Toneseeker_Guitars
- Dec 20, 2015
- 5
- Joined
- Dec 20, 2015
- Messages
- 5
Hello, this is my first post on the forum here, and I've jumped feet first into circuit design.
I need some help understanding circuit design when it comes to guitar circuitry. I've gotten away with buying pre-made harnesses for far too long, and manufacturing them myself is much more economical.
My first project is being referred to as the golden unicorn of guitar circuitry, and frankly, I'm thoroughly confused as to where to start. I've split the circuit into "manageable" sub-circuits, but the biggest thing that stands in my way at the moment is switching logic, and how to fully utilize what I have on hand. I'll give you a rundown of the circuit with my understanding of it, and how it will flow.
The guitar will have 3 humbuckers (9 leads each), which will be split by a DPDT On/On/On switch into North Coil/Humbucker/South Coil, while the individual coils in the humbucker will be tapped at 6k wraps, 8k wraps, and 10k wraps, which will be selected by taking the single coil outputs from the split switch to a second DPDT On/On/On (6k/10k/8k) and soldering the north and south leads of the same values together to be used on a single terminal on the switch. It gets a little foggy here: If I want to retain individual tone control for each pickup, and still be able to switch all of the pickup combinations between series and parallel, I believe I'd need to place the Dual Cap Push Push On/On DPDT tone pots BEFORE the Parallel/Series DPDT On/On switch, and not before the tone pots.
From either the tone or the series/parallel switch, I'd then go to a DPDT(or a SPDT I'm not sure) on/on switch into a Free-way 3x3-05 6way toggle or a neck/bridge blend pot. From both of those devices, I'd then go to a volume pot, and from the volume pot, into a Stereo Audio Fader to get a balanced output to go to the stereo 1/4" jack and XLR out.
A couple of people who've I've run this by have mentioned that I may need a buffer in the circuit to prevent treble bleed and having the guitar sound muddy, and I have no idea how to go about adding one in, let alone what one is or where to get them or design them.
I understand electronics enough to know that most of this is possible, but not enough to actually go about designing the circuit. I need help understanding the switching logic for my components, and someone proof my circuit design that results after I understand the switches. The attached files are all of my notes on the circuit based on how I understand it, as well as the 6 way switch's switching logic, and a sample diagram that was the closest to my needs as I could find.
I need some help understanding circuit design when it comes to guitar circuitry. I've gotten away with buying pre-made harnesses for far too long, and manufacturing them myself is much more economical.
My first project is being referred to as the golden unicorn of guitar circuitry, and frankly, I'm thoroughly confused as to where to start. I've split the circuit into "manageable" sub-circuits, but the biggest thing that stands in my way at the moment is switching logic, and how to fully utilize what I have on hand. I'll give you a rundown of the circuit with my understanding of it, and how it will flow.
The guitar will have 3 humbuckers (9 leads each), which will be split by a DPDT On/On/On switch into North Coil/Humbucker/South Coil, while the individual coils in the humbucker will be tapped at 6k wraps, 8k wraps, and 10k wraps, which will be selected by taking the single coil outputs from the split switch to a second DPDT On/On/On (6k/10k/8k) and soldering the north and south leads of the same values together to be used on a single terminal on the switch. It gets a little foggy here: If I want to retain individual tone control for each pickup, and still be able to switch all of the pickup combinations between series and parallel, I believe I'd need to place the Dual Cap Push Push On/On DPDT tone pots BEFORE the Parallel/Series DPDT On/On switch, and not before the tone pots.
From either the tone or the series/parallel switch, I'd then go to a DPDT(or a SPDT I'm not sure) on/on switch into a Free-way 3x3-05 6way toggle or a neck/bridge blend pot. From both of those devices, I'd then go to a volume pot, and from the volume pot, into a Stereo Audio Fader to get a balanced output to go to the stereo 1/4" jack and XLR out.
A couple of people who've I've run this by have mentioned that I may need a buffer in the circuit to prevent treble bleed and having the guitar sound muddy, and I have no idea how to go about adding one in, let alone what one is or where to get them or design them.
I understand electronics enough to know that most of this is possible, but not enough to actually go about designing the circuit. I need help understanding the switching logic for my components, and someone proof my circuit design that results after I understand the switches. The attached files are all of my notes on the circuit based on how I understand it, as well as the 6 way switch's switching logic, and a sample diagram that was the closest to my needs as I could find.
