How does an RG 5 position switch work?

Jongpil Yun · 01-04-2008, 06:00 PM

Yeah, I have no idea. I figure position 1 = neck, 3 = neck+bridge, 5 = bridge, but what about 2 and 4? I'm rather confused because on my RG, position 1 is relatively noisy, 2 is dead quiet, 3 and 4 are also noisy, with 4 being the noisiest, and 5 is also quiet. I've completely fallen in love with position 4 for a clean tone, but I have no idea what it is, and I may rewire/insulate the thing later to get rid of the noise

jaxadam · 01-04-2008, 08:06 PM

Typically, 2 and 4 are one coil of the bridge or neck, respectively, with the single coil, and they usually provide great tones for clean work.

xXcondemnedXx · 01-04-2008, 08:45 PM

and i think 3 are the center coils activated, so kinda like a middle humbucker (i think)

Jongpil Yun · 01-04-2008, 09:46 PM

I should mention that this is on my 7620, which being a two humbucker guitar, has no middle single coil.

ohio_eric · 01-04-2008, 10:07 PM

Usually Ibanez five way switches work something like this.

1. Neck pickup in series
2. Neck pickup in parallel
3 Both pickups on in series
4 The inner coils of both humbuckers
5. Bridge pickup in series

One note on some older Ibanezes position 4 is the coils closest to the neck of both pickups.

ibznorange · 01-04-2008, 11:16 PM

Eric got it. position 2 = best lead position ever with a high output pickup

shadowgenesis · 01-04-2008, 11:33 PM

on my SA the wiring diagram showed position two as BOTH pickups in parallel. though that could have been a mistake

ibznorange · 01-05-2008, 04:27 AM

its possible. what year is your sa?

scott from _actual time_ · 01-05-2008, 07:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ohio_eric

Usually Ibanez five way switches work something like this.

1. Neck pickup in series
2. Neck pickup in parallel
3 Both pickups on in series
4 The inner coils of both humbuckers
5. Bridge pickup in series

yep, those are the combinations from the ibanez "special 5-way" used for two humbuckers. and all those positions are humbucking too, so if they are buzzy on your guitar, Jongpil, then whoever changed the pickups didn't wire them up right.

Quote:

One note on some older Ibanezes position 4 is the coils closest to the neck of both pickups.

only if someone didn't do the rewiring right!

some techs change position 4 to that because they don't realize that they have to flip the neck pickup magnet, in some neck pickups, to get the position 4 inner coils to be humbucking. so they change position 4 to both neck coils because, with the neck magnet in the wrong orientation, that will hum-cancel.

scott from _actual time_ · 01-05-2008, 07:38 AM

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01-04-2008, 06:00 PM	#1 (permalink)
Jongpil Yun Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Seattle, WA Posts: 2,059 Real Name: JP Main Seven: RG 7620 (VK) Thanked: 22	How does an RG 5 position switch work? Yeah, I have no idea. I figure position 1 = neck, 3 = neck+bridge, 5 = bridge, but what about 2 and 4? I'm rather confused because on my RG, position 1 is relatively noisy, 2 is dead quiet, 3 and 4 are also noisy, with 4 being the noisiest, and 5 is also quiet. I've completely fallen in love with position 4 for a clean tone, but I have no idea what it is, and I may rewire/insulate the thing later to get rid of the noise

01-04-2008, 08:45 PM	#3 (permalink)
xXcondemnedXx Jesters Rule Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: New Zealand Posts: 141 Real Name: Joseph Main Seven: RG7321 Thanked: 2	and i think 3 are the center coils activated, so kinda like a middle humbucker (i think) Lazy, Bored and Hungry...Seeking band and girlfriend

01-04-2008, 10:07 PM	#5 (permalink)
ohio_eric He loves you Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Ohio Posts: 7,479 Main Seven: Schecter Jeff Loomis Sig Rig: Boss GT-8 Thanked: 148	Usually Ibanez five way switches work something like this. 1. Neck pickup in series 2. Neck pickup in parallel 3 Both pickups on in series 4 The inner coils of both humbuckers 5. Bridge pickup in series One note on some older Ibanezes position 4 is the coils closest to the neck of both pickups. The only proof he needed for the existance of God was music. Kurt Vonnegut Jr. Without music, life would be a mistake. Friedrich Nietzsche

01-04-2008, 11:16 PM	#6 (permalink)
ibznorange Chief Officer/RHLC © Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: AZ Posts: 7,422 Real Name: Max Main Seven: Ir now Sevenless :squint: Main ERG: A Dead Cat Rig: Mesa Rectoverb Combo Thanked: 46	Eric got it. position 2 = best lead position ever with a high output pickup Reverse Headstocks or Bust Dude...i just got a spam email that was titled "Funky date rape trick" -Zepp88 I just got another funny email "Her pussy smiled at me" -Zepp88 Don't tell me you haven't heard of Raptor Jesus It's important that you know this information :headnod: It will decide your fate when we are pwned. -JoeOvChaos I was going KAT KAT KAT KAT and you were going KAT... chk... KAT... chk-die. -TomAwesome

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01-04-2008, 08:06 PM	#2 (permalink)
jaxadam ss.org Regular Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Jacksonville, FL Posts: 519 Real Name: Adam Main Seven: JC 8527, HRG4-BX Rig: Mesa stuff Thanked: 4	Typically, 2 and 4 are one coil of the bridge or neck, respectively, with the single coil, and they usually provide great tones for clean work.

01-04-2008, 09:46 PM	#4 (permalink)
Jongpil Yun Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Seattle, WA Posts: 2,059 Real Name: JP Main Seven: RG 7620 (VK) Thanked: 22	I should mention that this is on my 7620, which being a two humbucker guitar, has no middle single coil.

01-04-2008, 11:33 PM	#7 (permalink)
shadowgenesis Yarrrrrr Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Bed Sty, Brooklyn, Ny Posts: 1,291 Real Name: dAN Rig: ? Thanked: 14	on my SA the wiring diagram showed position two as BOTH pickups in parallel. though that could have been a mistake "I have a koala bear infestation in my apartment. It's the cutest infestation ever. Way better than cockroaches..."

01-05-2008, 04:27 AM	#8 (permalink)
ibznorange Chief Officer/RHLC © Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: AZ Posts: 7,422 Real Name: Max Main Seven: Ir now Sevenless :squint: Main ERG: A Dead Cat Rig: Mesa Rectoverb Combo Thanked: 46	its possible. what year is your sa?

01-05-2008, 07:38 AM	#10 (permalink)
scott from _actual time_ grumpy old man Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Virginia, USA Posts: 745 Main Seven: Ibanez LACS RG7 Thanked: 8	--

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How does an RG 5 position switch work?