Wiring my Nailbomb up to coiltap with tone vol/pot?

[MintySG]

So here's the deal, I'm currently making my SG more focused on rocking the house down so I'm losing the neck pickup and getting a custom made pickguard with just the bridge which is a Nailbomb. Now here's the problem...I have 2 spare pots that will look quite shoddy I remove them. I remember a while ago reading in a guitar mag about a mod you can do that allows you to coiltap/split a humbucker using potentiometers instead of a switch which would allow lots of different tonal combos.

Now here's the question, how would I go about wiring this up? The nailbomb has a 4-way wire, and have 2 unsightly knobs that have no purpose...gimmie some ideas or wiring diagrams to make my guitar more versatile with just the one humbucker!!  :D

[syr2012]

I tried the tone pot trick that you're talking about, it's a real beast to wire correctly so that it actually works instead of making you gnash your teeth. I'd honestly suggest getting a dpdt switch (it's a switch that basically turns one coil on or off, giving you a coil split). There are some available that would fill one of the holes perfectly, and wiring it up is easy. You just take the two wires that are soldered together and taped off and wire it to the switch. I'll find the diagram that Tim emailed me and post it. However, you will be left with one hole. Maybe you could just leave it in? That's what I did with the mid and neck pickups for my strat (they're disconnected, but I left them there so I wouldn't have to spring for a new pickguard).

[MintySG]

Is there a way to wire up for 2 mini switches if i use them to replace the 2 dorment knobs? I'd love to be able to get some hotrodded P-90-esque sounds in there...would I be able to get some useable tones in there or would it be a bit naff?



Now also taken the switch ring off, removed some stickers, polished the frets and slightly rolled the fingerboard. Custom made white bridge-only pickguard on the way and a set of black Grover Rotomatics...it's going look perfect to me! Then I just need to get that nut replaced and it will never be put down.

[syr2012]

Well, now that I think of it, you could wire a kill switch in to replace one of the knobs and a series/split/parallel switch to replace the other. I don't know anything about how the nailbomb sounds in parallel, you'd have to ask around, but I've heard that the split is pretty fat.ther

As for the diagram that Tim emailed me, it's for wiring a pickup with a push-pull pot. If you're familiar with pots and other innards you might be able to get a use for it, but if you don't, you might have no use for it. Let me know and I'll post it if you want.

[MintySG]

A killswitch would be good but that is what the pickup selector is used for now it only has one pickup!

Sure, post the diagram! I've wired a few switches before.  :)

[pagan7]

Or maybe turn the three way switch into a normal/coil split/series - parallel switch, one of the spare pots into a 3 way rotary switch to select different value tone pot capacitors and the other spare pot replaced with an on/kill/pup direct to output switch (bypassing tone and volume)

[syr2012]

pagan7 is onto something, I had forgotten that the selection switch could be used very effectively as a kill switch. I've attached the diagram, just keep in mind that the more you want, the more wiring you'll have to do!

[MintySG]

Or maybe turn the three way switch into a normal/coil split/series - parallel switch, one of the spare pots into a 3 way rotary switch to select different value tone pot capacitors and the other spare pot replaced with an on/kill/pup direct to output switch (bypassing tone and volume)

Now this sounds interesting!! How would I go about wiring this beast of a set-up?

and thanks for the diagram syr2012!

[MintySG]

no one?

[dheim]

almost completely off topic...
how does the nailbomb sound in your SG?

[MintySG]

It sounds great! I play quite high-gain stuff and it cuts through really well in band situations...no mud at all. Really tight and has a nice mid-range. Also cleans up well!

Incase anyone is interested, here is what my SG looks like now.

[ericsabbath]

cool

those faded models are killer guitars
just sold one, but I still have another one
most resonant SGs I've seen
great neck feel and stability too

[FELINEGUITARS]

I think the coil split via a pot works well

Why dont you ue one of the other controls as a second volume  control - allowing you to access a rhythm volume and a solo volume.
You may need to change the 3 way to a 2 way toggle though
you could have

• mainvolume
• rhythm volume
• master tone
• coil split

Then the toggle switch can also work as a kill switch by turning the volume right down on one pot

[MintySG]

I think the coil split via a pot works well

Why dont you ue one of the other controls as a second volume  control - allowing you to access a rhythm volume and a solo volume.
You may need to change the 3 way to a 2 way toggle though
you could have

• mainvolume
• rhythm volume
• master tone
• coil split

Then the toggle switch can also work as a kill switch by turning the volume right down on one pot

Okay now this sounds perfect. I'm always having to fiddle with the volume dial mid-song...it would be a whole lot easier just having 2 volume controls! If you could possibly give me a schematic for this sort of wire-up I would be completely grateful in every way! And also, is it possible to get a 2-way toggle switch that would fit an SG. Could I just use a mini-switch?