Independent tone for JPM wiring

[nlinny]

Anybody know how you would wire two independent tone controls into JPM type circuit? I am actually using a 3-way tele switch instead of the Dimarzio toggle, but the coil selects are the same (i.e bridge humbucker/inside coils/neck humbucker).
I currently have a tone control wired to the switch where the leads for the two coils of the humbucker are tied together. So, there is pot each for both the neck and bridge pickups.

-In the middle position of the switch, the tone controls seem to function correctly; rolling back each pot rolls off the treble for each coil.

-In either the bridge or neck position, rolling back their respective pot seems to only roll off the treble of one coil. It is as if the resonant frequency of the pickup changes, I still get the treble, but something in the midrange rolls off. It actually sounds pretty cool to me but for the neck pickup, I'm looking for the traditional treble rolloff.

Please note that I am looking for TWO independent tone controls so that I can say, preset the neck with the treble rolled off and go from bridge with full treble to neck with no treble using the switch only (not switch followed by tone control).

Thanks!
-Nelson

[Vim Fuego]

OK sounds as though you've put a tone control on the coil tap wires, not conventional by any means, but maybe a cool option...
The easiest way to get two conventional tone pots is to wire them in *before* the selector switch (like on a Les Paul which also has the volumes wired before the switch), however without knowing the rest of the circuit, I cannot tell you how they will work in the centre single coil position of the selector, it depends how the coil taps are done.
Jim

[nlinny]

Jim, thanks for replying!

Wiring is like the bottom diagram (For guitars with humbuckers that have a coil-tap or series-link...):

http://www.stewmac.com/freeinfo/Elec...es/i-3191.html

with the exception of a tone pot connected to each coil split lug on the switch.

Not sure how I can wire the tone pots before the selector switch without turning them into master tone controls.

[Vim Fuego]

The best I can do is this:

In this example I've connected a tone pot between one of the full humbucker wires and ground. This will give you the correct operation when this pickup is selected only.
You'd need to add the equivalent pot between the other pickup humbucker wire and ground to give you an independent tone for that pickup. (I left that off the diagram for clarity)
When you select the two pickup coil tapped option, neither tone control will work!
Jim

[nlinny]

Thanks Jim!

I should add that the other sound I'm looking for is the middle position with either tone rolled off (with distortion, it sounds like a wah pedal in mid position). With my current wiring I can get that since the tone pot is controlling the split coils, and I can preset the neck with the tone rolled off and leave the bridge wide open.

With regards to your wiring diagram (awesome piece of work BTW), what will happen if you jumpered the lug that the tone pot is connected to, to the lug next to it? The tone pot should function in the middle position (coils split)also then, right? Or am I missing something...

[Vim Fuego]

Trouble is, if you jumper the two lugs together, you'd coil tap the humbucker all the time, even when selected on its own!
Still thinking about it, not come up with a better idea yet!
Jim

[nlinny]

Shucks, I knew that... honestly!
I'm thinking the solution may be to run concentric pots for the tone controls. One pot for the lug you suggested, one for the lug next to it, and so on for the other pickup. Each pot can be preset so that a flick of the switch is all that is needed, kind of like the Fender Jaguar with its rhythm circuit.

Thanks for you help Jim!

[Vim Fuego]

Ok Final option connect the neck pickup as in my diagram, connect a tone pot to the bridge pickup coil tap lug (as I think you already have). What you get is this...

1) Neck pickup - Normal tone control. Only active when this pickup is selected on it's own.
2) Both pickups, coil tapped - second independent tone control acts normally on the pair of coils as mentioned in you first post.
3) Bridge pickup - Tone control in 2 now acts only on one coil of humbucker as for your first post.

Upshot:
Neck Position - dedicated conventional tone.
Middle position - conventional tone.
Bridge position - middle position tone now acts differently.

Jim

[nlinny]

That's it! Perfect, elegant solution. The bonus is I just simply move one wire.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH, JIM!