Series/Parallel P-90 Wiring Question

[RMosack]

I am trying to come up with a way of wiring two P-90s with a series-parallel switching option AND individual volume and tone pots for each pickup. I have already installed the Fender 4-way switch into aTele with good results. It's a simple mod because of the master volume and tone (at least I think so).

How do you do it with the individual volumes and tones of a LP Special? Does anyone know how to do it with the 4-way switch? With some sort of 5-way? With a 3-way and a mini-toggle?

 

[Robert Sherman]

The cleanest way that I've found to do the series/parallel mod on a LP is to use 500k push/pull dpdt pots. Now finding those pots with the 3/4" threaded bushings needed in most LP's is harder than finding a virgin in L.A., but I've heard that yamaha supposedly makes them. I never found them. I use part #1216 from stew mac, and have had great results. Now these pots have smaller external dimentions than stock LP pots, but appear to be very simular to the pots in the JP LP's. You will have to remove some wood from the body cavity, remove the mounting plate, and I suggest re-sheilding the cavity. You can get a schematic from the Seymour Duncan web site under tech tips. I did this mod to a 95 wine standard, both pups have the series/ parallel and coil taps (1 funtion for each pot), and the results were awesome! Looks stock and sounds great! I'm getting ready to do a simular mod, but with the JP LP configuration to another LP. E-mail me at Nokiddin35@aol.com if you want some tips. Its not a hard mod to do, but I do have some pointers that may make the job go better for you.

 

[RMosack]

P-90s

Robert - Thanks for the response, but the main problem I have is that I'm talking about P-90s in series and parallel with EACH OTHER. I think that the mod that you describe is how to make an individual humbucker series or parallel. That's something I do know how to do.
What I'm looking for is similar to what Fender does with the optional 4-way switch for Teles - only on a guitar with two P-90s, two volumes and two tones. For Teles, in addition to the standard 3 postitions (bridge, bridge/neck in parallel, neck), the fourth position allows bridge/neck in series. I have the diagram and have done this mod to Teles. It's pretty easy and it works with the switch because everything goes to one set of volume and tone controls.

My problem is how to add the two pickups in series sound to two P-90s. I have the option of using a blade style switch, so 3-way, 4-way and any 5-way is possible (with or without push-pull pots). The question....HOW?

 

[Robert Sherman]

Email me at nokiddin35@aol.com with an re that will get my attention thats its you, and I can send you a schematic of how they do it on the JP lP. the tone pot P/P dpdt on that guitar does the dual pup series/parallel thing you want.