My new dream guitar in mind...

[hendixclarke]

I dub this: The Quick Cold-Switch
 
Starting out from Far back, name moving up to the Full up position...
 
Position 1 (Far back) - Bridge Pickup only
Position 2 (One step up) - Bridge, and Center Pickups.
Position 3 (another step up) - Bridge, Center and Neck Pickups.
Position 4 (another step up) - Center Pickup only
Position 5 (another step up) - Neck Pickup only
Position 6 (Fully up) - Neck and Center Pickups

[hendixclarke]

Kevin, I completely understand where you were going, but the slide switch will not mimic the typical guitar side switch.  Everything about this guitar will be different and designed for my limitations.

[elwoodblue]

One thought I had was that if you moved the slide switch towards the outer part of the body there would be less of a tendency to accidentally hit it when strumming...just a thought.

[hendixclarke]

That's a very good point... I will render a new drawing.

[altgrendel]

I remember reading that they don't do maple necks, they look too dirty after lot of usage. There's a thread out there about it somewhere. John Lodge of the Moody Blues has the only maple neck Alembic that I know of. You might consider this though.
 
 
Found it, the discussion starts about 5 posts down.
 
(Message edited by AltGrendel on May 13, 2009)

[hendixclarke]

THAT'S HER!!!!
 

[hendixclarke]

Just got off the phone with Mica, she said they offer a 5 position Knife switch...  
 
Position 1 (Far back) - Bridge Pickup only
Position 2 (One step up) - Bridge, and Center Pickups.
Position 3 (another step up) - Bridge, Center and Neck Pickups.
Position 4 (another step up) - Center Pickup only
Position 5 (another step up) - Neck Pickup only

[bsee]

I'm not sure how phase works with the Alembic pickups.  Strat tones for combined pickups are always reversed so you get that hollowish tone.  You'll probably have to specify this as well, and maybe need a mini toggle to reverse the center pickup to allow you all the possibilities if you want them.  I'm not sure if this is even possible with the dummy pickup circuit unless maybe you assign one dummy to the center pickup and reverse it when the pickup reverses.  The other dummy can work with the bridge and neck pickups in a standard series configuration.
 
Series instruments almost universally are dual pickup (I've never seen a one or three pickup model, but one may exist) and the 5-pin connector carries the pickup signals separately.  Have you considered whether you will require a DS-7R  and a 7-pin jack and cable to carry the three pickup signals separately or, if not, how you plan to separate them?  I don't know if there is even such a thing as a 4-conductor 1/4 jack, so who knows where you're going to end up there.
 
Your tremolo is going to have to go through Mica for approval.  I know I have never seen an Alembic tailpiece turned into a tremolo, so you may have to look at some OEM parts for that purpose.  Any tremolo that goes through the body in the Fender style is going to impact the value of the neck-through design since it will sever the neck at that point and the tailpiece will be less solidly anchored.  Don't know if the impact will be detectable, just that it is worth considering.  I believe Alembic has used Floyd Rose, Kahler, and Bigsby style tremolos in guitars in the past.  There is also the Skyway that is, I think, in the process of being installed for the first time.  I don't believe any of these involve cutting completely through to the back of the guitar.
 
The extra pickup on a Series instrument is probably going to add quite a while to your lead time.  You can probably get a guitar that looks like a Strat using the middle pickup as the dummy in a reasonable time, but adding the circuitry for a third live pickup is probably going to require some extra bench time for Ron.  Again, not guaranteed, but something you'll want to clarify with Mica before you move forward.  
 
-bob

[adriaan]

Bob - I have a Yamaha guitar with 3 single coils, an on/off switch for the neck pickup, and on/off/reverse switches for the middle and bridge pickups. With one pickup on and one in reverse, it cuts out all the low frequencies, exactly like when you reverse the phase on one set of speaker wires on your stereo.
 
It sounds pretty nasty, not at all like the hollowish in-between Strat tone - you can get that too, with two pickups on. So I'm not sure about the need for phase reversal for the middle pickup on a 5-way switch.

[adriaan]

Hal - just for reference, but if I'm using the N+C combo and add B, it doesn't make much of a difference in sound. (At least not on this Yamaha.)

[hendixclarke]

Blade switch change...
 
Position 0 (Far back) - Pickups off
Position 1 (step up) - Bridge Pickup only
Position 2 (another step up) - Bridge, Center and Neck Pickups.
Position 3 (another step up) - Center Pickup only
Position 4 (another step up) - Neck Pickup only
 
Position 2, give me control over of all (3) pickups. I can shape each pickup in every possible combination. Position 2 could mimic any of the positions and more, but its not as fast.

[altgrendel]

They have a darling in the works that will have a tremelo installed.

[hendixclarke]

A must see build to say the least. Mica or Susan are very good with at helping me understand the options. I believe anything is possible. Rules will always be broken.  
 
Thanks Altgrendel

[blackelan]

Options that dont involve routing the body are Kahler and Bigsby. Or you could develope your own with Alembic that involves a bridge and stop tailpiece but the bar would have to connect to the bridge not tailpiece. You would also need to use a locking nut with any tremolo you decide to use.

[elwoodblue]

The tremelo on my Mosrite is an excellent design.
It's a surface mount.
I've never seen one on a guitar that wasn't a Mosrite though.
 That tangerine darling is an amazing build.