Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

a friend asked me to wire in a new push/pull pot for his guitar - he wants it setup to use the wire tap for a new pickup, so that it can turn single coil when he pulls the knob out. I have the pickup wired in and working as a humbucker, but I need to wire the extra "ground" to a switch so that it goes ground when the switch is pulled out (this is how it's done, right?)

can anyone explain how I do this? I've got the pot working as volume just fine, but the switch part is what's confusing me (and it didn't come with any instructions!)

It's a DPDT (double pull/double throw) switch. Each side (group of three lugs) is actually a separate switch. If the switch is pulled out, the top two lugs (closest to the pot) on each side are connected. If the switch is pushed in, the bottom two lugs on each side are connected.

To wire a coil tap in the pull position, connect a ground wire to the lug closest to the pot on one side. Connect the pickup leads (the two that are normally twisted/soldered together) to the center lug on the same side. Connect the hot and ground wires from the pickup as you normally would (to the volume pot, selector switch, etc.).

For an even cooler coil tap, try this:
- Install a 500K volume pot and connect it just like the original.
- Wire the switch as described above.
- Run a 500K resistor from the lug on the volume pot to which your pickup is connected to the center lug on the other side of the switch.
- Connect the ground wire to the top lug on both sides.

This will give you a 250K volume pot when using the coil tap, and a 500K volume pot when using the humbucker. This may be more to your (or his) liking, as some think a single coil (i.e. coil tap) is too bright with a 500K pot.

For more info (and a diagram), look here, then click on "Electronics" on the left menu bar.

hey thanks! thats awesome. I'll let him know and see what he likes.

I know how to solder and everything, I've just never had any sort of formal training, so all the prongs on that switch kind of scared me..

and I saw your site before when I read about you restoring the guitar - thats insanely awesome work. thanks again.

also, just a guess on this, but are the middle prongs connected regardless of switch position? I'm assuming that would make most sense...

Andrew asks: "are the middle prongs connected regardless of switch position?"

I'm not sure that I understand your question correctly. The 2 halves of the switch (3 terminals on each side) are separate; they are, in fact, 2 separate switches. None of the terminals on one side are connected to any of terminals on the other side unless you connect them with an external jumper between two lugs. If the switch is in the "pull" position, the center terminal on each side is connected to the top terminal on the same side. If the switch is in the "push" position, the center terminal on each side is connected to the bottom terminal on the same side.

You might also want to look at this - and poke around the site while you're there.

I just did that with the Seymour Duncan Hot-Rail in my Strat. Worked really well. Although, a 'split' humbucker still doesn't sound like a true single coil. But it's close enough and it's a nice option to have.

I think I misunderstood...

I thought the top prongs "connect" when you pull the switch up, and the bottom prongs "connect" when the switch is down - logically I assumed that the middle prongs were just always connected. I do understand your instructions, I just don't fully understand how the switch actually *works*.

I'll check out the site though, thanks again.

I checked out the site, and I like the diagrams they use - however, the diagrams on ric's website are confusing to me.

http://www.rickenbacker.com/images/19511x.gif

anyone have the above diagram (2 pickups, 5 control mono) in the schematic layout used on zoovy.com ?

about the above post: I think I understand the pots and the other stuff, but the switch (1,2,3,4) doesn't make sense to me - I don't know which one is which (except ground).

To which post do you refer? I don't see any switch (1,2,3,4).

This is simple:
- Remove the volume pot for the bridge pickup.
- Replace with the push/pull switch.
- Wire the new pot the same way as the old one. At this point, one pickup wire will be connected to ground, and another will be connected to the selector switch. The other two wires are twisted/soldered together.
- Connect a ground wire to the middle terminals on both sides of the push/pull switch.
- Connect the remaining two pickup leads to any other terminal on the push/pull switch.

In the interest of efficiency, here's a alternative suggestion: tell your friend to take his guitar to a shop and pay somebody. It would be done by now.

oh no sorry for the confusion. this is for my own guitar...! I should have started a new topic.

I figured it out though. it was a bit messy however, my soldering iron is for circuit boards and I was using thicker rosin core solder... so it wasn't getting hot enough to stick. blah! had to look around for a hotter iron.