McGuinn wiring schematic

[vintagemusicgear]

I was wondering if anyone has a schematic to wire a 3 pickup Ric like a McGuinn. In other words, each pickup having its own separate volume control, and one master tone control. I really like being able to control the volume of each pickup, I don't really use the tone control at all. Thanks.

[radioactive]

I tried to find this information for some time without any real results. There are quite a few people out there that have this mod, but I was unable to get anyone to send pics or a schematic. There are a number of posts out there unfortunately most of them lead to dead links. From what I was able to piece together, the main obstacle is finding a special 3 position Switchcraft toggle switch that has like 9 leaf connectors. It's a special order with Switchcraft, if I remember there may be a minimum piece requirement.
I was able to find one at a guitar shop in Phoenix, but from what I've heard you can build the special toggle switch by cannibalizing parts, apparently you need some extra sandwich laminates and contacts, as well two longer screws to hold together the stack.

I ended up having Joe at Tonewerks build a Vox Boost circuit for me, which works well.

[beatlefreak]

Seems it would be far easuer to use a push/pull switch tone pot to switch the middle pickup in and out.

[leftybass]

One thing to remember about the original McGuinn/Byrd circuit that was used is this:

Even though each pickup had it's own volume pot, you could only select one pickup at a time, not combinations of pickups. One switch was a 3-way select for the pickups while the other was a tone-boost switch, kind of a 'brightness' switch...not to be confused with the Vox Treble Boost added later by McGuinn himself.

[vintagemusicgear]

When you have 3 individual volumes, you can get every combination of pickups (neck, neck/mid, mid, neck/mid/br, mid/br, br) You can essentially dial in the mid pickup to blend with either the bridge and or the neck. Or if the mid volume is off, it functions like a typical 2 pickup guitar.

[leftybass]

When you have 3 individual volumes, you can get every combination of pickups (neck, neck/mid, mid, neck/mid/br, mid/br, br) You can essentially dial in the mid pickup to blend with either the bridge and or the neck. Or if the mid volume is off, it functions like a typical 2 pickup guitar.

David, that would be true if the pickups were 'on' all the time, but IIRC the original 60's 370/12Byrd guitars didn't work like that....Again, if it were true, then there would be no need for the pickup select switch on the originals. I've had the opportunity to play 2 or three original guitars from the 60's and this is the way I remember them.

If I am wrong I stand corrected....

[radioactive]

Only one pickup is active at a time, there's no blending of pickups on the Byrd's wiring. One toggle switch allows selection of the Treble, Middle or Neck pickup, the other toggle switch provides 3 separate tones, of which one is enhanced treble/'chime, the other two are more mid-range in tone.

I don't think it makes a big deal as McGuinn has stated that he played in one pickup positon for most of the time, and the middle pickup was added to his early 360/12 cause it looked cool.