San Dimas Production Mod - Push/Pull Volume Coil Tap

[thesparkeffect]

Hi there, so I finally have a San Dimas Style 1 - Sea Sick green which I am happy with the neck pocket (returned my original and picked up a replacement from another dealer).

I wanted to check into replacing the volume with a push/pull coil tap. Chubtone - I believe you did this on your So Cal. What pot did you settle on?

Given this is a San Dimas, do you think I might have depth issues or should this be a relatively easy swap? Does this only allow me to tap into one of the humbuckers or both (considering combining this with the three way selector)?

Thanks as always for the help, though I have played guitar for quite some time, I am just starting to open the hood to become more acquainted with what makes my guitars tick and what flexibility I have to perform minor mods.

[Newc]

You should have plenty of room in the cavity. Only issue I've run across is with the SoCals - they use a pot with a larger shaft and short threaded portion, so most replacement pots will not fit the hole as tightly as the original.

[Zaneus]

All the more reason to replace the ugly stock pick guard!

As for the coil split, it depends how you wire it. You can have it split either the neck or bridge humbucker, or both at the same time. Fairly easy to do too, there are a bunch of diagrams online for this.

[beachjammer]

Are both pickups in the SD-1 four conductor? Seems like they have a duncan 59 in the neck and most of those are only two conductor.

[Zaneus]

I know the 59 comes in a four conductor and dual conductor design, typically you need to get the four conductor 'special' as it's considered a mod of the original design. Can someone confirm if the 59 in the charvels are four conductors? I'd imagine they are, but i can't be sure

[Grandturk]

Four conductor on the 59 in the Charvel. Confirmed.

[thesparkeffect]

Thanks guys, this is a big help. I will pickup a replacement pot and check out some wiring diagrams and have a play with my configuration options. I will report my results. This is new territory for me so I am excited to dive in.

[beachjammer]

I used a Dimarzio push/pull 500k pot for my So Cal and printed a schematic from Seymour Duncan's website that worked great.

[thesparkeffect]

Thanks beachjammer, I will head over to Seymour Duncan's website and also have a look at picking up the Dimarzio push/pull 500. Much appreciated!

[The Rossness]

I coil tapped the pickups in my SD1 without a problem.

[charvel750]

In my Pagan Gold Tele the '59 was dual conductor, no coil tap wire. Doesn't matter, I replaced them with Carvin M22SD's and tapped the bridge.

[zarl]

Also, might want to consider Seymour Duncan Triple Shot rings. I put a set of creme ones on my Sea Sick Charvel with the PRails. But they work just as well with the stock JB/59 pickups. It allows any and all combinations of coil split, parallel, and series wiring configurations. I might pick up another set of Triple Shots for the Duncans that came out of the Sea Sick for my Warmoth build.

[Harmonious]

Such a shame they don't do this as standard. I would love to have mine coil tapped, but have no idea how to do it

[Newc]

There's basically 2 ways to split a Duncan - short the red+white to ground or swap the black and red+white between the hot of the toggle switch. Only difference it makes is which coil is active, and there's minimal tonal difference.

Your best bet is to get a TripleShot. Just be sure to watch the installation video on the Duncan site - it shows you how to do it without cutting the pickup wires too short.

[DonP]

Originally Posted by charvel750

In my Pagan Gold Tele the '59 was dual conductor, no coil tap wire. Doesn't matter, I replaced them with Carvin M22SD's and tapped the bridge.

My 2005 SL2H had a 2 conductor 59n also. I just tapped the JB only.