, 2008 #5
    freak4liferu

    freak4liferu Member

    Messages:
    90
    Joined:
    Sep 25, 2007
    thanks guys, exactly what i was looking for. well, i'll let you know how it goes. thanks again.

    brian...
     
    freak4liferu, Jan 5, 2008
    freak4liferu, Jan 5, 2008
    #5
  6. Jan 5, 2008 #6
    K-man

    K-man Member

    Messages:
    1,061
    Joined:
    Feb 3, 2006
    Location:
    CT
    Be aware with the 4-way wiring that you have to lift the ground for the neck pickup, and add a separate ground wire from the pickup cover to the back of the volume pot.

    Normally the cover is connected to the negative coil of the pickup. If you don't change that the series position won't work.
     
    K-man, Jan 5, 2008
    K-man, Jan 5, 2008
    #6
  7. Jan 5, 2008 #7
    Mike9

    Mike9 Supporting Member

    Messages:
    10,460
    Joined:
    Sep 26, 2006
    Location:
    Ghent, NY
    Clip the sire that goes from the pickup ground (usually black) then solder another wire to a lug on the cover and run it to the control cavity. Here is my favorite 4-way diagram - it's a little fatter than the stock one you find on the web. I swap the .022 cap with a .047 PIO cap on mine.

    [​IMG]
     
    Mike9, Jan 5, 2008
    Mike9, Jan 5, 2008
    #7
  8. Jan 5, 2008 #8
    daddyo

    daddyo Guest

    Messages:
    11,808
    Joined:
    May 19, 2003
    I had a 4 way with my Tele. It was great to run the neck and bridge in series as well as parallel. Series is a big sound. I swapped the neck pup to a minibucker so now I'm back to a 3 way.
     
    daddyo, Jan 5, 2008
    daddyo, Jan 5, 2008
    #8
  9. Jan 5, 2008 #9
    photoguy

    photoguy Member

    Messages:
    2,592
    Joined:
    Jun 26, 2005
    Location:
    Everybody's gotta be somewhere.
    photoguy, Jan 5, 2008
    photoguy, Jan 5, 2008
    #9
  10. Jan 5, 2008 #10
    Tone_Terrific

    Tone_Terrific Supporting Member

    Messages:
    25,870
    Joined:
    Dec 26, 2004
    Location:
    Canada-GTA
    The 4-way will get you series, which usually sounds good.
    Out of phase tone are only worth adding, IMO, if you are actually going to use them. They fall into the 'special-interest' category for me and clutter up the wiring.
     
    Tone_Terrific, Jan 5, 2008
    Tone_Terrific, Jan 5, 2008
    #10
  11. Jan 5, 2008 #11
    tone4days

    tone4days Member

    Messages:
    6,286
    Joined:
    Mar 2, 2005
    Location:
    central maryland
    +1 to the amen chorus for the 4-way ... i totally dig mine wired that way .. much beef in the series position

    be sure to heed the caution about the neck cover ground being separate ... you do not want that in the circuit acting as a noise gathering antenna

    t4d
     
    tone4days, Jan 5, 2008
    tone4days, Jan 5, 2008
    #11
  12. Jan 5, 2008 #12
    OldSchool

    OldSchool Senior Member

    Messages:
    13,107
    Joined:
    Sep 19, 2004
    Location:
    United States of America
    Thats cool. Can you use a Vintage Type Humbucker with that schematic or does it need a 4 wire modern type?

    I have a tele I'm putting together and that 4 way looks awesome.........but I have a older cloth covered PAF I'm using in the neck.
     
    OldSchool, Jan 5, 2008
    OldSchool, Jan 5, 2008
    #12

Share This Page