The Steel Guitar Forum

Gentlemen,
I have a BL-705 with 4 conductors (wires) and I would like to ask
if someone knows how I can run these wires thru a switch for
selectable Single Coil / Humbucker positions.


Hese's some specs if it helps

This model is the Bill Lawrence L-705 WM
A four-conductor hookup wire allows series or parallel connection.
Specifications
DC resistance: 20.5k ohm
Inductance: 15.0 henries
Hookup cable: Four conductor

Thanks for all your help !
JB

Searching would have found this since it comes up monthly.
The white wire is hot
Black and bare are ground.
Tie red and green together, put on one leg of an SPST switch, the other to ground.

You're right Lane,
I only searched for "BL-705" and got lots of old threads where people were selling them,
but when I searched "BL-705 Wiring" a ton of them came up (Many that you had answered)
I'll go thru them now.
Thanks

OK, here's a pic of this wiring for the next guy that asks

John,
Series/parallel is also a good choice of wiring. You get a very similar sound but the pick-up remains
humbucked (Quiet)
BTW. Did you Photo shop that kid's shirt?

I wonder if other combinations are possible?

If approached like some 6-string humbuckers with separate wires for each coil you can get (with the right switches):
a. humbucker (parallel),
b. single-coil,
c. parallel/out of phase.

With my original Sho-Bud split single coil pickup I can select with one switch:
a. coils in series, as if it had no split; beefy sound.
b. one coil only; bright.
c. parallel (similar to Fender, a la Sneaky Pete).

Dan

Ron Pruter wrote:John,
Series/parallel is also a good choice of wiring. You get a very similar sound but the pick-up remains
humbucked (Quiet)
BTW. Did you Photo shop that kid's shirt?

Ron, That sounds like the way to go.
Do you know how to wire it that way?

No, my grandson's shirt is just a weird neon-ish color
but it does look kinda wild

Dan Robinson wrote:With my original Sho-Bud split single coil pickup I can select with one switch:
a. coils in series, as if it had no split; beefy sound.
b. one coil only; bright.
c. parallel (similar to Fender, a la Sneaky Pete).

Dan

That is cool too. Wonder where I can get info on how to wire like that?

www.1728.org/guitar.htm has a lot of detailed information on pickup wiring, including phase reversal switches.

I installed a black-surround "reissue" L-705 in my Carter S-10 a few months ago. When I researched wiring info I was surprised by how much conflicting information I found, on the SGF and elsewhere. I was even more surprised that I could not find any mention of the L-705 on the manufacturer's website, billlawrenceusa.com. (They do show wiring diagrams for their L-500XL 6-string pickup.)

Eventually I decided on the following wiring, and it works well. The Series/Parallel switch selects normal humbucking series wiring or parallel wiring, which is also humbucking and has a brighter sound. Either of those settings is overridden by the Coil Cut switch, which shorts one of the coils for single-coil operation. All three positions work well and I use them all.

For what it's worth, here's a diagram of my wiring. I find the schematic diagram (top) easier for tracing the wiring to understand the circuit. The pictorial diagram is a better reference during wiring.



I am considering using a SPDT Center-Off switch for the Coil Cut switch, to allow me to select which single coil to use. Since they are at slightly different distances from the bridge, they probably sound slightly different. It's a very easy modification.

This is beautiful ! Thanks !

I think i have one of these pick ups in my BMI and was wondering about proper use, so this is a huge help.

Question: will any switch say from Radio Shack work or does this require higher quality switches?
thanks,
Steve

Any switch will work.
It's nothing special
JB

John Booth wrote:

Dan Robinson wrote:With my original Sho-Bud split single coil pickup I can select with one switch:
a. coils in series, as if it had no split; beefy sound.
b. one coil only; bright.
c. parallel (similar to Fender, a la Sneaky Pete).

Dan

That is cool too. Wonder where I can get info on how to wire like that?

John - I did this so long ago that I don't remember. Next time I do some work on the guitar I will have a look and will try to PM you with a schematic.

Need help for the same pup; the values of pots and cap? For simple parallel tone and volume, thanks.

Has anyone wired it to a pot, usually a 500 where at 0 it us single coil and full it is a humbucker. This gives a blend. I have it on a guitar but I am not sure the 795 leads are the same as the Seymore Duncans.