Need some help with a 3-Way Strat Switch - ...on a Fender St

Anonymous · #1 02-20-2001, 10:59 AM

Hi everyone,
I need some help here...
Yesterday i bought a DiMarizo 3-way switch to install in my Fender Strat (which is using 5-way switch).

But i can't find the wiring diagram for 3-way switches on the DiMarzio website

Anyone can help me?
I need the wiring diagram....

My pickups on the Strat : DiMarzio YJM (Neck) , stock Fender (Middle) , DiMarzio HS-3 (bridge).
So the switch will only select 1 pickup at a time.

Thanks in advance!

James

Two hands31 · #2 02-20-2001, 10:31 PM

I know nothing about the wiring, but I would give anything for a 3-way switch and an extra volume knob! lol *That way you get all 7 pickup combinations:

neck (switch)
bridge (switch)
middle (knob)
neck-middle (switch-knob)
middle-bridge (knob-switch)
neck-bridge (switch)
neck-middle-bridge (switch-knob)

I saw it in a magazine a long time ago and wanna do it! lol

steve · #3 02-20-2001, 10:32 PM

Actually, you just wire it up the same way you'd wire up the 5-way, as they're almost identical switches, except that the 5-way has the detents in the mechanism that allow the in-between positions... So, wire up the 3-way, and it'll select just one at a time, as you desire.
=]

Anonymous · #4 02-21-2001, 02:53 AM

Quote:

Quote: from steve on 5:32 am on Feb. 21, 2001
Actually, you just wire it up the same way you'd wire up the 5-way, as they're almost identical switches, except that the 5-way has the detents in the mechanism that allow the in-between positions... So, wire up the 3-way, and it'll select just one at a time, as you desire.
=]

Cool~~
So i will juz follow the same wiring for both 3-way and 5-way!
*unpacks soldering equipment*

Thanks!!

steve · #5 02-22-2001, 11:13 PM

My pleasure. One of the things from long ago that fascinated me when I realized the near-sameness of the 3 and 5-way switches.
I actually eventually read something somewhere that said that the original Str*ts had 3-ways in them, and folks would do a little bending and notching in the pickguard, and force the 3-way to stick in the in-between positions for that special sound...

Anonymous · #6 02-22-2001, 11:25 PM

Hey Steve, i completed the 3-way switch wiring already!
I even swop the middle tone knob to control the bridge Pickup

But the 3-way switch feels kinda stiff, any tips to smoothen it?

James

steve · #7 02-24-2001, 02:09 AM

Good deal - good to go.
As for the stiffness, that for one thing is the newness of the switch. That, and it has to travel a lot further to get to the next notch, so it's 'different' in feel.
However, just working it in will help.
One other thing that might make a small difference is a spritz of contact-cleaner on the contact points at the back/inside of the switch - they may be resisting the levering action a tad. Try a touch and see. You probably won't notice much or any difference from that, though.
Is the lever binding in the slot at all?
There is a more drastic way to loosen it up, but I can't really recommend it - but let me know if a spritz of cleaner doesn't help, and perhaps you'll choose to dig a bit deeper (bit 'o' bending... =])