Low Volume in 2 & 4 Position?

[ryckman]

My son and I just assembled a Fender American Strat with a 5-way switch. When we put the switch in the 2 or 4 position the volume cuts way down, about in half. Does anyone know what might be wrong?

[ccoleman]

it sounds like your middle pickup is out of phase with your neck and bridge pickups... to allow for hum cancelling... I THINK (not sure about this though..!) that there is a way to wire the middle pickup as RWRP (reverse wound reverse polarity) so that you get hum cancellation without the loss in volume..

Anybody else want to help here ?!

[CheshireCat]

ccoleman said:

it sounds like your middle pickup is out of phase with your neck and bridge pickups... to allow for hum cancelling... I THINK (not sure about this though..!) that there is a way to wire the middle pickup as RWRP (reverse wound reverse polarity) so that you get hum cancellation without the loss in volume..

Anybody else want to help here ?!

Precisely.

Any pics?

[ccoleman]

Woo hoo, I got it !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

: ) : ) : )

[CheshireCat]

ccoleman said:

Woo hoo, I got it !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

: ) : ) : )

Indeed. Now, if Ryck provides us with some pics so we can see what the wiring looks like, that would be a bonus.

[ryckman]

Thanks for the info. I'm headed out of town for a week, if I get a chance next week, I will take a picture. If my middle pickup is out of phase with the bridge and neck, how do I reverse it? Do I just reverse the two pickup wires? Thanks.

[CheshireCat]

ryckman said:

Thanks for the info. I'm headed out of town for a week, if I get a chance next week, I will take a picture. If my middle pickup is out of phase with the bridge and neck, how do I reverse it? Do I just reverse the two pickup wires? Thanks.

Imagine taking a humbucker and physically splitting (mechanically seperating) the two coils, and moving one of them two inches away. That's basically the relationship that the N and B pickups have to the M pickup on a Strat.