pick-ups and selectors

[Desert_Fox]

ok now i know theres no stupid questions, but brace yourselves!   ok so i got my bro a guitar ( samick) and it has 3 pick-ups, but the selector switch is a 5 way switch, which is confusing to me, so i open it up cuz i'm curious as hell, anyway, my q is, is the 5 way supposed to be there?

thanks for any input,
cheers

[Torchy]

The 5-position switch is pretty standard on 3-pup guitars. Its positions are

Neck Only
Neck & Middle
Middle Only
Middle & Bridge
Bridge Only

Check http://guitarelectronics.zoovy.com/category/wiringresources/ for wiring info.

[Peter Snowberg]

Sometimes they flip the + and - leads from the middle pickup which makes the sounds from positions 2 and 4 sound a little bit like a humbucker where two coils beat against each other.

Take care,
-Peter

[petemoore]

Which pickup is on and [relatively] how strong.
 Take a metal object that responds to magnetism, [turn the amp on so you can hear but not too loud]
 Touch the metal to the different pickups poles, [metal to magnet] one at a time, and try the different selections on the switch as you do so...you can tell which pickups are active depending on switch selection that way, this isolates the input to the individual pickup...strings activate current in any pickup they're close enough to.

[JonC]

Also checkout http://www.guitarnuts.com/index.php for wiring and shielding info.