Noob looking for Strat (SSS) out-of-phase wiring schematic

[thereinternet]

Hey everyone, new to this forum (and guitar modding)

I currently have a MIM SSS strat with the slightly modified wiring:

• tone knob 1 - neck
  
• tone knob 2 - middle and bridge
• 
  volume - master

where I've just added a short 'jumper' wire tone knob 2 to control the middle and bridge tone control.

I am planning to change my volume pot to a push\pull potentiometer (I believe I would have to use an audio potentiometer - correct me if I'm wrong), to have a wiring such that,

Pushed down (standard SSS config - what I have currently)

• Position 1: neck
• Position 2 : neck + middle
• Position 3 : middle
• Position 4: middle + bridge
• Position 5: bridge

Pulled up

• Position 1: neck
• Position 2: neck + middle (out of phase)
• Position 3: neck + bridge 
• Position 4: middle and bridge (out of phase)
• Position 5: bridge

Was wondering if someone could provide a wiring schematic for this, using just a push/pull pot for the volume. I'm pretty new at this, so I don't want to be rerouting my body. Also, if you have any other cool suggestions (that aren't too complicated) for Pulled up: position 1 and 5 (possibly neck + middle series and middle + bridge series respectively), a schematic for that would be cool too.

Thanks dudes

[newey]

thereinternet-

Hello and Welcome to GNutz2!

What you want will require not only a push/pull switch, you will also (at a minimum) need a Superswitch™ or its equivalent. Although I suspect this could be done with a superswitch plus a P/P, you may still be short of switch poles.

The problem is that, on a standard Strat 5-way switch, positions 2 and 4 are not independently wired. With your switch pulled up, you can't have N + B at position 3, and still have M + N at position 2, whether in or out of phase.

If you are willing to go the Superswitch route, we can take a crack at a diagram; if not, it's a non-starter.

What you want can perhaps be achieved in other ways, but would require the manipulation of more switches. For example, you could use 2 push/pull pots (much cheaper than a Superswitch, and the resulting wiring is pretty simple) as follows:

-one Push/pull puts the middle pickup out of phase. This then will give you both the out of phase settings you want, with the phase switch pulled up and the 5-way selector in either position 2 or 4.

-a second push/pull then turns the neck pickup "on" in conjunction with whatever is selected on the 5-way switch. This then gives your desired N + B, except not at position 3, it will be at position 5 instead. With the switch pulled up, you will have the following 5 combos on the 5-way:

1)Neck
2)Neck + Middle (either in or out of phase, depending on your phase switch setting)
3)Neck + Middle (either in or out of phase, depending on your phase switch setting)
4)Neck + Middle + Bridge (with the middle either in or out of phase)
5)Neck + Bridge

This gets you all the various combos you want, just not in the order you want. The downside is that it would require pulling up on 2 P/Ps to get all the combos, instead of just one. The upside is that the switches are cheaper and the wiring issues are more straightforward. You also get one additional combo, the "all 3 pickups" setting. Thus, you have all 7 possible parallel combinations of 3 pickups; the standard Strat wiring gives you only 5 out of 7.

Also be aware that, whatever you do, it may be necessary (or, if not strictly necessary, very desirable) to have your tone pots operate on the neck and bridge alone, and have no tone pot for the middle pickup. This is due to the desire for the middle pickup to be out of phase with the others.

Also note that push/pull switches can be used for any of your pots, it doesn't have to be on the volume. whether you use a linear versus a log (i.e., audio) taper pot is a matter of preference, although for volume controls most prefer the audio taper.

[Deleted]

Feb 23, 2020 8:19:05 GMT -5 thereinternet said:

• tone knob 1 - neck
  
• tone knob 2 - middle and bridge
• volume - master

Pushed down (standard SSS config - what I have currently)

• Position 1: neck
• Position 2 : neck + middle
• Position 3 : middle
• Position 4: middle + bridge
• Position 5: bridge

Pulled up

• Position 1: neck
• Position 2: neck + middle (out of phase)
• Position 3: neck + bridge 
• Position 4: middle and bridge (out of phase)
• Position 5: bridge

Position 1: neck
Position 2 : neck + middle (Phased)
Position 3 : middle
Position 4: middle (Phased) + bridge
Position 5: bridge

Tends to be the standard format..

so i got one Push/Pull 2P2T to play with and what kind of 5 way switch..


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WHOS WITH ME

[reTrEaD]

Feb 23, 2020 8:19:05 GMT -5 thereinternet said:

Hey everyone, new to this forum (and guitar modding)

I currently have a MIM SSS strat with the slightly modified wiring:

• tone knob 1 - neck
  
• tone knob 2 - middle and bridge
• volume - master

where I've just added a short 'jumper' wire tone knob 2 to control the middle and bridge tone control.

Having a tone control when the Bridge-only is selected is a big improvement. Even when the tone is set to maximum, the added load of the tone control keeps that selection from sounding as brittle as it does with stock wiring.

But your wiring still has BOTH tone controls in the circuit when Neck + Middle is selected, just like the stock wiring. And the added tone control (even when both tones are set to maximum) make this position less bright than it could be.

You might want to consider using just one master tone and use the other pot for a different purpose. More on this later.

Feb 23, 2020 8:19:05 GMT -5 thereinternet said:

I am planning to change my volume pot to a push\pull potentiometer (I believe I would have to use an audio potentiometer - correct me if I'm wrong)

You can replace any of your three existing pots with a push-pull. And yes, you would use an audio taper, regardless of whether it was a tone pot or the volume pot.

Feb 23, 2020 8:19:05 GMT -5 thereinternet said:

to have a wiring such that,

Pushed down (standard SSS config - what I have currently)

• Position 1: neck
• Position 2 : neck + middle
• Position 3 : middle
• Position 4: middle + bridge
• Position 5: bridge

Pulled up

• Position 1: neck
• Position 2: neck + middle (out of phase)
• Position 3: neck + bridge 
• Position 4: middle and bridge (out of phase)
• Position 5: bridge

Was wondering if someone could provide a wiring schematic for this, using just a push/pull pot for the volume.

That would not be possible with a DPDT push-pull and a standard Fender 5-way.

I also doubt you could accomplish this with a DPDT push-pull and a 4P5T Superswitch. But I can't say for certain that would not be possible.

I am fairly certain you could accomplish this with a 4PDT S1 for one of your pots and a standard Fender 5-way.
EDIT: That ^ won't work either. You could definitely do this with a 4PDT S1 for one of your pots and a 4P5T Superswitch. But with that much invested in an upgrade, there are WAY more interesting things you could accomplish.

Feb 23, 2020 8:19:05 GMT -5 thereinternet said:

Also, if you have any other cool suggestions (that aren't too complicated)

If you're okay with having a Master Tone pot, you might want to look at the Zero Bux Series Addition to SSS Strat. I would suggest Version 2.1 without the red jumpers.

That scheme allows for some interesting additions to your tonal palate with only stock parts already in the guitar.

If you wanted to add a phase switch for one of your pickups, that would be an easy add. The phase switch could be on any of your pickups but putting it on either the bridge or neck would allow for hum-canceling when the neck and bridge were both selected and one of them is out of phase. If you put the phase switch on the middle pickup, you won't have hum-canceling when the middle is added to another pickup and the middle is out of phase.