Custom Wiring Suggestions

[clayton.gouin]

Hi folks.

I am new to the BK forum, but have been enjoying a Cold Sweat/Painkiller combo in my Ibanez 73 SG for a while now.

At the moment I am considering swapping out my EMG707TW and TWR in a custom 7 string for some Black Hawks or Impulses. Going from active to passive will require new pots, BUT I would like to keep my current wiring setup if possible. It gives some great tonal variety, however I am unsatisfied with the EMGs through my Victory Kraken. Even after an 18V mod, there is a noticeable and overcompressed pick attack that just doesn not play well with the Kraken despite EQing. The custom wiring I have at the moment is as follows:

Bridge and neck humbuckers
2 volume knobs (push/pull for coil splitting) independently wired
2 tone knobs
No selector switch

I am good to follow and wire up from schematics but have no idea how to design circuits. From prior readings, there should be a possibility to add treble bleeds and wire the volumes independently as if they were set in the middle position of a 3 way switch.

What are the potential problems I might encounter?
Is this asking too much?
What other options, without drilling a new hole for a selector switch, might be feasible?

Any help would be appreciated.

[Dave Sloven]

Depending on knob layout I would probably wire it up as follows:

Enlarge one volume pot hole to install a Gibson style selector switch

2 volume pots with push-pulls for coil splits

1 master tone

This is basically an Explorer set up with separate coil splits and volume pots for neck and bridge

[darkandrew]

Another option, and probably the easiest if your existing pots and wiring loom are the EMG quick connect type, is to buy the EMG pots for the EMG HZ range - these will be a straight swap but will be compatible with passive pickups.

[clayton.gouin]

I can look into the EMG HZ option. Had not thought of that.

The master tone, 2 volume and 3 way switch would be the most obvious for me, but I really enjoy being able to blend tones and volumes...

Maybe the more obvious solution is an EQ pedal in the effect loop. I still need to adjust the pickup height and see if that helps as well.

More research never hurts and it might be a better idea to try the Blackhawks in my SG, where they won't need all electronics swapped. Plus I can test independently wiring 2 volumes, 2 tones AND already have a 3 way switch.

Thanks for the suggestions.

[Dave Sloven]

If your SG is one with pickup rings the Black Hawks or Impulses should probably be okay.  If It has pickguard pickup mounting (the large pickguard SGs) then I would check with BKP as to whether the bridge pickup will adjust high enough, as there is no long leg option on either of those pickup models.

I installed the short style pickup selector switch in the first volume pot hole of my Explorer, instead of the pickguard mounting.  It means that I have only two holes for pots, so my choices are limited to 2 vol no tone or 1 vol 1 tone.  I went the first path (with '50s style wiring as well) but soon I will have the guitar rewired as master volume master tone as I don't use the separate volume controls really and I miss the tone control.  The enlargement of the hole to fit the selector switch was something I did myself with a tapered reamer.  I used the short, straight style Switchcraft switch with the deep nut that is used on SGs.

[clayton.gouin]

Gibson SG Special Naked. I mounted the small pickguard instead of the pickup-through pickguard style. Shouldn't be a problem.