how is your guitar wired?

[ajent__smith]

Since this whole forum is based mainly on rewiring/fixing/improveing guitar electronics, I thought it would be cool to see how people have rewired there guitars and what new and exciting sounds out of them.

Personally, I have a lefty Austin vintage era standard (Strat ripoff) with all of the 1 and 2 pickup combos (both series and parallel) as well as some of the 3 pickup combinations (~half).
My personal favorite tone is the neck and middle pickups in series and out of phase. it gives the high-end crunch while muffleing the mids and lows.

[RandomHero]

My 7-string is pretty simple, H/S/S wiring scheme with the volume being a push/pull pot that combines the single coils in series and assigns them to the middle and mid/bridge switch positions. The reason for this is that my tone is gone and replaced with an EMG-SPC. I like single coils in the neck for cleans, but prefer 'buckers for distortion, but don't want to cut my guitar.

[wolf]

I've got wiring diagrams for 2 and even 3 humbucker guitars but here is the wiring I always use for 3 single coils:
www.1728.com/guitar2.htm
If the middle coil is reverse wired and reverse polarity you get 5 humbucking settings:
Neck & Middle (Series & Parallel)
Middle & Bridge (Series & Parallel)
Neck & Bridge in series and out of phase. (Because these 2 coils are identical in wiring and polarity, they are humbucking when out of phase.)

ajent smith
As for out of phase sounds, I have found (and John Atchley the founder of guitarnuts2.proboards.com/page/gn1-pages also feels) that the farther apart 2 pickups are, the better is the out of phase sound. It definitely sounds "inside-out" and squawky but it is fuller than if Neck and Middle or Middle and Bridge were used out of phase. This explains the horendous sound when a humbucker's 2 coils are out of phase.

[damian]

standard strat wiring I find all the possibilities facinating but I like to play more than solder . One day I wanna do something different like a tone on the neck or a neck bridge combo or all three together. For now I have plenty of combos with the original setup. Peace Damian

[Runewalker]

Most recent project was built to back up my LesPaul, which I will leave intact. She's venerable and does what the LP is supposed to do, but that is about it, no exotics sounds or strat/tele twangs.

So I bought bodies, necks and parts over Ebay and electronic houses over a period of months. The body was routed for two hums, so I stuck with that rather than whipping out the router or using adapter plates.
But I wanted a wider palate of tones. So I reseached and planned, then settled on:

H/H. Each Hum has a DPDT On/On/On switch allowing Series/Parallel/Single configs within each pup. Then a standard 3 way toggle. I had only two slots for Pots, so being used to the LP with indiv Vol/Tones for each pup I purchased dual concentric pots and turned them into stacked Vol/Tone controls for each pup. Then added a mini for In/Out of phase.

The capability for Series/Single/Parallel for each pup has proven huge. I can still get the LPs Powerchord crunch with both or either pup, but now the capability of adding tonal color with Parallel/or/Single greatly expands choices. With the LP if I needed more treble it was a choice of dialing up more bridge, and less neck or going to the bridge only, then the character of the tone changed. OR I would have to run to the amp and dial some changes. With the new config, I can kick in parallel on one or other pup with both engaged and obtain different gradients of FULL Range treble enhancement. Much better than the tone control, which I mostly leave full on.

Are the single coils sounding like a strat. No, more strat-like, but importantly, are very musical. So the tone is unique and usable. So I like that alot and the guitar does not sound like everyone and everything else. A unique voice.

I was a little disappointed in the in/out of phase. I probably play to often in tube saturation mode, so the subtlety of the effect is drounwed out there. I works best at clean setting, and most evident in the single coil combos. Even then, not used very often. Maybe for recording the odd passage, and usually as chording texture. Maybe it was just these pups.

A word on pups. There is an art here in choosing pups that are both powerful enough to still punch through in the Single/Parallel mode, but not so powerful as to loose tone definition in the Series mode. I settled on the GFS Fat PAFs, which have alnico mags and are an excellent price point for us struggling Nuts. Very capable balance between all the modes

[wolf]

Runewalker
I totally agree with your ideas about rewiring double humbucker guitars. I noticed after I bought my SG Standard (waaaaaaaayyyyyy back in 1980), that it never had any kind of bright clean tones. So, it was way back then I had to buy another set of pickups. Why? As I've said a thousand times before, 95 % of the stock Gibson SG/Les Paul pickups are chrome covered sealed for eternity "bricks". You want to get all 4 wires out of that pickup? Buy another pickup. ARRRGGHHHH!!!
Anyway, when you can use coil-cut and parallel wiring, a whole new world of sonic possibilities is opened up.
Why Gibson does NOT make a guitar with these switiching options is beyond me. Sure it would cost more. But I'd rather pay the extra money for more tone options than for some $3,000 "25th anniversary special edition signature model" monstrosity.
So, if Gibson still fails to do this after DECADES of keeping that stupid "Rhytm / BOTH/ Treble" switch well then fine. Guitarnuts will just do it themselves. (As I've said before, I will never ever buy a guitar that has humbuckers that can't be accessed to bring out all 4 wires).

[phvdv]

My Strats have S/S/S configuration, each with one master volume, one master tone and a fender noload pot used as blend pot.
On one strat the blend pot blends in the bridge pickup; on the other one the blend pot blends in the neck pickup (but this is very likely to be changed so that the bridge pickup gets blended in too).
Pickup combinations are always in phase and in parallel.


Cheers,
Philippe

[RJB]

#2 guitar is an Affinity Tele, hotrodded w/ Tex Special pups, and a 4way switch. Also replaced the 500K volume with a 250K. The series position on the switch was moved to the bridge most location giving me Neck-Parallel-Bridge-Series. Don't use it much except when I'm in the mood to '11' everything and just jam.

#1 guitar is a stock MIM Nashvile Tele. Tex Mex pup, w/ a Strat Tex Mex middle pup in the middle. Standard Strat 5way switch w/ Master Tone/Volume. That's how they come stock. You get a Tele twang from the bridge. The Strat middle/combo sounds and an nice mellow neck tone. Only thing missing is the Tele neck/bridge combo. The future holds a push/pull tone pot and a bridge on switch.

[Runewalker]

This one probably does not count since it is in process. I have a patient on the table awaiting some unusual (for me) switches and I will perform the surgery ala John H's and my discussion thread in this group titled "Tone Monster..." the patient will be released to soar with the H/S/S config detailed here:

www.thefilebucket.com/userfiles/paladin7/Strat%20Wiring%20Diagrams/JH-Estreme%20Tone%20Godzilla%20-%20SSS%20-%20HSH.doc

Ready to ride.

[bam]

I use stock wiring w/common tone control and neck blender in my SSS strat, tried the OOP but personally disliked it.. In my HSH rg I leave the stock wiring either. And I took off the treble bleeder cap on both of them, too.

(I like the tone of N alone or B alone, that's all )

[GuyaGuy]

after a couple of years playing mostly matsumoku-made guitars with fairly involved wiring (HB/HB with series/parallel, phase switch, onboard boost, etc.), i've now got "back to basics."

one guitar has 4 SC pups in parallel; i'm planning to add a series switch some day.
the other (i'm down to 2 now!) has a double single coil in a HB slot for the bridge and a SEYMOUR DUNCAN "THE MAG" pup that has a coilcut for the neck.

[JohnH]

Heres my version, which is on my Shergold with two HB's:
people.smartchat.net.au/~l_jhewitt/circuits/shergold/circuit.gif
The guitar has some unusual original wiring (black), which Ive added to (blue). Looks weird doesn't it? I did it because I decided to get as much out of adding one extra switch (a 3PDT) as possible, without changing the original wiring. It actually works very well and I get all the series/parallel/single options, plus in and out-of-phase single coil combos, which are hum-cancelling. Other interesting ones are one HB out of phase with itself, in parallel with a single coil from the other pup. The sound is nice and bright like an SC but hum cancelling.

[billg3]

I have an Electra LP copy - two humbuckers (4-cond Seth Lovers) wired Jimmy Page style - 4 push pulls and 3-way toggle. Gives me standard LP choices, splits on each hb, reverse phase, and hb's in series - all humbucking except single pickups split. Plenty of variety in sounds.

[erikh]

Strat with standard wiring and "neck on" switch (soon to be star grounded)
Epi LP Standard with standard wiring
Kramer Baretta with standard wiring (volume only)
Homemade strat-style with 2 humbuckers wired like a Les Paul minus the tone controls. (star grounded)

Pretty simple. I'm not one for too many toggle switches.

[Baron ManShred Von PickedOften]

Guitar 1 is a Strat with the following config:

Neck: DiMarzio HS-3
Mid: DiMarzio HS-2
Bridge: DiMarzio HS-3
5 way switch
no-load tone controls for neck and bridge

soon to have a master no-load tone control and a pickup blender (neck/bridge blend).

Guitar 2 is another Strat:

Neck: DiMarzio PAF Pro
Mid: DiMarzio Virtual Vintage 2.1
Bridge: DiMarzio Dual Sound (Super Distortion with 4 wires)

Neck and Bridge have on/on/on for serial/single/parallel
5 way switch
master tone control
neck/bridge blend pot

I'm VERY pleasantly surprised with the single-coil tones from my humbuckers. The neck/mid sound is super-Strat like, and once I correct the phasing between bridge/mid I expect it will be very Strat-like too. The neck in single-coil mode alone sounds fantastic.

I love the versatility! and I LOVE this site.

[sbgodofmetal]

my current guitar is an HSS B.C.RICH ST. wired as a normal hss strat with the exception of my 1st tone pot being a p/p with a neck add. within the next month i'll be changing it to an SSS and using the double barrel mod plus a varitone switch, and a passive over drive...

[newey]

sbg-

A new record! You've just resurrected a thread from 5 years and 288 days ago! ;D ;D

Since Randomhero started this board in, I believe, April of 2005, can't go much more Jurassic than that.

[popsaka]

...Very badly... custom extra hum at all points on the compass and special super boosted sustaining hiss... also switchable to loud or louder static...

[sbgodofmetal]

Apr 5, 2011 11:55:19 GMT -5 newey said:

sbg-

A new record! You've just resurrected a thread from 5 years and 288 days ago! ;D ;D

Since Randomhero started this board in, I believe, April of 2005, can't go much more Jurassic than that.

yeah i got to looking through the older threads trying to find some wiring idea's when i came across this one and thought it was a good idea to resurect it, and see what everybodies got! (insert ninja smiley here)

[~Maxx]

Apr 5, 2011 12:20:38 GMT -5 popsaka said:

...Very badly... custom extra hum at all points on the compass and special super boosted sustaining hiss... also switchable to loud or louder static...

I had a guitar just like that about 15 years ago! Sold it to a deaf guy for $50! ;D

At the moment I've got a late 90's Am. Strat Deluxe with a SD Lil '59 on the bridge, and some GFS vintage single coils in the mid and neck spots. Standard 5-way switch and vol - tone - tone config. The knobs are all push/pull switches. Vol. is a neck on switch (for neck + bridge, or "all 3" settings). Neck tone switches between 2 cap. values (don't recall which ones I have in there at the moment). And the mid. tone switches that knob from mid to bridge tone function. In the near future I'm going to take out the tone cap. mod and try a series/parallel switch for the bridge pup. Nothing too crazy, but I'm happy with it.

My other axe is a partscaster, and a work in progress (most of you've probably seen my thread on that project). It's gutted at the moment, pending some upgrades. But when it's done it will have (depending on your perspective) 5 Lace Sensors. A Gold/Gold Dually on the neck, a Gold at the mid, and a Red/Silver Dually at the bridge. No 5-way on this one. I'm using the Free-Way LP switch to achieve series/parallel wiring for the neck and bridge pups. The master vol is a push/pull that will be an "on" for the mid pup. The middile knob (where the neck tone would be) is a "boost" knob attached to an active boost/eq circuit. The bottom knob is a master tone on a push/pull will be an "on" for one of the two bridge single coils. And that's about as far as I'm going to explain that one.

[thetragichero]

let us know your thoughts on the freeway switch... i've read reviews that it's not very durable, which is not something i look for in gigging guitars...

i have two #1 guitars: warmoth SSS strat with standard wiring besides the lower tone working for middle and bridge (to me there's something elegant with a standard strat setup... so easy) and a partscaster tele with 5-way superswitch bridge straight to jack, bridge, bridge neck in parallel, bridge neck in series, neck. it has a push-pull pot to switch between .1uf and .022uf caps, but i think i'm going to replace it with a phase switch

my squier beater strat is H-P90-S with standard strat 5-way switch and a push-pull volume for series/parallel on the humbucker. it also has no load tone pots

the blacktop jazzmaster that should be on my doorstep when i get home will have a phase switch

all pickups are aftermarket (except the neck in the SSS and HSS strats, which have the neck from an american deluxe and the neck from a highway one, respectively), with 2 strat, 1 p90, and the tele neck being john benson pickups

[~Maxx]

Apr 6, 2011 12:26:01 GMT -5 thetragichero said:

let us know your thoughts on the freeway switch... i've read reviews that it's not very durable, which is not something i look for in gigging guitars...

if you want to sift through the discussions there are two threads with some decent info about the Free-Way... Free-Way discussion thread and my partscaster discussion thread. I ordered an extra one when I bought the one for this guitar. At some point I intend to dismantle it and take some good pics of the internal workings and construction. I'll start a new thread on it when I get around to that. I'm eager to discuss some "outside-the-box" uses for the thing. ;D

Apr 6, 2011 12:26:01 GMT -5 thetragichero said:

to me there's something elegant with a standard strat setup... so easy...

Absolutely! I'm starting to wonder what I was thinking taking on this current project. I've had trouble finding the ambition and patience to do the wiring. Not to mention trying to keep such a rats-nest organized inside the control cavity. Not my idea of a productive weekend!

How do you like the P-90 in your Squire? I've never had one (a P-90), and was thinking of putting a set in one of my beater axes.

[thetragichero]

i like the p90, it's definitely a different 'flavour' to a regular single coil
i had mine overwound to about 12k to match up better with the 11k neck and 16k bridge

i'm reading the freeway switch threads now... anxious to hear how it holds up for you, i could see it replacing the gibson-style 3-way switch in the jazzmaster

[sbgodofmetal]

you could how ever take a freeway switch place it in the volume slot on the pick guard(moving volume down and converting to a master tone) and run jumpers from the 5way to it. lets say for instance the bottom 3 pos, are pos1, neck. pos2, middle. pos3, bridge. and the top 3 were custom to your tastes so to keep on thread topic as much as possible how would you (PERSONALLY)wire the top 3 positions