Want to mod my Fernandez apg 100

[swingarm]

I have looked at some of these wiring mods and some are truly fantastic (borsanova and JohnH) in particular! The problem I have two wire humbuckers . Its a shame to have to upgrade but I may if I must. That said is there a good mod that would get me into the tone variation neighborhood or ever on the outskirts with my current pickups? BTW I have a 80's fernandes  strat that I did the s-tastic mod to and am planning go with the revised  push pull pots as it will return it to a more stock look. Thanks for you help in advance fellas. Edit: Sorry, seems I posted this in the wrong place, please move. Thanks

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[newey]

Sorry, seems I posted this in the wrong place, please move. Thanks

Yes, you did. And, yes. I will. No worries, newcomers get a free pass on this sort of thing.

You are pretty limited with 2-wire humbuckers. You can put the 2 out of phase with each other, and/or you can wire the 2 HBs in series/parallel, but that's about it. You can't split the coils, nor can you wire the individual coils in series/parallel. Essentially, your options are the same as they would be with 2 single coils . . .

Even OOP may be problematic if the "negative" wire also is common with the pickup covers (if the HBs are covered ones).

However, 2 wire HBs can be converted to 4-wire HBs, unless they are "potted" in a block of wax, or, (worse yet) in solid epoxy. Our reference page has instructions for the conversion if they are not so potted.

As far as doing what you can with the current pickups, in which "tone variation neighborhood" do you wish to reside?

Another possibility is to use a capacitor to "bleed off" some frequencies of one pickup when in combo with the other. This can be done in- or out-of-phase (and is often called "half out of phase wiring" in this neck of the internet woods.)

Converting pickups to 4-wire operation seems a bit daunting (and I've never done it personally), but JohnH claims it isn't so hard as it might seem, and says he's never ruined a pickup trying the operation, which is encouraging to those who plan to do it. Unless you think these particular pups are just "da bomb" tonally, replacing them with 4-wire ones is another option.

BTW, is "swingarm" a reference to the rear suspension of your motorcycle, or a Pete Townsend reference?

[swingarm]

Thank you for your reply newey. I will research this pickup conversion. My guitar has only a tone pot and a volume pot. So say I get the job done on these pickups, are you aware of a mod that might suit me?

LOL, Swingrm is a drummer reference but a double entendre as I'm conspiracy realist and am always hitting people in the mouth with truth.

I can't play guitar that good....YET.
But I love building amps. Guitars and effects are something I have not fiddled with but I have almost completed a univibe clone. I just need the bulb.

Thanks again!

[sumgai]

Oct 2, 2014 7:55:17 GMT -5 swingarm said:

..... I'm conspiracy realist and am always hitting people in the mouth with truth.

Sounds like cynical1 might have a new friendship budding here.

[swingarm]

Cynical1 sounds like a learned man who has realized it is better walk alone than walk the path of conformity. Conformity is often pacifying with a place for a man to "fit in" but alas his real function in the world becomes moot. I too am somewhat cynical because my fellow citizen is, although becoming fed up with current state of affairs, he cant seem to understand that there is only one problem in in the world. If that problem was solved all other problems would begin to melt away.  That one problem is a interest bearing money supply and the physical supply is doubtful, created by legal fictions, walking dirt that have been used as collateral and sold into bondage without so much as a clue. Until this is fixed any talk of sovereignty or constitutional rights is futile. As Morpheus says, in this clip "you are a slave Neo"

[cynical1]

Oct 2, 2014 10:29:11 GMT -5 sumgai said:

Oct 2, 2014 7:55:17 GMT -5 swingarm said:

..... I'm conspiracy realist and am always hitting people in the mouth with truth.

Sounds like cynical1 might have a new friendship budding here.

I heard that...

[newey]

Back to the point at hand. Swingarm, we're going to need some more specificity about what you want to achieve before we can go much further. What sounds are you trying to emulate, or what combinations have you heard others using that you liked?

[swingarm]

Well other than a few youtube videos showing multiple switch variations I do not have much experience with the humbucker mods. I did the t-riffic and s-tastic mods on my fernandes strat and tele. Thought it would be cool to have the same tickle trunk of  sounds. Really though I think a real nice single coil and humbucker sound would be good enough. Maybe I'll start there. I'll do the 4 wire mod (looks quite simple). I'm sure I could scour the net for the right one, but I'm lazy and decided to get some advice from the guitar nuts on how might be the best way to proceed for wholesale tone generation within my guitars stated limitations (Vol - Tone - 3 way switch). I've seen a few  the push pull configs. This one seemed like it might work. www.guitarelectronics.com/product/WD2HH3T11_04/Guitar-Wiring-Diagram-2-Humbuckers3-Way-Toggle-Switch1-Volume1Tone003.html not sure if I get single coil in that one though.Thanks for your help fellas.

[swingarm]

It seems that the schem linked above will do single coil sound too. no?

[cynical1]

Oct 2, 2014 23:16:54 GMT -5 newey said:

Back to the point at hand...

Give the guy some credit. Only 9 posts and he's already derailing his own threads...

HTC1

[swingarm]

"BTW, is "swingarm" a reference to the rear suspension of your motorcycle, or a Pete Townsend reference? "

Hey! its all up for discussion and its my thread.

[sumgai]

Oct 3, 2014 18:16:31 GMT -5 cynical1 said:

Oct 2, 2014 23:16:54 GMT -5 newey said:

Back to the point at hand...

Give the guy some credit. Only 9 posts and he's already derailing his own threads...

HTC1

Oct 3, 2014 18:53:49 GMT -5 swingarm said:

Hey! its all up for discussion and its my thread.

I'm starting to like this guy already. Unfortunately, I hear that gumbo's awake and cognizant this morning. swinggy, that means that you just might find your thread well and truly derailed any time now.

Cue the "I'm gumbo, dammit" sound track in 5.... 4.... 3....



sumgai

[newey]

Not to be so boringly back on track, but the Guitar Electronics scheme does not do coil cuts. It does intra-HB series/parallel, for both neck and bridge pickups.

[swingarm]

Thanks Newey,

 I think I might try the last one down the page  here
Called the Dual Coil-Cut + Megabucker Version. Waiting for my push pull pots to arrive from China

[cynical1]

This works:

Seymour Duncan Series\Split\Parallel

Just need an On-On-On mini toggle.

HTC1

[swingarm]

Thanks cynical1,

 I can't drill any holes in my guitar. I'm stuck with using push pull pots. I really like the simplicity of that mod though.

[cynical1]

Oct 8, 2014 7:14:25 GMT -5 swingarm said:

I can't drill any holes in my guitar...

Come over to the dark side, swingarm...we have cookies...

HTC1

[swingarm]

I'll think about cynical1 I have done more than peak into the abyss before. Music is the one my one  sanctuary of sanity My fernandes tele would be a candidate for drilling but not this guitar. I'll try this other mod first at the very least before invasive surgery ensues. Still no sign of "gumbo".. what a relief.

 Hey cynical1 I have been planning a bass amp for quite awhile and have an output transformer from an old ampeg V4. Never heard one before. You being a bass player what are your thoughts?

[cynical1]

It's early, I'm only half way through my first cup of coffee, but as I recall, the V4B was a 100 watt version of the SVT. I could never afford one, but have piddled with them at music shops. I recall the SVT a little better, so my recollections may be off a tad.

I always liked the Ampeg amps. They tended to be a bit bass heavy, but you could make them sound like a Rick if you played with it a little. They dirtied up well, but people will bleed from the eyes when you do.

They just re-issued this one, but I haven't played one.

If this is a 70's V4B it should be a sweet amp for just about everything but slap.

Back to my coffee...

Happy Trails

Cynical One

[sumgai]

swinger,

Oct 9, 2014 15:19:31 GMT -5 swingarm said:

I.... have an output transformer from an old ampeg V4.

I assume that you mention this separate part because you're intending to build an amp from scratch?  Or modify a kit with this part?

In any event, I'm gonna say, do yer homework - check input and output impedances first, then check loading factors and such.  If all is according to Hoyle, then it'll work just fine.

The thing is, there'll be no effect whatsoever on the tone, when compared to other properly spec'ed transformers.  People, and guitar players in particular, tend to latch onto the "red herrings" of tonal production, and lose all sense of proportion as to what's important in producing Tone (aka Mojo®), and what is a bunch of hogwash.  Since you're new here, you probably don't know that I'm a retired EE, and have no small amount of experience in audio workings (although that wasn't my main focus during my working years).  Suffice it to say, a transformer is a large magnet, and will affect one's tone in that it will affect the efficiency of the power tubes, and it will determine how well (how properly) the speakers are loaded.  If those factors are met with good, solid, known criteria, then there's not a thing in the world that any manufacturer can do to make a given transformer "sound better" than the next unit off the line... or an exactly duplicated unit from a different company.

Or to put it another way, Bugs Henderson (R.I.P.) said it best - "Don't you get it kid? I'm the tone!" (Quoted from his album 4 Tens Strike Again.)

Not to discourage you from experiementing - after all, that's what makes us Nutz!

HTH



sumgai

[swingarm]

I'm planning a STENTORIAN bass amp from  TUT5 I think it calls for the hammond 1650t (120
w 1,900 ct
 Push-Pull Par. (4 or 6 Tubes)  
 6L6GC, 5881, EL34, 6550B, KT88) and the hammond 278cx power transformer.  Seems the ampeg transformer would be a good fit. I'm not 100% sure if the hammond OPT is the one the book calls for I'm going from memory (not home right now).Not sure what the original specs for that Ampeg opt are.

Anyway I have more amp projects than I know what to do with. Currently building a modded gibson with reverb and tremolo a 59 bassman clone, the standard amp from tut5 and this is an amp I'm planning for the future. The standard amp has power scaling and the Stentorian could be built with power scaling too.
This appeals to me because along with acoustic drums I have roland drums too. the whole band can turn down and thats a plus for over 40 dudes like us.

I'm no electrical engineer nor am I an accomplished circuit designer but I love building/soldering and lose track of time in the process. I have read these though www.ebay.com/sch/sis.html?_nkw=BASIC+ELECTRONICS+Vol+1+5+Rider+Publication+1955+CD and so I'm qualified to play with lethal voltages.   These are great books BTW for guys like me that have only average intelligence . I have built several amps from tut 3 like a hiwatt bulldog clone a tonny Iomi inspired Laney clone and 1/2 way through a 59 bassman from that book. Like all tut designes these amps all have individual tube biasing. I'm building the bassman on terminal stips but all the others are eyelets cards. 

[swingarm]

The one thing that I don't like about Kevins design in this bass amp is that it calls for Solen fast caps about 5 47uf about 2-3 22uf and a few 10uf in the power supply Lots of money and I wonder if it really makes a difference in the transients as claimed.