Jazzmaster lead circuit...

[Chad]

On a Jazzmaster, in the lead circuit, with the 3-way switch in the middle position are the two pickups electrically in-phase or out-of-phase? Parallel or series?

I'm pretty sure one of the pickups is RWRP. Also, I know the middle position is humbucking because I've clearly heard the hum go away in live playing situations when I switch to the middle selection.

I'd guess parallel, in-phase, but it gets such a fat sound in that position I'm wondering if the pickups are series wired??

[sumgai]

Chad,

My very first guitar was a Jazzmaster, ser. no. L10442, back in 1963!!! I think I can speak with authority to this one. ;D

The pickups are indeed connected in parallel, the toggle switch used on that guitar can't do series. They are electrically in-phase, although the commonly available J'Master diagrams found on the web look otherwise. (The black wire comes out on opposite physical sides of the coil.) This leads you to the conclusion that one of the pups is RWRP, and you're correct to guess that - it's the lead unit.

If the pups were out of phase, you'd get a honk, or as some forum members call it, a quack. (Although it would still kill most, if not all, hum.) If you're getting a sound reminiscent of the Pyramids' 1964 "Penetration", then you've got it right. If you're getting a sound more like an anemic Telecaster, then someone (you?) has wired the two pups backwards.

What year is your puppy?


sumgai

[Chad]

sumgai: Thanks for the reply. I wish mine were vintage, but it's a 2001 American Vintage 62' Reissue in Olympic White. I'm the original owner and it plays and sounds incredible. It definitely gets that "Penetration" sound, so I know it's wired correctly.

My question was prompted because I've been working on a project Strat guitar that I want to be very versatile, yet simple in operation. In the 5-way switch selections, I am hoping to get a sound somewhat similar to the Jazzmaster middle-position sound, but I know it can't get *too* similar due to the differences in the pickups.

[sumgai]

Chad,

Edit
Unfixed a major error in the next line, so that someone doesn't look like a doofus further down the line!
/edit

My Strat (a 1005 AmDlx) is wired to give me N + B in phase, and this very closely duplicates the Penetration sound. Not perfectly, because neither pup is RWRP, but close enough for government work! ;D

I've posted the schematic for that mod elsewhere in this sub-forum, if you're interested. But, for that one, I used one of Fender's new 'S1' switches, because it was already there on the ax when I bought it. If you're looking to keep things truly stock in appearance (IOW, a stealth guitar ), then you'll have to either install a push-pull pot, a push-push pot like the S1, or else just give up one of the standard Strat combos, replacing it with N + B.

Lotsa options here!


sumgai

[Chad]

sumgai: Awesome! Here is what I was wanting to do (all stock Strat sounds except for position 3):

1. B
2. B + M
3. B + N (Jazzmaster sound)
4. M+ N
5. N

BTW, I should add that my guitar is S/S/S (middle pickup is RWRP) with a 5-way SuperSwitch.

If you could provide a direct link to that diagram that would be great! Thanks.

[Runewalker]

sumgai said:

Chad,

My strat (a 1005 AmDlx) sumgai

SomMan, you should think seriously about listing that at auction at Sotheby's. A thousand year old American strat, built before there was either electronics or America must be worth million$.

SomRune

[sumgai]

Rune,

Yeah, it was a shock to me too, seeing that the next time I logged in. "WTF" I said to myself, how'd that happen???

Mox nix.

BTW, I fixed it before seeing your post. But thanks all the same. ;D


sumgai

[Runewalker]

sumgai said:

.....

BTW, I fixed it before seeing your post. But thanks all the same. ;D


sumgai

Too bad, it was more fun in it's original form. Now my joke looks like I'm the one on drugs.

[sumgai]

sumgai said:

.....

BTW, I fixed it before seeing your post. But thanks all the same. ;D


sumgai

Too bad, it was more fun in it's original form. Now my joke looks like I'm the one on drugs.

Hadn't thought of that, sorry. Un-fixed it. Better to have one jack@ss here instead of two, right? ;D


sumgai

[sumgai]

Chad,

sumgai: Awesome! Here is what I was wanting to do (all stock Strat sounds except for position 3):

1. B
2. B + M
3. B + N (Jazzmaster sound)
4. M+ N
5. N

BTW, I should add that my guitar is S/S/S (middle pickup is RWRP) with a 5-way SuperSwitch.

If you could provide a direct link to that diagram that would be great! Thanks.

Went you one better, made up a fresh schematic.



As you can see, it's quite simple. Your Superswitch will do nicely. Since I've trimmed it down to using only two of the four poles (sections), you can use the other two poles for adding separate tone controls, like many stock Strats do, or for whatever else you can imagine. The volume and tone pots are suggestions only, feel free to modify that part of the circuit to suit your own needs.

HTH


sumgai

[Chad]

I'm not an electrical person, so I'm gonna have to read up and study that schematic for awhile before I understand it. Will the 3rd position be B + N parallel and out-of-phase?

[sumgai]

Chad,

....
Will the 3rd position be B + N parallel and out-of-phase?

No, they're in-phase. Whenever you have the positive leads from two (or more) pickups wired together, they are electrically in-phase. If one (and just one) of those pups is RWRP, then they would be magnetically out-of-phase, which cancels hum (or very nearly does so). In all the Strats I've ever seen, the middle pup is the only one that is RWRP, the other two are always what we call "standard" (we don't say "non-RWRP", or anything like that).

For your purposes, the sound will be very much like that found on Penetration, but there may be a small amount of hum. My experience is such that with adequate internal shielding, the overall hum level is well below objectional levels, and in some locations, it is virtually non-existant. But as usual, YMMV!

If you haven' already done so, now would be an excellent time to visit Quieting the Beast for a good lesson on how to sheild the innards of your guitar.

HTH


sumgai