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Author Topic: rotary switching?  (Read 4012 times)

DemosKratia

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rotary switching?
« on: March 01, 2010, 06:12:32 PM »
just a quick question,

does anyone on here know anything about rotary switches?

recently ive had the idea of switching my three way toggle to a rotary with both seires and parallel options aswell as just bridge and neck and was wondering how difficult this is to achieve

thanks :)

WezV

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Re: rotary switching?
« Reply #1 on: March 01, 2010, 07:03:57 PM »
i have done some - it can get quite complex, but no more so than a good sudoko puzzle

have a look if any of these will do:
http://www.guitarelectronics.com/category/wiringresources.2_pickup_diagrams/

DemosKratia

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Re: rotary switching?
« Reply #2 on: March 01, 2010, 07:12:27 PM »
thanks!

am i right in believing that rotary switches work in the same way as blade switches?

and that this even worth it? :P

pagan7

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Re: rotary switching?
« Reply #3 on: March 01, 2010, 11:42:58 PM »
I've used rotary switches a couple of times in my experiments with selectable tone capacitor switching and at present have one in a painkiller equipped Ibanez RG.
The switch came as a double pole 5 position switch but you can change the number of positions by moving a tabbed washer that seats into a slot on the pot.
I have mine set to 3 position so I can select between .022 , .033 and .047mF tone capacitors which gives a subtle but noticable shift in the tonal spectrum of the tone pots - especially when the pups are switched out of phase.
They can be used for any sort of switching - I fitted mine with a retro chicken head knob
CERAMIC NAILBOMBS + Ibanez RGT42DX and PAINKILLERS + Ibanez RG321MH and A5 NAILBOMBS + Ibanez RG1550

pagan7

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Re: rotary switching?
« Reply #4 on: March 01, 2010, 11:49:06 PM »
PS I got my switches from here  http://www.axesrus.com/axeElectronicsSwitches.htm  but Allparts do 4 pole switches if you need a complex set up
CERAMIC NAILBOMBS + Ibanez RGT42DX and PAINKILLERS + Ibanez RG321MH and A5 NAILBOMBS + Ibanez RG1550

AndyR

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Re: rotary switching?
« Reply #5 on: March 02, 2010, 10:32:30 AM »
That's really interesting pagan7 - I've just been considering doing almost the same thing with the "spare" tone control on a strat (I wire them for master tone). In my case I'm thinking of switching between paper-in-oil, ceramic and "the other type" (eg orange drops), all at .047.

I "dreamed it up last night" and was just wondering if it would be practical...

Thanks for that :D
Play or Download AndyR Music at http://www.alonetone.com/andyr

hermetico

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Re: rotary switching?
« Reply #6 on: March 11, 2010, 05:02:32 PM »
I guess you are looking for 4 positions as follows:

1. Neck
2. Neck in parallel with bridge
3. bridge
4 Neck in series with bridge

If this is the case, you'd better fo for a 4-way Tele switch.
You don't need a rotary switch for that.

I wired some rotaries. Sometimes, there is no better option but, in my experience, nothing works faster and more reliable than a blade switch.

I only use rotary switches when 6 positions are needed (Neck, Neck + middle, middle, Middle + Bridge, Bridge and Neck + Bridge) or when there is no room in guitar's cavity for another kind of solution.  Even, for 6 positions, I prefere to go for a Super Switch and some DPDT or pull/push to do the trick, if the guitar has a deep enough cavity.

My recommendation to you: visit the Seymour Duncan Page / Support / Wiring and lock the 4-way Telecaster mod.