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JEM switch info

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3K views 9 replies 6 participants last post by  cradlecorpse 
#1 ·
Hello, I just purchased a guitar that I am building in to basically a JEM. I've ordered the correct Dimarzio pickups but when looking at the wiring diagrams I ran in to a problem. Apparently they have some really odd double pole switch. I have never seen this before. The pickup configuration and function looks to be the same as my S670. Neck humbucker, neck coil split and middle, middle, middle and bridge coil split and bridge humbucker. So, why the special switch? I found them but they are like $50. What is the purpose of the special switch if it functions the same as a standard 5 way? I can't find an answer so I figured I would come here to ask.
 
#2 ·
Yeah man those switches are definitely expensive. You can achieve the same thing with a fender super switch though. They're normally around $20. Unless you're set on making it officially like a jem. You wouldn't hear a difference with the fender switch. Really any switch that allows you to auto coil split will work. Even a 540s switch
 
#5 ·
On the Dimarzio website you can find wiring diagrams that have the switches for Ibanez guitars, Jem's and Universe as well. I have the original 96 Ibanez Universe Green Green and black and have been trying to get it back to decent shape. I repainted it because I didn't like the massive chip on the arm wrest and bought a replacement bridge from Ibanez Universe. I just finally got a replacement Blaze (I sort of destroyed/ disassembled it the original) and put that back in place of the D Activator I did have in it. Only problem I had was some how I put the 2 and 4 position in phase reverse. I still got to figure out what I did wrong. Anyways yeah it had this weird VLX 53 switch in it, which I suppose newer Ibanez guitars don't have. The newer ones have a VLX 91 I believe if my memory serves me, but I didn't check every Ibanez wiring diagram on the Dimarzio site.
 
#7 ·
Well, it is not entirely impossible, but if you mean to find them in a guitar these days than yeah you are probably right. Edit sorry reread that and saw I misinterpreted what you said lol. Yeah, most probably all have the VLX91 now, when I was looking through the Dimarzio Ibanez schematics they all pretty much had the VLX91 in them.

I actually found the company that sells the VLX53 named Hosco. I guess if anyone wants to get one go here.

https://www.hosco.co.jp/en/electronics-parts/switches/lever-switches/vlx53.html
 
#8 ·
The only problem with 53's is they haven't made them in 20 years. They're all old stock so all the cases are starting to get "color" to them in some spots.

Ibanez uses products that come off the parts list of some manufacturer. Very rarely is anything made specifically for them so you can find the same thing somewhere else and save the Ibanez markup, because there definitely is one.
 
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