wiring a double neck

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Permalink Reply by David L. on July 17, 2012 at 4:18am

What pickups are you using? Magnetic, piezo, both? How many pickups per circuit (bass and 3 string)?

For the output jacks I tend to use switchable jack sockets which give you the option of sending the bass and 3string output to different amps or both signals to one amp if you use 1 jack plug.

Do you want to be able to turn off the bass circuit or the 3string circuit when using the other to cut down on the risk of getting sound when you catch the strings to the circuit not in use?

Seymour Duncan has loads of wiring diagrams http://www.seymourduncan.com/support/wiring-diagrams/
for ideas. Two pickups, 2 vol, 2tone and a 3 way between them is a typical Les Paul set up so check out the humbucker options as a starting point.

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Permalink Reply by bill briefcase on July 17, 2012 at 5:08pm

thanks david great advise, it looks like i have a couple of more questions to answer myself. i am using magnetic pickups one pick up per circuit, i was thinking of having both circuits on at the same time all the time, but that does sound like it could be a little noisy. 

can i use maybe two separate circuits and two separate  jacks and when i want to play both  i could use one of those two jack leads that blend into one lead to the amp.? i will look into the seymour duncan wiring diagrams and see if i can upscale myself to working out three way switches etc.

thanks again for your help, much appreciated...

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Permalink Reply by David L. on July 17, 2012 at 6:14pm

Page 6 of the artec sound wiring book shows a 2pickup diagram with a vol tone for each.
http://artecsound.com/wiring/wiring_book01.pdf
If you were to use this rather than having to keep switching amp cables the 3way would let you select the pickup in use (or both if you are switching between bass and 3string during a song). Using an extra switchable jack before the 3way switch would still let you have the option of playing the pickups to different amps but unless a cable is plugged in the signal follows the normal pathway and would work as per the above diagram.
If you are interested in this idea it is simple to do - I can post a photo of the jack I mean in the morning UK time :0)

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Permalink Reply by bill briefcase on July 17, 2012 at 6:29pm

thanks david that would be great. i will check out article, off to walk the dog in morning sunshine here, have a good one...

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Permalink Reply by David L. on July 18, 2012 at 4:32am

Switchable jacks come in stereo or mono types - I tend to use stereo as the extra connection gives more grip to the jack plug (you just ignore connecting to the middle lug)

 They have a springy inverted L which connects to the other side so when not plugged in the signal passes as though it isn't there.  When a jack plug is inserted it lifts the arm of the inverted L shape so the signal goes to the jack plug.

I buy them from a UK seller but if you cannot find them locally you can get them off ebay - cheapest I could find with a quick search

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2pcs-1-4-Audio-Stereo-Female-Panel-Mount-...

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Permalink Reply by Bill Brown on December 8, 2012 at 7:05pm

I want to build this also. I googled "double neck cigar bass" and saw this. I have P bass pickups to use for bass. Will check back from time to time. Still in planning stage.

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