Members Notes_Norton Posted June 13, 2019 Members Share Posted June 13, 2019 OK I can take a saxophone apart (hundreds of pieces) and put it together, but this is my first adventure with a broken guitar. I have a Parker Maxxfly USA made guitar. The pickup switch is a blade but the switch that selects either the magnetic pickups, piezo pickup or both is a toggle.The mag/piezo toggle fell apart. From what I can see it looks like two switches with a nylon probe between them attached to the toggle. In the center position both switches seem to be closed with two metal blades touching each other. When the switch is moved to either extreme, it separates the blades on the opposite side, leaving only one side closed. Is this a DPDT on/on/on switch? If not, please correct me. (I've been googling but since my local guitar store doesn't have a replacement and I have to have it sent to me, I want to make sure I get it right the first time). The nut that holds it to the guitar, thus I assume the hole is 7/16" - at least by holding it up to a ruler. What would you recommend for the sturdiest, most reliable replacement? Thanks: The guitar, the switch farthest from the neck is the one in question. [ATTACH=JSON]{"data-align":"none","data-size":"full","title":"NN08_right.jpg","data-attachmentid":32534317}[/ATTACH] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members badpenguin Posted June 13, 2019 Members Share Posted June 13, 2019 ok, a DPDT on/on/on looks like this electrically. notice there are 2 types. [ATTACH=JSON]{"alt":"Click image for larger version Name:\tSwitches2_Diag_4.gif Views:\t1 Size:\t16.0 KB ID:\t32534368","data-align":"none","data-attachmentid":"32534368","data-size":"full"}[/ATTACH]In the first position, it would be the mag pickups. ( the Duncans) middle, both, 3rd would be just the piezo. When you buy a replacement, determine which one you have with a meter, then the middle lugs would be the output, and the opposite corners, the pickup choice. Hope that helps ya and your sick baby! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Mr.Grumpy Posted June 14, 2019 Members Share Posted June 14, 2019 It would have been more helpful to take a picture of the switch from behind... From what I can see it looks like two switches with a nylon probe between them attached to the toggle. In the center position both switches seem to be closed with two metal blades touching each other. When the switch is moved to either extreme, it separates the blades on the opposite side, leaving only one side closed. Badpenguin is wrong. What you're describing sounds exactly like a "Les Paul style" pickup switch. Switchcraft is considered the best brand to use. https://www.stewmac.com/Pickups_and_Electronics/Components_and_Parts/Switches/Switchcraft_Toggle_Switches.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members badpenguin Posted June 14, 2019 Members Share Posted June 14, 2019 Sorry Mr. Grumpy, I don't think so. As he stated the blade switch is the pickup switch. (3 or 5 way blade). AND upon reading his post again and again, you may be right in using a Switchcraft Paul toggle. Opps, my bad. But still right! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Notes_Norton Posted June 14, 2019 Author Members Share Posted June 14, 2019 Sorry Mr. Grumpy, I don't think so. As he stated the blade switch is the pickup switch. (3 or 5 way blade). AND upon reading his post again and again, you may be right in using a Switchcraft Paul toggle. Opps, my bad. But still right! Thanks. Is this what I want? https://www.stewmac.com/Pickups_and_Electronics/Components_and_Parts/Switches/Switchcraft_Toggle_Switches.html Bob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members badpenguin Posted June 14, 2019 Members Share Posted June 14, 2019 Yes, either the tall or short. The wire from the blade switch goes to one tab, the piezo, the other, and the output the middle set of lugs Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Notes_Norton Posted June 15, 2019 Author Members Share Posted June 15, 2019 The switch I have has more lands than the LP switch, Here are pictures:[ATTACH=JSON]{"data-align":"none","data-size":"full","title":"Parker_Switch_001.jpg","data-attachmentid":32535364}[/ATTACH] [ATTACH=JSON]{"data-align":"none","data-size":"full","title":"Parker_Switch_002.jpg","data-attachmentid":32535365}[/ATTACH] [ATTACH=JSON]{"data-align":"none","data-size":"full","title":"Parker_Switch_004.jpg","data-attachmentid":32535366}[/ATTACH] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members badpenguin Posted June 15, 2019 Members Share Posted June 15, 2019 Nope, that's an LP switch. the 2 outside tabs are for input, the inner two tabs, are for the output. And the ground is the thick center tab. On a LP, the inner two tabs are soldered together. Whenever I hear of a switch for switching between electric and acoustic pickups, I tend to think of the box switch described earlier. Sorry for the earlier confusion. Ok, wait. it looks like the outside tabs are wired to ground. And the inner tabs would be for the input from the pickups….. Which, can't be right. It doesn't make sense to me. Can you get a pic of the cavity where it came out of, and the wiring? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Notes_Norton Posted June 15, 2019 Author Members Share Posted June 15, 2019 Yes, the two back wires are definitely ground, inside there is a red and a blue that go to the preamp inside the cavity, as the Piezo requires a preamp. I'm gigging this weekend, I'll try to take the back off and post a picture. There are 2 leaf switches in there operated by one toggle (excuse the crude schematic drawing) [ATTACH=JSON]{"data-align":"none","data-size":"full","title":"Parker_Switch_005.jpg","data-attachmentid":32535495}[/ATTACH] In the center position, the two discreet switches are closed. When the toggle switch moves to either left or right extreme, it opens the circuit by bending the ground leaf away from the preamp lead. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members mrbrown49 Posted June 15, 2019 Members Share Posted June 15, 2019 Looks like a standard lp type switch. actually it looks like this gotoh onehttps://guitarelectronics.com/gotoh-3-way-guitar-toggle-switch-black-chrome/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators daddymack Posted June 15, 2019 Moderators Share Posted June 15, 2019 looks like a standard Switchcraft toggle...depending on your cavity depth, I generally prefer the short leaf model myself. What happened to the existing one? I have had to 'adjust' the spring arms on the cheaper versions, but I have never seen one 'fall apart'. Is this your 'Custom' Parker? Have you contacted them? The nut is a 7/16", the hole should be 1/4", which is standard. you should be able to find a Switchcraft on e-Bay or on Amazon for less than StewMac's prices...the nut and the plastic toggle tip are interchangeable [unless you get a metric version], so don't worry that the new one has a chrome nut/shaft and white tip. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Notes_Norton Posted June 16, 2019 Author Members Share Posted June 16, 2019 Parker is out of business, and the forum is almost dead. It's a shame that not enough people realized the worth of these guitars. And yes, this is my custom pickup configuration, but the piezo/mag switch is the same. And no, it isn't a standard switch. The standard has 3 solder leads, this one has four. I contacted Stew-Mac and am waiting for a response. If I can get black I will, but chrome doesn't bother me either. Notes Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members mrbrown49 Posted June 16, 2019 Members Share Posted June 16, 2019 Parker is out of business, and the forum is almost dead. It's a shame that not enough people realized the worth of these guitars. And yes, this is my custom pickup configuration, but the piezo/mag switch is the same. And no, it isn't a standard switch. The standard has 3 solder leads, this one has four. I contacted Stew-Mac and am waiting for a response. If I can get black I will, but chrome doesn't bother me either. Notes Take a look at the link I posted above. Exact same switch. 4 tabs plus the ground. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Notes_Norton Posted June 17, 2019 Author Members Share Posted June 17, 2019 Take a look at the link I posted above. Exact same switch. 4 tabs plus the ground. You're right. Thanks for giving me a second heads-up. I looked at it wrong the first time, and it looked like the two closest ones were one. This looks exactly like what I'm looking for. I'll check it out and see if they have it in 7/16" size. Thanks again. Bob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members mrbrown49 Posted June 17, 2019 Members Share Posted June 17, 2019 You're right. Thanks for giving me a second heads-up. I looked at it wrong the first time, and it looked like the two closest ones were one. This looks exactly like what I'm looking for. I'll check it out and see if they have it in 7/16" size. Thanks again. Bob That's the right size. It's a metric part so it requires about a 12mm hole, so yeah, it'll fit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Notes_Norton Posted June 18, 2019 Author Members Share Posted June 18, 2019 Even on a USA built guitar? 12mm and 7/16 are really close. It should work. Thanks.Bob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Notes_Norton Posted June 25, 2019 Author Members Share Posted June 25, 2019 When the new switch described above I was flummoxed. I got my other Parker DF back from my cousin. I had loaned it to him. I took apart the guitar and looked at the intact piezo/mag switch. It didn't operate at all like I thought it did when I tried to hold the one together that came apart on my main DF. It seems in the center position both circuits are open. Flipping the switch to either side closes one of the two switches. So I assume that when the circuit is closed, the preamp opens that circuit, perhaps by a gated diode or something (It's been a long time since I took electronics courses in school). So here is the proper schematic [ATTACH=JSON]{"data-align":"none","data-size":"full","title":"Parker_Switch_DF.jpg","data-attachmentid":32541126}[/ATTACH] The middle arrow is the toggle, and is not a conducting part of the circuit. Pardon the mouse drawn schematics, using "Paint" is something I have no practice with. I sent this to Stew-Mac to see what they can reommend. Insights and incites by Notes Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Mr.Grumpy Posted June 26, 2019 Members Share Posted June 26, 2019 t seems in the center position both circuits are open. Flipping the switch to either side closes one of the two switches. So I assume that when the circuit is closed, the preamp opens that circuit, perhaps by a gated diode or something (It's been a long time since I took electronics courses in school). I was going to tell you you're crazy, that your Parker's switching scheme couldn't possibly work like this, ect, ect.... But, nope, you are correct. It's not standard Les Paul type pickup switch. I looked up several wiring diagrams for Parkers, and it appears at least some models use a buffered blend preamp, and the magnetic/piezo/both function works by grounding out either or none of the pickups' inputs. Not sure why they would do it this way. It's really hard to see from a "diagram" as opposed to a true electronic schematic, where things like what switches are actually doing is less ambiguous. Cliff notes: 1) You'll have to get Parker's original special switch, OR 2) Re-wire it so you can use a standard LP-type pickup switch. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Notes_Norton Posted June 26, 2019 Author Members Share Posted June 26, 2019 Stew-Mac tech help says try this: https://www.stewmac.com/Pickups_and_Electronics/Pedal_Kits_and_Parts/Mini_Toggle_Switches_SPDT.html the on/off/on model. #7465 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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