Epiphone SG G-400 Pro Selector Switch

[Tangyman]

Hi everyone,

I recently bought an Epiphone SG G-400 Pro with the push/pull pots, but I have a question relating to the middle pickup selector position.

Basically, if I completely roll off the volume of one pickup in the middle position, there is no signal output, even if the other pickup is at full volume (or anything but off).

On my old Epiphone SG (the '61 reissue model, which I no longer own) I was sure that the middle selector switch position enabled one to do a "killswitch" type effect by completely rolling off the volume of one of pickups (say the neck position) and moving from the middle position to the "off" neck position (so the middle position outputted the volume of the bridge pickup).

Can someone advise whether the SG Pro should be doing this, or is it an issue with the wiring?

Thanks in advance.

 

[Paruwi]

Basically, if I completely roll off the volume of one pickup in the middle position, there is no signal output, even if the other pickup is at full volume (or anything but off).

that's how they're wired, totally normal
each volume works like a 'master'

I think it can be changed easy
some other members will tell you how to do it

and

Welcome here @ €piTalk

 

[Tangyman]

that's how they're wired, totally normal
each volume works like a 'master'

I think it can be changed easy
some other members will tell you how to do it

and

Welcome here @ €piTalk

Thanks for the confirmation and the welcome!

I just couldn't recall how my other SG worked as it was 15 years ago since I had it, but it must have been the same because all my other Epiphones (Les Pauls) have been the same as this SG.

Thanks again and I will probably leave the guitar as it is as I don't even use the "killswitch" style toggling very much, and can just do it from treble/rhythm to mid position with one pickup rolled off.

 

[BGood]

What you are trying to do and what you used to do sound exactly the same to me. You have one dead pickup on both explainations. It's only that the kill switch position is staggered.

On your new Pro, when bridge pup full on, neck off, middle will act as a kill switch.
Neck pup full on, bridge off, middle will act as a kill switch.

And ... if we don't see that G400 of yours, we might be inclined to think that it does not exist.

EDIT: I guess I wrote this at the same time you answered Paruwi.

 

[Tangyman]

What you are trying to do and what you used to do sound exactly the same to me. You have one dead pickup on both explainations. It's only that the kill switch position is staggered.

It is very similar but, like you say, it uses, a different switch position. The point was that I thought my old SG had a full blend of both pickups in the middle position, i.e. even if one pickup was fully off it would still output the other pickup at whatever volume it was, set at.

And ... if we don't see that G40 of yours, we might be inclined to think that it does not exist.

I will put some photos up for you. The fretboard has a lovely colour to it, and the binding on it is a nice touch (even though I wasn't keen on it at first).

 

[Tangyman]

What you are trying to do and what you used to do sound exactly the same to me. You have one dead pickup on both explainations. It's only that the kill switch position is staggered.

On your new Pro, when bridge pup full on, neck off, middle will act as a kill switch.
Neck pup full on, bridge off, middle will act as a kill switch.

And ... if we don't see that G400 of yours, we might be inclined to think that it does not exist.

EDIT: I guess I wrote this at the same time you answered Paruwi.

Here are a few photos of the SG Pro, along with one with the Toby Deluxe IV, which my wife now plays for our band.

 

[BGood]

I like that strike in the rosewood and those deep bevels.

 

[Tangyman]

I like that strike in the rosewood and those deep bevels.

It's beautiful, isn't it? I was lucky to get one so unique, but am glad I did.

The fretboard plays really well, and I lowered the action to make it even more playable and 11s feel like 9s on it to me.

I dropped the pickups down a good 1/4 inch and the sound has much more body to it than the factory setting.

I am not too keen on the single coil sound from the push/pull pickups, but on the middle position with the bridge pup on single and the volume down you can get some nice tones which I never expected from an SG.

It is one of the best guitars I have played and I was pleasantly surprised with the overall build quality as there are some nice features like the wire stops on the bridge to stop it falling off when restringing or cleaning, and they even added a layer of shielding on the electronics box cover, which is a nice touch for a guitar in this price range.

I will get a video together so you can hear it too and see what you think.

 

[Richard Kanarian]

Hi everyone,

I recently bought an Epiphone SG G-400 Pro with the push/pull pots, but I have a question relating to the middle pickup selector position.

Basically, if I completely roll off the volume of one pickup in the middle position, there is no signal output, even if the other pickup is at full volume (or anything but off).

On my old Epiphone SG (the '61 reissue model, which I no longer own) I was sure that the middle selector switch position enabled one to do a "killswitch" type effect by completely rolling off the volume of one of pickups (say the neck position) and moving from the middle position to the "off" neck position (so the middle position outputted the volume of the bridge pickup).

Can someone advise whether the SG Pro should be doing this, or is it an issue with the wiring?

Thanks in advance.

My SG Pro (acquired yesterday) is doing the same thing, but I was expecting it to act like my EPI Les Paul where the selector switch in the middle is both bridge & neck pickups together. How can this be accomplished on the SG400 Pro?

 

[Raiyn]

Turn the volume of the "dead" pickup back up.

 

[Kostas Kritsilas]

This relates to the volume being off on one pot actually shorting out the volume pot for the other pickup in the middle switch position. This used to be the standard wiring, even for the Gibsons until some point in the 1960s (I think). The solution is to add some resistance value inline with each volume pot, so even when completely rolled off, one volume pot does not short out the other volume pot. I seem to recall a value of 47K, but that is from memory.

 

[Jam Handy]

If you want a kill switch feature, I'm thinking you could get a push/push pot for one of your tone controls, and put a kill switch in that way, would be a bit quicker than having to roll off the volume then flag the toggle

then we can have a Buckethead battle of the bands... LOL...