Wiring question: Dimarzio Super distortion in vintage Gibson SG

[muddyblues45]

Hi all,
I was wondering if I could get some help with a guitar I have. I recently bought a 1969 Gibson SG. Sometime during the 70s someone took advantage of the factory 3-pickup routing in the body of the guitar and installed a Dimarzio Super distortion in the middle pickup cavity. I love the way the guitar sounds...well almost. I love the way it sounds when the toggle is set to the neck humbucker and bridge humbucker (which are both stock t-top pickups). When I set the toggle in the middle position though, the guitar sounds somewhat muffled and think it might be due to the way the super distortion is wired.

The Dimarzio is soldered to both volume pots (see below). Nothing else was altered in the wiring (ie. everything else is stock) Like I said, I love the way it sounds when the toggle is on the neck and bridge position. Im not sure if the Dimarzio is engaged in both those positions and if so, Ill probably leave it the way it is. I was wondering if anyone could give some insight on what pickups are engaged in what position before I decide to mess with the wiring. Any help would greatly be appreciated!

 

[oldlefty]

Do you have a clearer photo?

If you take something metal like a screwdriver and tap on the polepieces of the pickup while you flip the switch you should be able to tell which pickup(s) is/are on in each position.

I have a Super 2 in the middle of this:

The only way I could get all the combinations with a switch that would fit and look like an SG switch was to go with a FreeWay switch:

http://www.stewmac.com/Pickups_and_...nd_Parts/Switches/Free-Way_Pickup_Switch.html

 

[AdmiralB]

Looks to me - based upon just that picture - that the extra pickup is wired to the output lug of the bridge pickup volume pot. It'd be on whenever you have the toggle in the middle or 'down' positions. And it has no volume control, in the sense of a voltage divider - the only control over its output would be the loading effect as you roll the bridge volume down and the output lug gets closer and closer to ground potential.

 

[muddyblues45]

Thanks and your dead on! I found out with more messing around with the guitar that when I have the toggle in the middle position and roll the bridge volume to 8, the muffled sound goes away and I get a great sound. I'm definitely going to keep it this way. The Dimarzio is definitely on with the neck and bridge pickup as well (but seems to have less output in the neck position).