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Post by rizzenvrinn on Nov 9, 2010 13:17:10 GMT -5
This is my first post here, so hi there! I'm planning to re-wire my Strat with 3 volume controls, each for one pickup. I'd like it to do it in such a way that I'd be able to blend two different pickups in position 2 and 4 with volume knobs. I've never done anything like this, but according to what I've read, this schematic should work as intended, right? I will actually use HSH setting, but that's not important, I guess.
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Post by JohnH on Nov 9, 2010 14:36:22 GMT -5
welcome to GN2! Your diagram is basicly fine, except that if the controls are drawn as you would see them when soldering, from the back, then the outer lugs should be reversed, to make the volume increase when you turn the knobs clockwise.
John
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Post by rizzenvrinn on Nov 9, 2010 14:56:02 GMT -5
That didn't occur to me Thank you!
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Post by ashcatlt on Nov 9, 2010 15:03:54 GMT -5
It's also got that issue where turning one selected volume all the way down will cause the whole guitar to go silent, no matter how many pickups are selected on the switch. Maybe not such a big deal, since you're not likely going to put it in position 2 or 4 unless you actually want two pickups going (so you wouldn't be turning either all the way down), and it will make it a little easier when you do want silence. Something to keep in mind, though.
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Post by rizzenvrinn on Nov 9, 2010 15:49:10 GMT -5
I thought that wiring it this way should get rid of the "problem" you mentioned, but I guess I was wrong Why is that? And does it apply only for position 2 and 4 or does turning any knob down makes the whole guitar silent even with position 1, 3 or 5 selected? Thanks!
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Post by ashcatlt on Nov 9, 2010 18:48:41 GMT -5
Yeah, it's the wiper going to the switch that gets you. This connects through the switch to the jack tip. The bottom lug of the pot is connected the jack sleeve. When it's turned so that these two are connected...
As I said, it'll only be the selected V's which do this. In the B+M position, either the BV or MV will kill it, but the NV will have no effect.
You can wire those pots "backwards" by swapping the wiper with the outside lug which is not grounded. It's a fairly common way of wiring something like a Les Paul. Problem there is that you might have some noise issues when you actually want the thing to go silent and turn the control all the way down. That will leave cable acting as an antenna.
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Post by rizzenvrinn on Nov 9, 2010 19:01:19 GMT -5
Thanks for claryfing that! But I guess I'll leave it just the way it is.
BTW I was thinking.. is there a way to split the two humbuckers (in HSH setting) into single coils in position 2 and 4 using the other unused switch pole? I really am not sure how to do that properly.
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Post by ashcatlt on Nov 9, 2010 19:15:10 GMT -5
Yep, as long as their 4 wire HBs. Gotta go, so I can't tell you how right now, either somebody else will hook you up or I'll be back tonight. Hint - the common lug will not be used.
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Post by ashcatlt on Nov 9, 2010 23:58:49 GMT -5
The basic process here is to put the “series connection” from each HB on its respective lug on the switch, and then put either the jack tip or sleeve on the M lug. Before we jump into that, though, we should put a little thought into hum-canceling. Assuming that both HBs, wired normally, have the same string sensing polarity as the middle SC (all pickups are “in-phase”) then one of the coils on each HB must be RWRP with respect to the SC. Step 1 – Determine that these will be the same coil on each HB. If they come from the same manufacturer, one might thing it safe to assume they would be, but it’s a simple test. Do it anyway. Figure out which of the coils of the HB is the “top” – to be connected to the hot output – and which is “bottom” – connected to ground.* Now try to push the fronts of the pickups together so that top coil meets top coil and bottom meets bottom. If they repel you’re good, move on to the next step. If not, you’re going to have to pick one of the HBs to re-stack. Around here we call this re-stacking “inside out wiring”, though I disagree with the term. You need to get the bottom coil on top, while preserving the string sensing polarity. Wolf illustrates the procedure here and here. Step 2 - Determine which HB coil is RWRP with respect to the SC. The test is basically the same. Push the front of the SC to the front of one coil at a time on the HB. The one that repels is the one we’ll want to shunt out. Find out if this will be the top or bottom coil and then go to… Step 3 - Determine whether we want “hot” or “ground” in the M position of the switch. You want the one to which the coil you want to shunt out is already attached. If it’s the bottom coil we want to get rid of (because it repels the SC), then we put ground here, and end up connecting both ends of that coil in the in-between switch position. If it’s the top coil we don’t want, then we’ll put hot here. Notice that with this arrangement it must be the same coil we’re shunting from each HB, since both will be shunting to the same place. Now, we could also just decide that – for example – we’re going to shunt to ground, and go through the trouble of re-stacking the HBs if necessary to get hum-canceling with the SC, but that’s sometimes confusing, and a bit more work, and I wanted to make the point that you can shunt in either direction. * Please note here that the use of the word “top” and “bottom” have absolutely nothing to do with physical orientation, it’s the wires and where they connect to the rest of the circuit that matters.
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Post by rizzenvrinn on Nov 10, 2010 5:55:26 GMT -5
Thanks again! I will try to make the changes to the schematic later to see if I got that right. The pickups I'll be using are: DiMarzio BC-1 at neck, DiMarzio True Velvet (which is RWRP afaik) at middle and DiMarzio SuperDistortion at bridge.
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Post by rizzenvrinn on Nov 10, 2010 6:02:57 GMT -5
I've got question though: I still need only one switch pole, right?
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Post by rizzenvrinn on Nov 10, 2010 6:32:31 GMT -5
Still little confused - the only thing I do is determine whether it's the jack tip or sleeve that I connect to the M lug of the switch, right? And where do I connect the other one then?
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Post by ashcatlt on Nov 10, 2010 10:49:26 GMT -5
All of the coil splitting happens on the side of the switch that you're not already using, and in addition to what you've already got.
Your middle pickup is certainly RWRP relative to something. It's not RWRP (no matter what the manufacturer says) except when compared to something else. It's all relative.
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Post by rizzenvrinn on Nov 10, 2010 15:27:06 GMT -5
I see. I feel dumb, but I think I got a little lost here. If I name the humbucker wires A+, A-, B+ and B- where A+ is connected to the left pole of the switch and B- grounded to tremolo, what do I do with the other two, assuming that it's the "top" one I want to shunt? Just don't want to mess anything up
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Post by ashcatlt on Nov 10, 2010 17:08:06 GMT -5
A- and B+ make up the "series connection" for the HB and both go to the appropriate lug on the splitting side of the switch no matter which coil you want to cut.
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Post by ashcatlt on Nov 10, 2010 17:13:12 GMT -5
Just to confuse things a little more, the tremoleo (actually a vibrato) is grounded with everything else to the amp chassis via the jack sleeve, not the other way around. It's all the same wiring wise, but best to think about it this way.
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Post by rizzenvrinn on Nov 10, 2010 17:27:04 GMT -5
So I put A- and B+ of both humbuckers to corresponding lug on the unused pole of the switch and then I connect the middle lug either to the common lug on the other pole or simply to ground, is that right?
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Post by ashcatlt on Nov 10, 2010 18:20:37 GMT -5
Yep.
I've been keeping most of these posts short because I'm typing them on my phone. You shouldn't be embarrassed about asking for clarification.
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Post by rizzenvrinn on Nov 10, 2010 18:36:46 GMT -5
Well, thanks again, it would take me ages to figure this on my own
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Post by Yew on Nov 10, 2010 19:11:51 GMT -5
Remember to post a picture when its done!
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Post by rizzenvrinn on Nov 10, 2010 19:16:47 GMT -5
will do! hope I won't embarass myself, soldering for the first time
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Post by Yew on Nov 11, 2010 19:07:22 GMT -5
Hey, my soldering is stil terrible (more through not being bothered to buy stuff, than being poor at soldering) so you wont hear any complaints from me
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Post by rizzenvrinn on Dec 5, 2010 17:37:44 GMT -5
Took me some time, but here it is. I didn't have time to post it anywhere else yet, se here's a fb album link.. I guess you have to be logged in to see it, sorry about that. Not a lot of photos of the wiring anyway=) www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=100285&id=1176231005
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Post by cynical1 on Dec 5, 2010 19:07:29 GMT -5
Very nice and very clean mod.
+1 for posting pictures...even if they were on Wastebook...
So, what's it sound like?
HTC1
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Post by rizzenvrinn on Dec 5, 2010 19:41:49 GMT -5
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Post by rizzenvrinn on Dec 5, 2010 19:43:07 GMT -5
It will be part of my fun project that I hope will produce at least an EP of material:)
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Post by cynical1 on Dec 5, 2010 20:00:30 GMT -5
Hey, that wasn't a Joe Pass song!
Well, by all means, write to your hearts content. And when you get famous you can send us all a T-shirt.
Good luck with the EP.
HTC1
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Post by sumgai on Dec 5, 2010 21:28:09 GMT -5
rizz,
I'll +1 ya too, just for following through with the sound clip. But you're welcome to post your image(s) here too, either in this forum or over in the Gallery, whichever way you wanna do it.
Joe Pass may not have anything to worry about (yet), but I'm sure there're at least a couple of metal-heads that had better be looking over their shoulders... I've heard much worse from bands that get paid to play that kinda stuff!
sumgai
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