custom strat wiring

[daggerdave]

Hello everyone,

I recently purchased a new guitar and decided to remodel my old Squire Strat.  I'm in the process of painting right now and have spent a few days learning about guitar wiring and studying a ton of wiring diagrams, many from this site (Thank you all for your knowledge!).  I'm trying to implement the following features into my own custom wiring:

    Option (switch) for out of phase bridge pickup; Option (switch) for bridge in series with neck and/or middle pickups; Blending (blender pot) of neck/bridge and bridge/neck     in normal (parallel) operation, blending of bridge/serial connected pickups in serial operation; Master Tone (250K pot with push/pull switch), Volume (250K pot with push-pull switch) and Blend (250K "no-load" blend pot) Knobs; Improved Strat volume kit? (We'll see)

I have drawn a (please forgive my crappy) wiring diagram using my computer that I will attach here.  The design is mostly based off what I learned from these two mods:

Strat Lover

Strat SSM3

If and when someone(s) more knowledgeable than myself has some time to look it over I would greatly appreciate it.  I don't fully understand how the series/parallel switching works on the Strat Lover mod, so my wiring to the blender may be wrong.  Please let me know if you think it will work, or if someone has an improvement or better idea.

Thank you!

[sumgai]

dd,


Hi, and to The NutzHouse!


I've edited your post above to remove references to Dropbox, as our Forum Host Provider (ProBoards) does not accept, and display, images from that site. Fortunately, you also provided the drawing under discussion as a directly uploaded item, allowing us to look it over.

I'm sure you'll get more than one opinion on what's going on, but in the meantime, let me introduce to you the concept of a Truth Table. This is a description of your intended switching logic, or stated another way, it describes what your switches are supposed to do, in order to accomplish your goals. Such a description, laid out in a table format, is highly desirable because one does not need to try and decipher a textual description that's located somewhere else on the page, then move one's eyes back and forth while doing that translation. A table, right next to the diagram, makes checking the switching logic so much easier to follow.

For an example of how this can be done, quickly and understandably, check out either of your included links.

HTH




sumgai

[reTrEaD]

Hi there, daggerdave

My brain is pretty much mush these days when it comes to proofreading wiring diagrams so I'll tag JohnH since he is the creator of the diagrams in the two threads you've used as a starting point for your diagram. If he has the time, he can probably check your circuit more efficiently than I could. However, if you don't see a reply from him in a few days, I'll give it a go.

Feb 2, 2019 0:50:26 GMT -5 daggerdave said:

I have drawn a (please forgive my crappy) wiring diagram using my computer that I will attach here. 

Crappy is too harsh a criticism of your work.  Perhaps a better template to start with (I might create one later) and a more careful choice on wire routing to reduce clutter might help a bit.  Also, I'd recommend not doing the wire 'jumping' when wires need to cross, but rather use a dot to indicate when wires are connected.  But what you have and the way it's presented seem reasonably good.

You'll probably want to use the wiper and CCW lugs of the blend pot rather than the wiper and CW lugs.  Unless you use a reverse audio taper for the blend pot, you'll have much better control that way.

Feb 2, 2019 0:50:26 GMT -5 daggerdave said:

I don't fully understand how the series/parallel switching works on the Strat Lover mod, so my wiring to the blender may be wrong. 

The strategy used in those two circuits by @john are similar but with some notable exceptions.

In his Strat SSM3, the (-) of the Middle pickup is always grounded. The (-) of the other two pickups are connected to the (+) of the Middle pickup in the series mode. That creates a series link. In series mode, connecting the (+) of the middle pickup to the volume control isn't an option on the pickup selector, so he uses S2a to connect throws 3 and 1 together when in the series mode. That prevents the possibility of a dead spot in position 3 of the selector. Also, he uses a blend pot in series mode, to reduce the contribution of the Middle pickup when the blend pot is rotated in the CCW direction

In his Strat Lovers Other Strat one wire [the (-) when the phase switch is set to 'normal'] of the Bridge pickup is always connected to ground. The (+) wire of the Bridge pickup [or (-) wire when the phase is 'reversed'] is used for the series link. The (-) of the other pickup(s) are connected there, when either or both are part of the selection. He doesn't use a blend pot, but instead he chooses which tone control to use, depending on the position of the Series/Parallel switch.

[JohnH]

Hi daggerdave and welcome!

You pointed to a couple of my diagrams there, so I'll take that as a cue to throw in a few opinions.

I've had a lot of fun figuring out Strat wirings over the years, that Strat Lovers Strat diagram was based a scheme from the original GN site, and one of the first I looked at in 2006. The SSM3 is from late 2013 and it has the benefit of the extra years of learning on my part. I don't think I have anything later for SSS set-ups.

One of the fun things about guitar wiring is that you can personalise it to suit your own uses and wishes.

So just my opinion, but the SSM3 gets about the most possible (that I can figure out) from of a set of standard Strat components, combined with simple wiring and very easy operation with all stock tones preserved. I think that may also be your intent too, so basing your design on SSM3 seems like a good idea. On that one, we didn't go for a phase switch (I never use them), but there's no problem adding that, as you intend and I agree that doing it on the bridge is probably the best choice in this case.

Now to the blender, and I see you are thinking about blending in both series and parallel modes. IMO, its best to just blend in the series mode, as it does on SSM3. The reasons are:

1. It is very tricky to get a blender to work smoothly and logically in both modes. With a simple pot, with a log taper which is best, the series blending happens from 0 to 10 while if you manage to get it to work, the parallel blending tends to happen from 10 to 1, or one of them has the taper the wrong way and is very sudden, not a useful and smooth blend.
2. A no-load pot wont work for both because the place where the track is cut will be at the wrong end for one of the modes. A normal pot will slightly impair the tone due to the added loading it creates in parallel mode (though this is fine for series mode).
3. Series blending gives some great tones, with lots of interesting sub-tones along the way. But IMO, parallel blending gives good sounds at each end, but there's nothing much interesting along the way, so it might as well be a switch.

SSM3 will give you a nice series blender in the second mode, and also give you the key extra B+N parallel combo that you want.

We built it with an added toggle, but you can use push/pull instead. Imagine the lower side of the switch being fixed to the back face of a pot and then it will work with pushed-in being normal mode.  Use another pp pot for your phase switch if you wish.

[daggerdave]

Thank you all for the warm welcome and for the great info and advise.  Thanks to sumgai and reTrEaD for the advise about diagrams. If I end up needing to post another diagram I will follow your advise to keep it cleaner and easier to understand!  I really appreciate the explanation as to how the series switching worked on the Strat Lover mod, it took me a while studying it to figure out how it worked, but I still wasn't sure.

Now to the blender, and I see you are thinking about blending in both series and parallel modes. IMO, its best to just blend in the series mode, as it does on SSM3. The reasons are:

So series and parallel blending cannot be done, at
least not well or easily, from the same blend pot.  It
sounds like I either need to add another pot or choose between the two.  That said I think I'll take your advice and do the blending only in series mode.

So just my opinion, but the SSM3 gets about the most possible (that I can figure out) from of a set of standard Strat components, combined with simple wiring and very easy operation with all stock tones preserved. I think that may also be your intent too, so basing your design on SSM3 seems like a good idea. On that one, we didn't go for a phase switch (I never use them), but there's no problem adding that, as you intend and I agree that doing it on the bridge is probably the best choice in this case.

Thank you so much JohnH for your designs and advise.  I agree, tonight I am going to start over starting with SS3 this and just add a phase switch. I like the combos in the Strat Lover mod better (bridge in series instead of middle) so I'll switch that around also.  That should get me there, but if I need more help I will know where to find it!

From what you said, it sounds like a no-load blending pot would be okay to use for the series blender, just not both.  Is that correct?  I already purchased one, along with the two push/pull pots and correct switch (my Squire had one of those 7 point 5-way switches).

[JohnH]

Hi dd

Im very encouraging of assisting people who want to develop and adjust my designs to make them their own, especially if they are improvements. But sometimes I'm torn between supporting the desire to experiment and tweak things, and just saying 'yeah but....'. So there's a couple of 'yeah buts...'s to point out just to let you know:

Sometimes a lucky scheme comes together so that all the planets align and the sun shines brighter. The trouble with those is that sometimes they are then hard to change without that alignment going out of whack to some extent. In this case, its the fact that the SSM3 scheme puts the middle into series with the other pickups, and you wanted it to be the bridge. But this arrangement is what, in this case is the key to giving you the arrangement that can not only do several series modes, but also do B+N parallel, without any further added switches. B+N is the single most popular added sound on a Strat, across all mods you will find on the 'net. Also, when you get to the sounds in mode 2, although, middle is involved in them, two key ones involve B in series with others, being BxM and Bx(M+N), tgether with NxM, and all three are nominally hum-cancelling. The only one you don't get this way is BxN in series.

That's all on that, the phase switch will fit into the design fine.

A couple more things that you might like to know:

When we built the SSM3, on a dirt-cheap 2nd hand Sansui Strat, it also had the 7 lug inline switch. That's what we used and it worked fine (see hand sketched schematic). But if you have a better switch now, it'll be well worth putting it in, at least just to get a better-feeling switch. Then wire it up per the 2nd (neater) diagram, which in theory may be very slightly quieter.

I'm thinking to do your scheme you have two 250k push/pull pots and one 250k no-load pot? If so, I'd put the no-load on the tone pot. For the series blending (unlike parallel blending), I've found on other guitars that no-load is not essential for this type of series blending, but no-load tone is useful for series mode.

please carry on...

[JohnH]

I just remembered, that that SSM3 build for my son, is actually back at our house since he went overseas. So I just got it out to remember how it sounds. For a very cheap axe, its pretty good and the series settings make it better. The key to that series mode is to blend in just a little of it. Full series settings of single coils can get muddy, but setting the bender to just a low value brings in a nice bit of added weight from M, to add to what is then a Tele-like combo of B, B+N and N.

[daggerdave]

Awesome, thank you taking the time to share all of that insight. I'm glad I haven't started working on it yet. With your advise in mind I'm going to simplify things and use your SSM3 design, with an added phase switch. I will also use my no load pot for tone control as you suggested.

This leads me to a new question. Considering the middle pickup is the one in series, should I stick with the phase reverse on the bridge as I planned or would it be better on the middle pickup?

[JohnH]

I'd still reckon phase on the B. But its easy to change later.

[reTrEaD]

Feb 2, 2019 19:18:55 GMT -5 daggerdave said:

So series and parallel blending cannot be done, at
least not well or easily, from the same blend pot.

Well ...

You can use the same pot for both. An audio taper, no-load is best in both modes.
(The no-load is a bit more important in the parallel blend.)

But the sniggly bit is wrapping your mind about how the blender works in each mode.

In Series mode, one pickup is being shunted when the blend pot is fully CCW.
0 = Just one pickup.
10 = Both pickups.

In Parallel mode, the hot of the pickup being blended is fully connected to the hot of the selected pickup, when the blend pot is fully CCW.
0 = Both pickups.
10 = Just one pickup.

Bottom line: It will work, but knowing which way to turn the knob will be kinda confusing.

[JohnH]

...and also...

The knob setting youd want for the parallel blending mode (likely 0 or 10), will probably be different to that which makes the best series tone, leading to multiple knob fiddling and constraining quick changes. But with the series-only blender, it only functions in mode 2 and you can preset it for that, while still having all the standard simple Strat tones available in mode 1.

[daggerdave]

Ok, I finally found some time to draw up a new (cleaner) diagram.  I took your advise and used your SSM3 design and simply added a phase switch on the bridge.

Thanks everyone for the advise and assistance.  I have enjoyed doing this and so will probably experiment in the future, including attempting to get my original design to work.  Still not quite sure how to wire the blend pot for both parallel and series so for now I'm not going to try.  I don't mind if the blending would be backwards or difficult to switch between as I probably would avoid using them both in a time constrained situation.  I just didn't know if it would even work, or if it would cause more problems than it's worth.  But I agree this is probably the best design and will get me the most usable additional functions without loosing the stock capabilities or altering the pickguard (cutting holes) to add switches.  For now, I really want to get my guitar off the bench and back in my hands!

I also had trouble finding the capacitors and resistors I wanted, so I ordered a variety pack of both and plan on experimenting with that.  I have read about people attaching wires to their pots and running them out the guitar, soldering alligator clips to them so they can test various combinations of treble circuits and tone caps.  This sounds interesting, but where do they run the leads out of the guitar?  Only place I can figure is out the back through the cover plate.  Or cut a hole in the pickguard which I don't want to do.

Anyway thanks again everyone for your advise and assistance!

[newey]

This sounds interesting, but where do they run the leads out of the guitar? Only place I can figure is out the back through the cover plate.

If this Strat has a rear cavity, easy as pie- much tougher on a regular Strat with the front pickguard, since it means destringing/restringing at least once. But yes, that is how it is typically done.

Usually, this is done just to test different caps for the tone control(s). I don't know how much value there is in testing different treble bleed combinations, though. JohnH has already done that testing and arrived at what are consensus values, at least around here.

guitarnuts2.proboards.com/thread/5317/treble-bleed-circuit

For typical strat pickups, he recommends a 1nf cap and a 150KΩ resistor. Elsewhere, you'll see a 220KΩ resistor recommended,: John's testing showed that 150K worked more consistently in the lower half of the pot's rotation.

But of course, pickups and circuits do vary, so feel free to test away! Please post your results if you do so.

[daggerdave]

Hello again!  I have finally finished my guitar, and love the wiring mod.  The phased bridge in series with the middle pickup is a very unique sound, and I really like the blended bridge and neck pickup combo.  I wired everything as it shows in my last diagram, only modified the grounding as described in the Strat Shielding post also in this forum.  I used an aluminum back plate under the pickguard and "conductive" shielding paint inside the cavities.  The paint was garbage, no matter what I did there was zero conductivity, and believe me I tried everything.  Either I got a bad batch or it's over-hyped garbage.  Anyway I'm not too upset considering the wiring barely fits inside my tiny Squire Strat cavities and makes contact with the body in a few places.  Glad I didn't go with the copper foil!  In the end it worked out fine and my guitar is MUCH quiter when plugged in.

Minus a few very frustrating moments (scratching the finish with a drill bit, then again with a screwdriver ; snapping off the tremolo arm in the new bridge, etc.) I really enjoyed remodeling this guitar.  I have an SG I would like to do some work on and also plan to build a couple in the future, starting with bodies and maybe someday try a neck.  The first I want to build is a semi-hollow Jaguar body that I have already done the design work and started building templates, and there is a ton of wiring in Jaguars!  I'm sure I will be needing more help in the future.

Again thank you all so much for your help.  I'll try to attach a couple pictures of my finished guitar.  I know i like seeing other peoples work, especially when I helped them accomplish it!

[newey]

Nice job on the paint, that's a pretty guitar. I also see you have a neat and orderly workspace. I wish I could say my projects were so organized!