Guitar Gear Forum

Greetings.

I am re-wiring a Strat, new pickups, pots,jack,etc. I purchased a Megaswitch after getting 2 consecutive CRL 5-way switches, which bound up after installing. The instructions for wiring the Megaswitch leave much to be desired. They don't show a diagram on how to wire this thing up for one volume, and two tone controls. I even checked out the Schaller(manufacturer) website, and it had even LESS info concerning hook up options. I have emailed Stew Mac, and Schaller concerning this, and have had no replies.

Does anybody know how to hook this up, concerning one volume, and two tone controls ? Perhaps a tech could figure this out, but I am not a tech. It seems that "easy to follow instructions" are a thing of the past. I would sure appreciate ANY help in this regard.

I have already tried standard Strat wiring considering the controls, and that left me with no tone control. I even combined the 2 diagrams from the instructions from Stew Mac(one showing one volume and one tone, with a diagram showing two tone controls hooked together, and that gave me no tone control as well). I have checked, and re-checked everything for continuity, and good grounding. I'm at a loss. I have already dis-assembled more than I like to do, as too much heat isn't good for the plastic part of the Megaswitch, and the copper traces could "lift" if I do much more.The switch isn't cheap($28.00 plus shipping).

ANY suggestions, advice, or especially a diagram would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance. Tonequester.

(delurking...)

the two tone controls on a Strat are like 'taps' on the neck and middle pickups, bleeding some of the output off those pickups when those pickups are on.

here's a diagram (look at the left panel only) where that is achieved using switching.



but switching doesn't have to be used to achieve that. instead, the tone controls could be soldered straight to the hot wire for each respective pickup.

so if you connect each tone control to the same tab on the Megaswitch as you are connecting that pickup's hot wire, that should give you Strat configuration. (neck tone control wire to neck pickup hot tab on Megaswitch; middle tone wire to middle pickup hot tab.)

you didn't say what model of Megaswitch you're using, but it should not matter.