Baja Tele 4 way switching question

[38thBeatle]

I have searched the forum & couldn't  find the answer so, on behalf of a friend of a friend who has a Baja Tele and a set of BKPs to put in, he wants to also fit a 4 way switch ( now before you say it, I didn't plant this idea in his head). Now I know that there has to be an additional earth attached to the pickup cover of the neck- but I seem to recall that the original earth has to be cut or am I remembering that wrong?  He has the S1switching too and wants to retain that- I have no knowledge of that either.If anyone can answer I'd be grateful. I am rushed off my feet today with paperwork and I really don't have the ability right now to break off and help. Many thanks

[Twinfan]

You're right Steve - he needs three separate wires for his neck pickup:

* Hot for the coil
* Earth for the coil
* Separate earth for the neck pickup cover

It's then a simple straight like-for-like wiring replacement for the existing Baja pickups  :)

By the way, the Baja already has the 4-way switch  ;)

[AndyR]

Unless someone's already changed it to a 3-way! (The fools! :lol:)

I asked BKP to supply all my tele neck pickups ready for a 4-way. I checked them out before installing, and it made perfect sense to me, but I'm buggered if I can remembered what it looked like. I think it's like Dave says, an extra earth wire.

I've kept the S1 as well, it is indeed a simple like-for-like wiring replacement. It's a bit fiddly soldering on to that S1 thing's contacts though :lol:

[Elliot]

As above, but I would add that there is no extra wiring needed for the S1 switch (which given the great Peter Greenish sound available by having the S1 engaged in the top (position 4) position, one definitely wants to keep).

[38thBeatle]

Thanks Gentlemen. I didn't realise that it already had a 4 way- thanks for the info- much appreciated. I have just emerged from hours of boring paperwork and have to go to a band rehearsal tonight but I will contact my friend and give him the info when I get in later. Thanks again.

[Ian Price]

I've kept the S1 as well, it is indeed a simple like-for-like wiring replacement. It's a bit fiddly soldering on to that S1 thing's contacts though :lol:

Very fiddly in my experience. I got very frustrated with it! I almost, almost got rid of the S1 and switched to a 3 way - a few kindly people on here told me to not do anything tw@t like and keep it. Keep it I did and I'm glad I did too!

[juansolo]

I've kept the S1 as well, it is indeed a simple like-for-like wiring replacement. It's a bit fiddly soldering on to that S1 thing's contacts though :lol:

Very fiddly in my experience. I got very frustrated with it! I almost, almost got rid of the S1 and switched to a 3 way - a few kindly people on here told me to not do anything tw@t like and keep it. Keep it I did and I'm glad I did too!

I like simplicity. I've done the whole millions of switching options thing. Hence S1 and 4 way out, 3 way in. Simple, like me :)

[Philly Q]

I like simplicity. I've done the whole millions of switching options thing. Hence S1 and 4 way out, 3 way in. Simple, like me :)

I tend to agree.  I didn't have a Baja Tele for long, but I would've swapped out the S1 eventually, too many options!

I will try a 4-way switch again sometime, though.

[Serratus]

Quick question after reading this thread :)

I want to use a tele 4-way switch on a guitar I'm building in which I'm using two single coil pickups that I already have. They're both strat style singles, and only have two wires each - can I still use the 4-way? (after reading in this thread about needing a neck pickup earth wire, I just want to make sure its not gonna be a problem).

thanks in advance :)

[Philly Q]

I want to use a tele 4-way switch on a guitar I'm building in which I'm using two single coil pickups that I already have. They're both strat style singles, and only have two wires each - can I still use the 4-way? (after reading in this thread about needing a neck pickup earth wire, I just want to make sure its not gonna be a problem).

Yes, I think you'll be fine with the 4-way - the third wire on the Tele neck pickup is only to provide a separate, permanent ground wire for the metal cover.

On a Strat pickup, no cover so no extra wire needed.

[darkbluemurder]

Philly is correct - a third wire on a strat pickup is not needed for the 4 way switch.

BTW: a nice option together with a 4 way switch is to change either the volume or tone pot to a push pull and put a phase reverse on the neck pickup. That gives you two more sounds. I find the series-out-of-phase linkage quite nice. And the set up stays simple - if you don't need it simply ignore the push pull function.

Cheers Stephan

[Serratus]

Great, thanks for the info guys, and Stephan I might do the phase reverse aswell, its a guitar mainly for recording so it'd be good to have some more sound options (got a Sinner bridge and RWRP trilogy suite neck to use).

[Elliot]

Philly is correct - a third wire on a strat pickup is not needed for the 4 way switch.

BTW: a nice option together with a 4 way switch is to change either the volume or tone pot to a push pull and put a phase reverse on the neck pickup. That gives you two more sounds. I find the series-out-of-phase linkage quite nice. And the set up stays simple - if you don't need it simply ignore the push pull function.

Cheers Stephan

Isn't that what the S1 switching system does?

(btw that is a genuine question, not a sarcastic comment) 

[Twinfan]

Yep, exactly what the S1 switch does  :)