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Post by flateric on Mar 12, 2006 16:51:59 GMT -5
Hi all,
Just started on a new strat project with various squier bits from ebay. I'm a newbie to strats, and wondered if there were any good or worthy wiring mods to do before I assemble this partscaster, such as all 3 pups at once, series/parallel, etc.
Any advice or recommeddations? I have a couple of spare on-on-on 3-way toggles sitting about needing a home.
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Post by pollyshero on Mar 12, 2006 20:03:37 GMT -5
Welcome!
Read the MANY previous posts in this forum on good strat mods.
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Post by flateric on Mar 13, 2006 3:02:48 GMT -5
Shucks, looks like I'm going to need another 10 strats now.
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Post by jhng on Mar 13, 2006 8:48:41 GMT -5
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Post by UnklMickey on Mar 13, 2006 9:34:51 GMT -5
yeah, i second that! especially for the first-time modders out there. John Atchley's drawings are very "pictorial". very easy to follow. |
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Post by flateric on Mar 13, 2006 12:54:11 GMT -5
OK, i have some ideas coming together. I like the idea of a switch for the bridge pup to be on when the neck or the neck+mid are on.
I also like the idea of a bridge pup jumper onto the tone pot so I can tone it down a touch. I've seen the mod where you move a wire to let the bridge pup run from the 2nd tone pot instead of the mid, but it would be far better to have both feed off the same pot. I need to find a schematic for that.
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Post by flateric on Mar 13, 2006 16:59:39 GMT -5
Could anyone help with a schematic for this please?
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Post by sumgai on Mar 13, 2006 17:08:32 GMT -5
flateric, I'm going to make some assumptions here, stop me if I get off track from your ideas.  Adding an additional switch is easy, wiring wise. What you need to do now is decide on the ergonomic aspect of the job. Do you want a push-pull pot, a push-push pot, a toggle, a mini push-button, a rotary (presumably under one of the tone controls)..... your options here are many, and if you don't like your first choice, you can always change later (if you didn't cut any new holes in your pickguard). To make two pickups operate under one tone control, you'll need two switch sections to isolate the pickups except when they are specifically turned on together. (I'm referring to the standard 5-way switch, of course.) If you have not already done so, take your ax apart the next time you re-string it. Note the type of 5-way switch you have. Specifically, we need to know if it's got either 3 or 5 tabs for connections on each side, and if your ax is a fancy model, if the switch has a two wafers on the same shaft. (This is often called a super switch, but Allparts also calls it a Mega-switch.) The most undesirable case is if your switch is enclosed in a block, with all the connection tabs sticking out of it in a straight line. (Many Squiers came with this part.) That will have to be replaced, but it should be anyway - those are notoriously unreliable. Report back when you have that info!  sumgai |
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Post by flateric on Mar 13, 2006 18:08:41 GMT -5
I'm on a roll ;D The 5-way is not a 'super switch', its the newer solid-state type (enclosed) 5 way squier strat type, with 8 lugs across the top, first 3 for the 3 pup hots, mid 2 for earth to vol pot, last 3 go to the tone pots. I've put together a schematic which I hope will achieve what I want, be interested to hear if I made any silly errors. The schematic, however, is of the more conventional strat blade switch, not mine. There are 3 mods here: 1. Cap(0.0025uf) and resistor(220k) across the vol pot for treble bleed. 2. Neck and mid pup use same tone pot, bridge pup uses second tone pot. 3. Mini toggle switch to allow bridge pup to be on regardless of 5-way blade switch position, allowing bridge + neck, or all 3 to be on at same time.  Does all that make sense? |
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Post by sumgai on Mar 14, 2006 2:24:22 GMT -5
flateric,
You're good to go, guy! Just remember, when you switch on the bridge pickup withe mini-toggle, both tone controls will be in the circuit when you are in the mid or neck positions. Ditto for the 4th position, regardless of the mini-toggle - you'll get both tone controls in action. Sometimes this baffles the unsuspecting modder, that's why I mention it. You'll see it as you trace out the circuit, once you know to look for it.
sumgai
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Post by sumgai on Mar 14, 2006 2:28:44 GMT -5
All, I've been informed that Allparts no longer carries the Megaswitch of yesteryear, but they now carry the superswitch that we all know and love.  Same switch, different name, that's all. The only reason I mention this at all is that stewie-mac has a switch that they call, you guessed it, the Megaswitch. But it's an entirely different beast. (Sigh.) I've never held one in my hand, but from the pix on their website, it doesn't look to be of too high a quality. If anyone knows more about this switch, I'd appreciate some feedback. sumgai |
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Post by flateric on Mar 14, 2006 2:56:54 GMT -5
...remember, when you switch on the bridge pickup withe mini-toggle, both tone controls will be in the circuit when you are in the mid or neck positions. Ditto for the 4th position, regardless of the mini-toggle - you'll get both tone controls in action. Thx, I had not realised this! Well let's put it together and see if it's a problem, if it muddies up the tone then I think I'll sacrifice the mid pup for runnning with no tone pot. |
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Post by UnklMickey on Mar 14, 2006 9:46:25 GMT -5
...from the pix on their website, it doesn't look to be of too high a quality. If anyone knows more about this switch, I'd appreciate some feedback. sumgai can't say first-hand until my order from Stew-Mac comes in. but from what i've heard, the response would probably be "looks can be deceiving" unk |
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Post by RandomHero on Mar 14, 2006 12:09:12 GMT -5
Sumgai, the megaswitches have become a stock mod in all my instruments. They're solid, smooth, quiet, and they have a great "feel," it's easy to tell while playing what position you're switching two and from. Really a great switch.
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Post by sumgai on Mar 14, 2006 14:26:41 GMT -5
RandomHero, That's cool to know. Like unklmickey says, looks can be deceiving.  sumgai |
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Post by UnklMickey on Mar 16, 2006 18:55:21 GMT -5
going back to my: "there's more than one way to skin a cat" mode.
i'm thinking: you also might consider wiring one tone directly to the bridge pickup. the other would be a master.
that configuration has it's own peculiarities that may suit you.
unk
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Post by ChrisK on Mar 16, 2006 23:52:39 GMT -5
The MegaSwitches (S, E, and P) are indeed Phenominal mechanically and electrically.
Unk, you gots to watch the local sayings. I was having dinner w/ a Swiss engineer about four years ago.
I made the offhand statement
The dinner ended immediately!
(Cat people................................)
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Post by flateric on Mar 17, 2006 3:00:43 GMT -5
I've got a schematic from Fezz Parker off the Tele forum that is very clever. It uses the vol pot as a master vol, the 1st tone pot as a master tone for all 3 pups, and the 2nd tone pot as a blend control to add neck or bridge pup to whatever the 5-way has selected, like an old 50's Les Paul. There's also a little cap added for treble bleed.
More than 1 way to skin a pup.
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Post by silverring233 on Mar 17, 2006 20:48:26 GMT -5
check out deaf-eddie.net
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Post by flateric on Mar 18, 2006 14:49:53 GMT -5
Deaf Eddie is a great resource for guitar wiring mods, and a very prompt and helpful guy, he's given me a lot of advice before about guitar wiring and switch options. A1 guy.
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Same switch, different name, that's all.
