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Post by falcatarius on Aug 19, 2007 8:59:56 GMT -5
Hey there folks, this is my first post and I'm delighted to be here. You guys all look like you know what you're doing and that's extremely refreshing. Alright so I just purchase a loaded strat pickguard with Fender Custom Shop '69 pickups pre-installed in it. I've also ordered a Lindy Fralin bassplate that will be arriving soon as well. I'm planning on doing the following to the pickguard once it arrives... -Adding the Bassplate to the Bridge pickup -Full Shielding (I hear the CS '69's are pretty bad for hum) -Adding the "tele" style pickup selection in which the bridge and neck are used at the same time. Probably also using the 2nd position/bridge combination as well. -Possibly doing the "simple bridge tone control" mod submitted by Andrew Rogers (depending on how I like the Bridge with the bassplate) I have a few questions before I do this... Does anyone know if there's a Strat wiring diagram that is for the neck/bridge pickup combination that uses a push/pull pot? Essentially, I want to do the the bridge activation mod on the "strat lover's strat" article, (with one push/pull pot on the lower tone knob) but without the series/parallel switching or the optional tone switching. The reason being is that I do a lot of volume swells and I find that having a push/pull pot on the volume knob is distracting whilst I'm doing them. Will not being able to switch wiring affect the neck/bridge mod? And is the neck/bridge modification compatible with the "simple bridge tone control" mod? Hope that's not too jumbled. I know my way around a soldering iron and wiring diagram well enough, but I can't articulate myself around them to save my life. Thanks very much for all help! Cheers -Tom
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Post by michaelcbell on Aug 20, 2007 11:05:55 GMT -5
tom,
WELCOME! And while most of us put on a pretty good show, we're all still learning, so I'm happy to see you join us.
Let me try to clarify your intent: 1. You want to shield the guitar. \ This should be relatively easy for you. I suggest copper tape with conductive adhesive, since that's what I have experience with (watch out for the sharp edges). There are however, many who have done and prefer the cheaper aluminum foil method, especially on the back of the pickguard. Doing half and half is also acceptable. 2. You want to have a bridge tone control instead of a mid tone control. \ This also isn't tough. It's mostly just a single wire change at the 5-way switch. Realize that with this configuration, you're going to have two tones active in your N+B config, which will darken your tone slightly. 3. You want to be able to do Neck and Bridge conbinations. \ There are many ways to this end. From your comments, it seems you'd like to have a push-pull pot to simply activate the bridge. This is totally workable and quite easy (and no, it doen't rely on any other mods). Another option that is possible without buying any new parts is to switch the 5-way around, but you'd need to give up the Neck plus Mid option. Still another way would be to get a superswitch, which still means giving up a position, but you can choose which one (like Mid only).
Let me know which option you'd like to go ahead with and I'll get you more info.
-m
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Post by idiotetiquette on Aug 20, 2007 16:22:07 GMT -5
sorry to jump in but,
i basically woke up a couple of weeks ago with an urge to modify a guitar. i've never done anything like it before so i've been doing some research, including several hours of reading on this website. i took Tom's post as a sign that i should join in because i was thinking of doing the same type of mod. so here i am.
i think i understand the shielding part just fine, i just ordered some copper foil today. the other project that most interested me was being able to have a neck and bridge combination as well as a neck+mid+bridge combination. i was originally thinking of using a blender pot to accomplish this but i guess that would mean i'd sacrifice the bridge tone control and just have a master tone control, right? does anybody want to explain for me the advantages and disadvantages of doing this mod with a blender or doing it with a push/pull pot? i'd really appreciate it. i'm confident that i can do either modification, even with my limited experience with electronics and soldering (the only soldering i've done was last week when i decided to make a wave vessel), i just lack confidence in my ability to choose which mod is right for me.
i'm extremely eager to get started and i just need to know what parts i need (push/pull or blender pot, etc). i hope my writing isn't as scattered as my thought process. any help is infinitely appreciated.
mason.
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Post by michaelcbell on Aug 20, 2007 17:23:52 GMT -5
mason,
Welcome to guitarnuts as well! I'm not sure what our resident guru(s) of administration will think, but I'd encourage this topic as a new thread, or I'll encourage you to sit and watch as this topic unfolds to try to get your answer from someone else's question. When we get too many conversations going at once in a single thread it gets hard to follow. As a quick note, your type of questions are the bread and butter around here, so fear not.
-Michael
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Post by idiotetiquette on Aug 21, 2007 1:52:35 GMT -5
makes sense. i think i'll do both, thanks.
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Post by warmstrat on Aug 21, 2007 15:41:54 GMT -5
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Post by falcatarius on Aug 22, 2007 6:20:22 GMT -5
Hey Mike, First off, thanks for the great reply. I'm definitly going to enjoy my stay here and hopefully (in time) come to contribute something to the forum as well. I get the impression that modding guitars becomes something of an addiction and I can see why. And you're absolutely right, I'm looking to use the push/pull tone pot to activate the bridge. So any information regarding that would be wonderful. Especially what materials I'll need to do the mod. Thanks again. -Tom PS: warmstrat, that's an extremely cool thread. I think I might mod my old pacifica just to see how that works!
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Post by michaelcbell on Aug 23, 2007 12:05:03 GMT -5
As for sheilding, there is a ton of info out there, espcially on this forum and at the original guitarnuts page (linked multiple times here). If you have specific questions, search for "sheilding" and put a time limit of about 300 days on there and you should have more than enough information.
As for the bridge-on mod, you pretty much only need a push-pull pot, some wire, solder, and a soldering iron (oh, and some patience). I'd also suggest a multi-meter if you're going to do it right (Just for the record, I don't own one, but always with I did when doing a project).
Generally, you'll want to take a new hot lead (like from the jack or 5-way) and connect it to the middle lug on one side of the push-pull switch. Then connect the push-pull lug just below your hot lead (closer to the knob) to the bridge 'hot' connection (on the 5-way is a good place) and you're done. If you're wanting to 'adjust' your tone knob to control the bridge, all you really need to do is (after a simple swap from regular pot to push-pull) remove the lead from your pot at the 5-way and solder it to the empty lug right down from where you took it off. If this isn't clear (pictures are worth 1000 words, but I'm 'grammatically' challenged presently), let me know.
-m
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Post by falcatarius on Aug 24, 2007 13:09:08 GMT -5
Thanks for that Mike, I think I understand what you're saying. I'll also talk to a local techie to get a more clear idea. Pictures would help a huge amount, so i'd greatly appreciate any if it's not too much effort. Cheers! -Falcatarius
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Post by michaelcbell on Aug 27, 2007 7:08:44 GMT -5
Ok, The best pic of standard strat wiring is from John A off the original Guitarnuts Site, many bows and thank-you's. I've added some green modifications to illustrate what I was speaking of above. The only thing not pictured is where the wires connect to the push-pull, which would be either of the lugs closest to the pot, and the lug directly 'above' that lug (away from the pot body). Is that clear?
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Post by falcatarius on Aug 30, 2007 14:14:37 GMT -5
Crystal.
Thanks a million mike! You're a credit to the site.
Cheers! -Tom
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