Hello all / Powerhouse Strat wiring

[bentfender]

I thought I would stop lurking and try to become a useful member of this forum. I have been reading this site on and off for about 6 months but I didn't have a guitar that I could tinker with... Until now, [Muhahahaha]

Probably guessed what type of guitars I have ;D

Alright Here is what I want to do. I want to first finishing learning how to wire a strat. I think I have a pretty good lock on the basics but Im still kind of struggling with the 5-way.
Then I want to start my Powerhouse Strat project..
Im sure like any project, I have to first find out if its even do-able. So I guess I will ask that now.

here is what I would like to do:
I want to control selection between 12db and 25db via push/pull switch.
I want to take the mid-boost pot and move it into the cavity where the Preamp used to be.
Then I want to change the pots in the normal spots, into two volumes and a rotory switch with cap selection for tone. Both volumes are 500k Push/pulls. As stated, I want one to control the flip between 12-25db and the other to switch it so the neck and the bridge are on at the same time.
With all this I still want to keep the dummy coil and stock pickups.

Is that a do-able plan?

If so I will start trying to learn what I need to build a diagram for it.

I also wanted to say that this a great site and I hope I can learn enough to contribute.

[warmstrat]

Perhaps I'm missing something, but after warmly welcoming you to the nutzhouse... which I guess I just did... I'm afraid you're gonna have to clear some things up for us...

bentfender said:

I want to control selection between 12db and 25db via push/pull switch.

The selection of what?

bentfender said:

I want to take the mid-boost pot and move it into the cavity where the Preamp used to be.

You have a strat that already has a Pre-Amp and a mid boost? Yet you're no modder? Explain? What guitar is this? (posting pictures is always a winner, photobucket shall be your new best friend)


Hoping we can help you...

warmstrat

[bentfender]

Thanks for the welcome

The selection I am talking about between 12-25db is the built in onboard mid boost preamp in the Powerhouse Strat. In other threads on here it has been discussed about modifying the 12db boost on the Powerhouse strat to be like the 25db one on the EC model strat. This is done by cutting two resistors (which two I have yet to figure out) but my thinking is if you can cut them, then why not put in on a switch so you can go between 12 and 25db?

As to me moding, all I have done is to add longer wires on the preamp, (mid-boost pre-amp came on that model) move it to the trem spring cavity. Did the QTB mod. Blocked the trem and removed the spring claw and springs.



You can see that with the pre-amp out of that spot, I could move the mid-boost knob there and then I could do the two vol strat mod and the rotary tone selection mod (which I just finish building tonight) That is of course if all of my ideas for this guitar can even be done together. If you guys think it can then I will try my hand at drawing the wiring diagram up.
I could just follow the ones already done on here if it wasnt for that dummy coil and pre-amp to deal with.

[warmstrat]

OK.. that helps.

I now know that it's out of my field!

I hereby pass the buckdefer to someone else.

Tank you for the pic, though. Looks cool!

[bentfender]

No problem. Thanks for taking a look anyhow.

I think I am going to take a wack at it anyway. Might prove to be a bad idea, but I am sure if I can figure out which two resistors to switch and what constitutes input and output on the little preamp, Ill get get the rest.

At the moment I am using this as a guide as its close to what I want (with the exceptions of the other mods I mentioned.)

[ftp]http://guitarnuts2.proboards45.com/index.cgi?board=schem&action=display&thread=1165712655[/ftp]
Thanks again for taking a look. I like a good challenge so Ill read more and try working out something of a wiring diagram

[bentfender]

Ok, I got most of my diagram figured out. I do need help with one part though. Can someone please tell me what constitutes input and output on the wires from that little clapton style amp of Fenders?

the wires are as Follows

RED -------------------- 9v DC hot
Black -------------------Ground
Yellow-------------------( ) connects to middle conection on tone
empty
Green-------------------( ) connects to vol on what would normally be the out to the jack so I suspect tt is out+
Purple-------------------( ) connects to right hand tab on the mid boost pot where its grounded to the pot
Brown-------------------( ) connects to the other side of the mid boost pot on the left hand connection (also grounded to the pot)


So If anyone could fill in the blanks that would be great
Fenders diagram doesn't account for them
www.fender.com/support/diagrams/pdf_temp1/stratocaster/0139500_02A/SD0139500_02APg2.pdf


Thanks in advance for any help

[sumgai]

bent,

Guess it's my turn to welcome you to the NutzHouse! ;D

Here's how I see the operation of your 'mystery' board:

Red and Black - the power supply leads;
Yellow - Input.... it's coming directly from the output of the pup selector switch (the Master Tone pot is wired the same way as any other guitar);
Green - Output.... it goes to the Volume control's "hot" terminal;
Purple and Brown - the tone control network (the capacitors and such that make it work on the mids, instead of the highs).

The Output jack takes it's signal from the wiper of the Mid Boost control. That says that the PC board actually has two parts, a pre-amp and a tone section. They are inter-related to a degree, I doubt you could use just one side without the other, as a feedback loop exists between the Green and Brown wires.

For your purposes, it'd probably be best to treat this as Fender has, it's simply a black box, and there it sits. So long as you hook it up as designed, you should be able to use it in your modified circuitry without any problems.


in re: your first post:

Yes, all that you wish to accomplish is doable. The only fly in the ointment is, which "two resistors" need to be controlled via a switch for your planned two-step boost feature. (12dB to 25dB) That's not obvious at this point, we'll need more info if we're to help you any further.

I wonder what you'll accomlish with two volume controls.........

And a switch (rotary or whatever) for selecting capacitors is of dubious value, without any kind of variance (meaning a control pot). A capacitor has the effect of cutting off frequencies above a certain point in the spectrum. How strong a cut is dependent on the resistance, which is why we make it variable in the first place. Keep in mind that as a you turn down the tone control (the Master, on your guitar), you don't decrease the frequency, you reduce the strength of the frequencies you are cutting - that's an important distinction.

More to the point, this has been done, Gibson called it the Vari-Tone circuit. A switch selected one of several capacitors in a range, and the Tone control varied the strength of the cut. Search on this forum for both 'Vari-Tone' and 'varitone' (go back at least 600 days). And as you might guess, google is your friend.

One last thought....... putting any kind of control out in the central area subjects it to continually being struck by your hand/pick/whatever. Not to mention, your hand gets sore from hitting it all the time, and you ge p.o.'ed from always losing your pick when it hits the knob. I suggest that you ponder the reason why literally all guitar makers locate their controls out of the normal path where a picking/strumming hand is most likely to flow. But that's just me being too lazy to buck the trend. You of course are free to go where your muse takes you! ;D

HTH



sumgai

[bentfender]

Thanks for the welcome!

I redid alot of it and stayed up all last night drawing what I think will work. Its different from what I originally wanted to do, but I feel this is more in my range of understanding compared to first ideas.
Here is what I came up with. Please someone take a look at it and see if I am correct. I think I am. Lord knows I am trying but I built this out of 3 different scats so who knows
www.losslesstrader.org/Super Powerhouse Strat.JPG[/img]

[bentfender]

Crap, I meant to explain my wiring
sorry about that

all this should do if I did everything correctly is allow me to have the neck when I want it as well as having a coil cut on the rail (bridge) pickup I also added in a DPDT and a momentary switch ala Buckethead. to the end of the channel.

I realize that I didn't get what I originally wanted, but this isn't a bad compromise IMHO. I still want to work out the two resistors so that I can switch the mid-boost amp between 12 & 25db. That is why there is no 25k push pull on the Med boost pot yet.

I gave allot of thought to locating anything in that cavity under where I strum.. That will instead be where a low profile momentary on switch will be going. The switch to activate it will be between the selector switch and the pots (somewhere in that order) so when I am playing, even If bump the moment arty while playing, it will have no effect.

Originally i did want to put one of those low profile surface (PCB mount) pots where I would just have a trimmer screw barely above the surface. I figured that wouldn'it mess with my playing too much. with just 1/4 inch sticking above the surface but I think your right. It would. I would end up bumping it

I haven't the where with all to check this mess over, So if any sees anything that doesn't look correct, I will do my best to fix it. I would please ask if you are finding problems in it and don't mind. Please point out the problem and give me a shot first to fix it on my own. If someone else does it for me, I learn nothing. While that would get me threw this project and let me started on the project I want to take the time to learn correctly.]



thanks again!