How difficult is it to wire an Ibanez pickup selector?

[Jonny]

OK, my RG08LTD has been at the guitar tech for a week and a half and majority of the time its been because they can't wire the pickup selector.

What's so difficult about it? I had Jonathan do my seven string, told him I wanted neck, neck split, both, bridge split, bridge. He did it in an hour.

I ask the same for these guys, and they STILL haven't done it, tey've even told me they can't fathom the mystery behind this pickup selector switch.

It's a enclosed, 8-pin 5-way switch.

What's so difficult? Can someone explain or give me a diagram so I can't give it to them out of mercy so I can have my damn guitar back. They better me a good god damn set up too.

Discuss/help me the hell out.

Thanks.

[dave_mc]

i don't think there's that much to it. I mean, there are wiring diagrams online. I managed to wire mine incorrectly, but in my defence i was given the wrong wiring diagram... if i'd had the right one, i don't think i'd have had any problems.

[Philly Q]

They have a pretty comprehensive selection of wiring diagrams on their site - you just put in the year (if I remember right) then the model number and away you go.

Ibanez do seem to vary the colour coding on their pickups a bit (I guess because some are made by DiMarzio), but the actual wiring is simple enough.

[MDV]

Theres nothing special about it, and as philly says, theres plenty of information around on ibanez wiring.

(the colour coding is a pain, however, for about 5 minutes till you find out what they felt like using that month)

[Jonny]

It's a Limited Edition guitar so it isn't on the Ibanez website but I don't think wiring it like a production model would be difficult. They just haven't done that. If they did that they could probably work out how to get the pickups I want for each position.

I'm getting REALLY f'd about this.

[Philly Q]

What's so difficult about it? I had Jonathan do my seven string, told him I wanted neck, neck split, both, bridge split, bridge. He did it in an hour.

Out of interest, is that the wiring the six-string already had?  And did Jonathan keep the original Ibanez switch with the seven-string?

It may not be possible to do that particular wiring with the standard Ibanez switch.

[FELINEGUITARS]

What's so difficult about it? I had Jonathan do my seven string, told him I wanted neck, neck split, both, bridge split, bridge. He did it in an hour.

Out of interest, is that the wiring the six-string already had?  And did Jonathan keep the original Ibanez switch with the seven-string?

It may not be possible to do that particular wiring with the standard Ibanez switch.

Jonny - the switch in the 7 string may indeed be a different wiring configuration and getting that specific arrangement may not be possible with the switch that is in that guitar.

But maybe you have to give them the permission to get the right switch in for you if that is the case

[MDV]

Yeah, if the switch is such an embuggerance (cant see why it would bem its not hard to figure them out), get another one

[Jonny]

They're possibly going to switch it with a Fender style open one. Which in some ways is fine, but they're like:

"We got this switch, there's got to be a way, we'll keep at it."

*next week*

"We got this switch, there's got to be a way- he's onto something- we'll keep at it."

[Afghan Dave]

Just read this and I've just been poking around in my Ibanez guitar soldering pickups today...

It's your cheap Far East enclosed switch!!

Swap it for an open USA 5 way - they feel better/last longer/can be understood!

[FELINEGUITARS]

What's so difficult about it? I had Jonathan do my seven string, told him I wanted neck, neck split, both, bridge split, bridge. He did it in an hour.

Out of interest, is that the wiring the six-string already had?  And did Jonathan keep the original Ibanez switch with the seven-string?

It may not be possible to do that particular wiring with the standard Ibanez switch.

Jonny - the switch in the 7 string may indeed be a different wiring configuration and getting that specific arrangement may not be possible with the switch that is in that guitar.

But maybe you have to give them the permission to get the right switch in for you if that is the case

Jonny
Why not photograph the wiring in the 7 string and send it to them

If it is not the same switch the wiring may not work though

[Jonny]

What's so difficult about it? I had Jonathan do my seven string, told him I wanted neck, neck split, both, bridge split, bridge. He did it in an hour.

Out of interest, is that the wiring the six-string already had?  And did Jonathan keep the original Ibanez switch with the seven-string?

It may not be possible to do that particular wiring with the standard Ibanez switch.

Jonny - the switch in the 7 string may indeed be a different wiring configuration and getting that specific arrangement may not be possible with the switch that is in that guitar.

But maybe you have to give them the permission to get the right switch in for you if that is the case

Jonny
Why not photograph the wiring in the 7 string and send it to them

If it is not the same switch the wiring may not work though

Because my seven string is currently being stored at a very generous friend's house back in England as I couldn't take everything back to Belfast.

Can't really do anything about this I suppose. I hope they get it done tomorrow.

[Keven]

just FYI. the wiring you want must use a 4 pole 5 way switch

(http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Electronics,_pickups/Components:_Switches_and_knobs/Super_Switch.html)

because otherwise it's rather difficult to get the middle position working right. the closest thing i've gotten to this with standard switch is by seeing my neck bucker as two singles and wiring them in parallel

[HTH AMPS]

Even if it's not the right switch, I would expect a guitar tech to know that within the same day and let me know that a different switch is needed.

My experience with guitar techs is that they're generally good at setting up the guitar and making it play well, but are severely let down by the electronics side of things.  I had a conversation with a guitar tech once where they didn't know that changing the volume pot's value changed the amplified tone of the guitar.  This was someone of almost pensionable age that'd been in the business all their life.

There are notable exceptions of course and both Wez and Jonathon (Feline) both seem to know their onions from the help I've seen them give on this forum. 

Hope you get it sorted out soon.

[Jonny]

Even if it's not the right switch, I would expect a guitar tech to know that within the same day and let me know that a different switch is needed.

My experience with guitar techs is that they're generally good at setting up the guitar and making it play well, but are severely let down by the electronics side of things.  I had a conversation with a guitar tech once where they didn't know that changing the volume pot's value changed the amplified tone of the guitar.  This was someone of almost pensionable age that'd been in the business all their life.

There are notable exceptions of course and both Wez and Jonathon (Feline) both seem to know their onions from the help I've seen them give on this forum. 

Hope you get it sorted out soon.

They never ring me, I always walk in or call them. It's irritating.