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Post by stratoholic on Mar 8, 2010 20:33:38 GMT -5
Does anybody have a wiring diagram or explanation of how to wire a 3 single coil strat with 3 volume controls instead of 1v and 2tones? Thanks!
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Post by sumgai on Mar 8, 2010 23:18:54 GMT -5
holly, I've one question for you: "Why?" But more importantly, you need to know that each volume control you add to the circuit reduces the output impedance such that the pickups are loaded down further and further. In turn, this loading will act to reduce your tone to mud, if not worse. You can have it if you want it, but I'd seriously reconsider this idea, unless you're using active pups, or some version of an on-board pre-amp such as those found in JohnH's Buffer Circuits. HTH sumgai
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Post by newey on Mar 8, 2010 23:27:08 GMT -5
No diagram handy, but this is pretty easily done.
You will simply be wiring a volume control "across" each pickup, before it goes to the 5-way switch. Each pickup gets wired to the same position on the 5-way that it held before. You will remove the tone pot connections from the 5-way as you remove the tone pots. The tone pots can be reused as volume pots in your new scheme by removing the capacitor, assuming the pots are still OK.
The "hot" wire from each pickup goes to the wiper-the middle connection- on its respective pot. The ground connection (the CCW terminal if you're a righty) goes to ground, where it meets the pickup "not hot". The CW terminal goes out to the switch, to the 1,2, or 3 terminal, respectively.
The switch commons should then go straight to your output jack hot.
And, if that was as clear as mud (likely that it was . . ), ask questions, we'll walk you through this.
EDIT: And my post was stepped on by SG. He's right, you should consider whether you want to do this.
Individual volume controls are particularly useful when you are controlling the outputs of different sorts of pickups that may be mismatched, output-wise. If the coils are all the same, not so much.
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Post by stratoholic on Mar 8, 2010 23:43:15 GMT -5
Why? Because I have not done this set up before. But, now that you explain why NOT, I am inclined not to attempt this wiring. Well maybe I could .... go practice instead of trying to reinvent the wheel! Thanks for the very insightful feedback.
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Post by JohnH on Mar 9, 2010 2:18:53 GMT -5
I suppose the main reasons for having more than one volume control are to make blends, and also to set different volume levels for lead/rhythm. I think you could do it with three, and you would have the switching after the volume controls so you only switch on as many volume controls as you have pups switched on. So loading is OK, and theres no tone controls adding load. But I think it is not so very useful tp have three volumes. Have you considered two volumes on a Strat? Heres a scheme with a few variations. THe most complex of which proved to be well liked by a discerning member of this forum in Austin Texas - where they know how to play Strats! Strat with two volume controlsJohn
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Post by ashcatlt on Mar 9, 2010 2:59:05 GMT -5
I've never tried this.
If you leave the switching alone, you'll only ever have two volume pots in the circuit at most. I can't imagine that the load from this extra volume pot would be any more that of the tone control, and I figure it's got to be better than 2 volume controls and 2 tone controls, like the middle position of most any Gibson guitar. My Rickenbacker's got 5 pots in the circuit when I switch to the middle position! It doesn't lack treble.
Course, I don't ever touch any of them there knobs, so I can't figure out why you think you need 3 of 'em. Do you really need the "subtle shades" between the 5 positions?
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