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I have followed Seymour Duncan's diagram for an ES 335 for a guitar that I have just completed. It functions well but I'm not sure if it's correct as I have never owned or played an ES 335 before.

It of course has two tone controls and two volume controls - one for each pickup. When the selector switch is in the bridge position or in the neck position the controls act just as I would expect. The bridge pickup knobs do nothing while the selector switch is in the neck position and vice versa - just as I would expect.

However, when the pickup selector switch is in the middle split position both volume controls and both tone controls set the tone and volume for both pickups rather than individually for their respective pickup.

I think that I expected to be able to do something like have the neck pickup at half volume and the bridge pickup at full volume while the selector is in that middle split position. But if I try to do such a thing, the necks volume control also turns the bridge volume down halfway. So, essentially when in the middle position it is a single tone and volume instrument.

Is this the way that this type of guitar is designed to function? Or have I done something wrong?

This is the wiring schematic I used. It is actually from Stew Mac, not Seymour Duncan.

I have run into the same thing, James.
Somewhere I read that this wiring scheme tends to do this.
Something to do with the tone controls bleeding off, interfering with each other, or something like that.
I just accepted it as the nature of this particular beast.
Maybe someone with more electronic experience will chime in and explain this to us.
Coe Franklin

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Stew Mac do show a variation of the wiring to give independent volume control with the switch in the middle position by swapping the wires from the pickup and switch, ckeck the instructions tab.

http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Electronics,_pickups/Pickups:_Guitar,_electric/Golden_Age_Guitar_Pickups/Golden_Age_Parsons_Street_Humbuckers.html#shop/Electronics%2C_pickups/Pickups%3A_Guitar%2C_electric/Golden_Age_Guitar_Pickups/Golden_Age_Parsons_Street_Humbuckers.html?tab=Instructions&_suid=1358678329205016319117956022372

This is for a two wire pickup, I have tried this once in my 336s but switched back to the standard wiring, the alternative does work, but can give a slight hum in some circumstances, this is a known effect and is discussed in several places. But try it, it's only a five minute re-wire and is easily reversed.

Colin

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