need help with new pot configuration wiring

[bonnerik]

Hello!

So a few days ago i ordered a Dimarzio hs-3 that i'm going to put in the neck position of my american special. I also ordered a Dimarzio tone zone for the bridge(going to stay with the texas special in middle). My problem is that i want a 250 k tone pot + volume pot for neck/middle and a separate 500 k volume pot for the bridge. Basically what i want to do is to replace a tone pot that goes to the bridge with a 500 k volume pot that only works for the bridge, and make the tone pot i have left work for the middle pickup(and neck, which it already does), and ofcourse make the 250 k volume pot NOT work for the bridge). I'm not too hot on circuitry, if someone could help me with a digram or something i would be very happy.

To put it in few words (noticed it looked a little messy)
NECK/MIDDLE= 250 k volume and tone
BRIDGE = 500 k volume
And ofcourse i want the 5 position switch to work as usual

Should be noted that i found this site through the following link: guitarnuts2.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=schem&action=print&thread=3157
Which is pretty close to what im looking for, but without the double tone pot.

Thanks in advance!

[ashcatlt]

Thanks for stopping by!

That link is pretty much exactly what you're asking for. Go with it. Just completely ignore the bottom (as shown) part of the stacked tone pot and everything to which it is connected.

Be aware, though, that the 250K will load the bridge a bit when it's switched to B+M. That's usually a pretty bright, kind of thin position anyway, so the loss of high end might not be such a big deal for you. I can't see any way around it without going to a superswitch.

Also in B+M mode turning either Volume all the way down will kill the entire output. They will tend to act independently until near 0, and then will start to act as dual Masters. This might not be a problem for you, either. If you don't want some mix of both pickups, then why would you switch to this position rather than the one you actually want? If this bothers you the fix is easy, but it has it's own gotcha!

[JohnH]

Hi and welcome to GN2
It does look like the 'two volume strat' that you linked to is very close to what you want. Just delete the lower part of the double tone pot and use a single pot.
cheers

john

[bonnerik]

think id rather skip the bridge and middle combined then, i want it to be user friendly. never really used the middle pickup when i think of it, guess it will just be there for decoration

thanks for the help!

[bonnerik]

hmm think this still is a little over my head, ive only ever once soldered pickup to a guitar before(was lucky!)

with a reconfiguration of the pots like this i think i will get confused with the wires from the pickups, not knowing where they should go etc.

are there any guidelines ? something like wiring should make sense, but it doesnt to me, just wires all over the place which seem randomly placed

[newey]

bonnerik-

Hello and Welcome to G-Nutz2!

If the wiring is looking like a rat's nest to you and doesn't make sense, then you have some homework to do before you fire up the 'ol soldering iron.

The key to JohnH's dual-volume scheme lies in understanding how a Strat 5-way switch works. Understand that, and the rest will fall into place.

How a 5-way switch works

As the article discusses, a 5-way switch is actually a 3-way switch with 2 intermediate "notch" positions. The switch has 2 poles, which is like 2 separate switches joined together and operated by one lever.

In a regular Strat, the 'hot" wires from each of the 3 pickups are wired to one pole of the switch. As the switch lever is moved, each of the 3 lugs is connected to the "common" lug of that side of the switch.

In a regular Strat, the pole to which the pickups are connected is then connected, via jumper wire, to the second pole common lug. This is the diagonal wire you will see in all std. Strat diagrams (unless the switch is an "import" style, where the common lugs are right next to each other).

The volume and tone controls are thus wired off of the second pole of the switch. Study how the switch works, then look at a standard Strat diagram and you'll be able to trace the wires from the pickups, through the switch, and out to the V & T pots, and to the output.

Once you've got that down, look at JohnH's dual-volume scheme. It's a little different. Instead of all three pickups being wired to one side (that is, to one pole) of the switch, only the neck and middle are wired to one side. The 2 poles are not wired together as in a regular Strat. Instead, the bridge pickup with its separate volume is wired off of the second pole, from the 3rd lug. The other lugs of the second pole switch the middle and neck V and T to the output in positions 1,2, and 3 of the switch.

As noted, you will simply ignore the dual-gang tone pot and the wiring to the other half, since you don't want a bridge tone pot.

Don't feel lost, we all started somewhere with this stuff. Me, I was dumber than a box of rocks when I joined this board- some would say I still am! Ask lots of questions if you need to and we'll walk you through this mod, it's fairly straightforward.

[sumgai]

bonner,

This is a first! I'm gonna +1 ya, because I've never before taken a sig from a newbie. Instant classic all the way!

Oh, and pay attention to what the big boys are saying, they're not messing with your head, like they usually do to a newbie. ;D





sumgai

[bonnerik]

ok thanks for all the replies! gonna have a look at that link newey!

[bonnerik]

ok before i start to pick the guitar apart is there someone who could fill out this paint document with the wires connected to the right place ? im not the sharpest knife in the drawer when it comes to technical stuff:(
also since its quite a reconfiguration(atleast it is for me) should i desolder all the wires and start from scratch ? because the current wiring compared to the one i want just confuses me.

link: i1237.photobucket.com/albums/ff476/bonnerik/guitarwiring.png

while i might not be a technical genius i must say i am quite the artist