5 way Strat PU selector in an SG?

[GuitarDoc]

I have a 3 PU SG Custom that I would like to put a 5 way selector into (hate the way these are set up from the factory with the 3 way LP type selector and 3 vol pots). I plan on having a single vol pot and one tone pot. In one of the left over control holes (vol) I plan on putting a "blowout" switch to bypass the vol & tone circuit to go directly to the output jack. In the other empty hole (tone) I am going to put a coil splitter switch for the bridge PU.

I've got no problem figuring out the wiring scheme, but I was wondering how to mount the selector switch (blade with need for a slot rather than a round hole). It won't fit in the existing 3 way switch hole without some modification, which I can do, but how to finish it off to make it look nice is my question.

Anyone do this?

Anyone got any suggestions?

[Grandturk]

Suggestion - rotary 5-way switch, as per PRS.

Alternative - push pulls to serve as individual on/off switches for each pickup.

Alternative - add a toggle in one of the tone control holes to turn middle pickup on/off

I wouldn't route a blade style switch in there. The SG's got a lot of controls all in one place as it is.

[jeremy]

i think a rotary switch would be the way to go. maybe even a 6 way rotary with the 6th position the bridge pup staight to the jack as your blower position

[GuitarDoc]

Rotary may be the best way to go. So if I get a 6 position rotary switch, that 6th position could be used for bridge + neck, right? So I would have:
1. bridge
2. bridge + middle
3. middle
4. middle + neck
5. neck
6. neck + bridge

Then would I just need a 6 position 2 pole switch (as opposed to a 6 pos 4 pole)?

[blueman335]

I agree about the factory wiring on HHH guitars. Truly uninspired. 6 coils and so few options. If you're using 3 HB's, you'd get better tones with coil cuts and combining coils in various configurations. I'd wire in some coil cuts to the rotary, or use a push-pull or two for coil cut. Combinations of HB's aren't all that thrilling.

In my SG Custom:
1) I used Phat Cat in the middle slot.

2) I wired the bridge HB with it's own 250K volume & tone pots. Both of those are push-pulls, one for coil cut, the other for phase. This also allows me to change which coil is on during coil cut.

3)For the neck & middle, I gave them a shared 500K blend pot for volume (at the center detent both are on equally, turning it decreases one PU or the other), and a common 500K tone pot. The tone pot is a push-pull for coil cut for the neck HB.

If you want to have a lot of PU options, this gives a couple dozen. Changes between bridge & middle (or bridge and neck) are just a flip on the toggle.

[GuitarDoc]

I've got a Custom8 in the bridge, a GFS Mean 90 in the middle and a Classic '57 in the neck so the C8 is the only one I can split. I have it mounted on a Triple Shot ring right now, but I find I only like it either full series hum or split to the adjustable coil so I'm goint to take out the TS (because it is bulkier than the other rings and doesn't look quite right) and use a split switch.

I decided on the 6 position rotary switch so I can get neck + bridge combination.

Thanks guys for your comments and help.