Pickups & toggle switch

[nkubi87]

hey i'd like to ask sth. lets say i wanna get the rgt42dx. i intend to change the pups to emgs. but its 5-way switch on the ibanez. i read that emgs dun work with 5-ways and only work with 3-way. any solutions?

& does SD work with 5-way also? thanks.

 

[alamsemu]

Don't worry, just change them switch. Those 3 way switches are relatively cheap and easy to install. Passive duncans do work with 5 way, as long as they still have 3 or 4 conductors. Not sure about the active ones, but I'd guess that's a no-go either like the EMGs.

 

[neuro182]

The 5-ways are for different pickup config. I suggest keeping the 5-way pickup toggle so u can set 1 or 2 position to be a killswitch to get the instant cut off

Sounds good? Moreover, if u install a 3-way switch (like that of a LP or a SG with those rounded thingy, u might need to bore a hole thru ur precious RGT which i dun tink is wat u wan rite?)

 

[shioks76]

huh? don't work? where did u read that from? Im currentlu using an ibanez rg with emgs with a 5 way switch. pup configuration is hsh. So far not much probs. Its a 85/81/sav

 

[slacker_0101]

huh? don't work? where did u read that from? Im currentlu using an ibanez rg with emgs with a 5 way switch. pup configuration is hsh. So far not much probs. Its a 85/81/sav

Yes, from shioks76's post, you will gather that ALL pickups work with ALL switches. However, whether you get the desired switching configuration from the type of switch/config u have - tats another story.

Eg if you have HH config and you wanna use a 5 way switch, you need a 5 way megaswitch like the ones built by Ibanez, Yamaha, Ernie Ball, etc (they are more expensive than the regular 5 way switches) and not the regular ones that you can get from the shops for like $15.

If you you use the regular 8 pole 5way switch found on HSH guitars and use it on a HH guitar, instead of getting Ibz kind of switching i.e. neck hum series, neck hum parallel, neck/bridge hum, neck/bridge coiltap and bridge hum, the type of switching patterns you will get are like neck hum, neck coil tap,bridge/neck coiltap, neck coiltap/bridge hum, bridge hum.

Bottom line is - all pups work with all switches...but you need the right switch and need to take care that you have 4 wire pickups to get most out of the wiring config. If you have 2wire pickups,you can only get standard config, no coiltapping.

Sorry for the long story...it could get longer but need my shot of coffee right now 8)

 

[jeremyrozario]

Bottom line is - all pups work with all switches...but you need the right switch and need to take care that you have 4 wire pickups to get most out of the wiring config. If you have 2wire pickups,you can only get standard config, no coiltapping.

nt really, if you know how to do it, you can change a 2 wire pickup into a 4 wire pickup, not impossible, just not probable

 

[penguin]

jeremy if u split the wire...would it still activate the same coil???

EMG do work with 5 way switch except that you wont be able to split...


if you wanna split ..then get the 89...

 

[ShredCow]

EMG do work with 5 way switch except that you wont be able to split...

Yeap.. thats why on a H-H config, people replace the 5-way with a 3-way. Unless you use those EMG pups that can split lah...

On a HSH, they don't split the inbetween configs.

 

[fgl]

jeremy if u split the wire...would it still activate the same coil???

EMG do work with 5 way switch except that you wont be able to split...


if you wanna split ..then get the 89...

get the fender 4 way selector - can split...

 

[nkubi87]

EMG do work with 5 way switch except that you wont be able to split...

meaning?

 

[neuro182]

I supposed he meant coilsplitting..

 

[loldude333]

my RGT42DX has dimarzio passive PUs but they seem fine.....and the guy told me active PUs are quite similar......!?!?!?!!?i'm lost here

 

[alamsemu]

RGT42DX has a HH configuration, so if he wants them EMGs to work the same way as his old pickup wiring with the same 5 way then it's no go. Yes, it will work, but not optimum.

Eg if you have HH config and you wanna use a 5 way switch, you need a 5 way megaswitch like the ones built by Ibanez, Yamaha, Ernie Ball, etc (they are more expensive than the regular 5 way switches) and not the regular ones that you can get from the shops for like $15.

That's a negative. You can browse through Ibanez's web for wiring schematics of various guitars with HH, and you will find some do use 8 pole 5 way switch for the switching configuration that you mentioned. Example below.

http://www.ibanez.com/wiring/wire.asp?y=2004&w=RGT42FM

 

[alamsemu]

Sounds good? Moreover, if u install a 3-way switch (like that of a LP or a SG with those rounded thingy, u might need to bore a hole thru ur precious RGT which i dun tink is wat u wan rite?)

There are 3 way switches that has a shape like typical fender 5 way switches. Fender started out with 3 ways.

 

[neuro182]

I am aware of that But no point, might as well use the 5-way and some position can be used for coilsplit, if not killswitch

 

[alamsemu]

my RGT42DX has dimarzio passive PUs but they seem fine.....and the guy told me active PUs are quite similar......!?!?!?!!?i'm lost here

Unlike passive PUs, most active PUs don't offer the capability of coil splitting (meaning turning one coil off, so it becomes a true single coil). In fact I only know of one that can be splitted, EMG 89. That's why if you put your typical active PUs in your typical HH guitar, the 5 way switch won't work like it used to be, ie. there will be dead spots in some position (which is actually desirable for some).

EDIT: about 89s being splittable, see my post below.

 

[neuro182]

Hmm, regarding to the true single coil sound when splitted, I would beg to differ though It is onli emulating single coil sound, but won't exude true single coil tone.

Somebody correct me if I am wrong Thanks.

 

[alamsemu]

I am aware of that

So if you install the correct type of switch, of course no drilling of new holes would be necessary then right?

 

[alamsemu]

Hmm, regarding to the true single coil sound when splitted, I would beg to differ though It is onli emulating single coil sound, but won't exude true single coil tone.

Somebody correct me if I am wrong Thanks.

The tone may not be correct, but electrically, it's TRUE single coil, not emulating. You're corrected.

 

[alamsemu]

Let me be the first person to correct myself. Apparently EMG 89 is not really coil splittable afterall, it's two pickups in one housing. And now I'm not so sure about using a 5 way to coil split with these either.

From EMG's web:

What is the EMG-89?
The EMG-89 is a dual-mode pickup. There is no electronic filtering going on to simulate a coil tap. There are two bona fide pickups in a single humbucking housing. The single coil portion of the EMG-89 is located on the logo side of the pickup. It is identical in sound to the EMG-SA. The humbucking portion is spread across the entire pickup and sounds like the EMG-85. It's perfectly OK to rotate the pickup 180 degrees to locate the single coil portion of the pickup further away from the bridge for a "beefier" tone. You may also order the EMG-89R, which has the single-coil portion located opposite the logo.

Can two EMG-89's be wired to a single push/pull switch?
Each EMG-89 requires it's own double pole/double throw ( DPDT ) switch. For example, if there are two EMG-89's in a guitar, you will need two push/pull pots, two mini toggles, or one of each. The pot portion of the push/pull pot is 25K ohms. It can be wired as a volume control or a tone control. Even though the pot and switch portions of the push/pull pot are physically joined together, they are really two separate circuits.