HSS Wiring Question

[lawrencedesigns]

I am looking for a schematic to re-wire my strat. It is in the HSS configuration, with a Seymore Duncan HB in the bridge and lace sensors in the middle/neck.
I am thinking that I would like the convert the #4 position to just the humbucker, coil-tapped, as a single coil. So I would have the choice of #5 being the bridge humbucker, and #4 being a bridge single-coil.
Am I nuts? Can it be done? Is it worth it?

Lawrence Designs

[UnklMickey]

lawrencedesigns said:

...Am I nuts? Can it be done? Is it worth it?

if you are "nuts", i guess you came to the right place!

can it be done?:

• if you have the superswitch, absolutely.
  
  
• with the standard 8 contact (2 poles, 3 throws, 5 positions) -- not exactly.
  
  with that switch, you could rewire the tone controls with separate caps, and connect the controls directly to 2 of the pickups.
  
  you could then use the half of the switch that used to be for selecting the tone controls, to shunt one coil (i can't believe i just suggested that) of the HB - in position #4 ONLY.
  
  problem is, your middle pup is still going to be connected in position #4.
  
  i don't think this is "close enough" to what you asked for.

here's another route for your consideration. go with a push-pull pot, using the switch on it to select between full HB/one-coil.

OR, 1-volume, 1-tone, 1-coil split switch.

is it worth it?

depends on what you like and what you have to give up.

do you prefer chocolate ice-cream to vanilla with hot fudge? etc,etc,etc. only you know the answer to those kind of questions.

personally i'd NEVER give up the sound of #4 in my SSS strat, but that's my preference. besides your #4 doesn't sound like that with HB at the bridge anyway.


U.M.