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Wiring an Epiphone - Two P90s, a Switchcraft 3x3 and 2 Vol/2 Tone

GavinRH

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Joined
May 14, 2020
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2
Hello, I am planning on replacing the pickups in my Epiphone Les Paul 1960's tribute with two of Bare Knuckle's HSP90s (a Manhattan in the neck and a Mississippi Queen in the bridge). I am also replacing my toggle switch and was wondering if the switchcraft 3x3 you can buy from Bare Knuckle can be wired to have normal Les Paul Neck, Neck+Bridge in Parallel, Bridge on one half and then Neck+Bridge in series, Neck+Bridge out of phase, and then Neck+Bridge in series and out of phase.

It seems trivial at worse but I also plan on wiring it 50's style. I don't have any experience in guitar wiring so I would appreciate any tips and tricks!
 

PaulD

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Joined
Jun 25, 2007
Messages
673
I assume you mean the Freeway 3x3 switch (it is not made by Switchcraft). The one listed on the Bareknuckle site appears to be the 3x3-04, that is designed for use with 4 wire humbuckers and will not do what you want with single coil pickups. For that you would need the 3x3-05 model. Information on the different types and how to wire them is available here https://www.freewayswitch.com/schematics-toggle/ .

Wiring them up is not for the faint hearted though and if you don't have much experience of electronics wiring it would be a steep learning curve to say the least.

As for the 50's wiring the only difference is which lug of the volume pot the capacitor connects to (middle lug for 50's, outer lug for modern). This can be done whatever type of switch you choose to use.
 

GavinRH

New member
Joined
May 14, 2020
Messages
2
I assume you mean the Freeway 3x3 switch (it is not made by Switchcraft). The one listed on the Bareknuckle site appears to be the 3x3-04, that is designed for use with 4 wire humbuckers and will not do what you want with single coil pickups. For that you would need the 3x3-05 model. Information on the different types and how to wire them is available here https://www.freewayswitch.com/schematics-toggle/ .

Wiring them up is not for the faint hearted though and if you don't have much experience of electronics wiring it would be a steep learning curve to say the least.

As for the 50's wiring the only difference is which lug of the volume pot the capacitor connects to (middle lug for 50's, outer lug for modern). This can be done whatever type of switch you choose to use.

Thank you Paul! This helps a lot! Would I be better off just using the two push pulls then?
 

PaulD

Active member
Joined
Jun 25, 2007
Messages
673
I guess it's really down to personal preference. The 3x3 switch sounds like a nice idea, having everything on one switch (I've never used one myself so can't comment on usability or reliability) but I know they are fiddly to wire. The wires solder to small copper pads on the switch, a bit like soldering to a printed circuit board. If you are used to soldering small components and wires to printed circuit boards then it would probably be relatively easy but if not then I imagine it might be quite a challenge and probably not the best thing to attempt as a first project. Push pull pots would probably be easier to wire.
 
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