Strat 7 Sound - 1 Volume + 1 Master Tone + SPST Switch

Zorand

Hi all,
For a while I wanted to do test the Strat 7 Sound mod. No specific reason, just for fun. I didn't want to drill a hole in the pick guard but instead wanted to use the existing hole used by the second tone pot and have a master tone pot for all 3 pickups. I didn't want a push-pull pot, blender pot, etc. and wanted to keep it as simple as possible.

In general, I can do basic wiring following a drawing but my knowledge of electronics is very, very limited.

I'm sure this has been done before but I couldn't find this wiring on the internet (found every other possible variation with 2 tones!) so I combined the existing 1 Master Volume, 1 Master Tone Strat wiring with the 7 Sound wiring and came up with this:

And, to my surprise, it works. I didn't have time to do a lot of testing and the first impression is that the overall sound seems to be brighter but otherwise all positions works fine. The bridge+neck combination is quite interesting and usable.

Did any of you guys try this before? Is there a better way to do this? Any comments/suggestions?

V8

Zorand The bridge+neck combination is quite interesting and usable.

It is, kinda tele-esque (mid pos) in it's bite +treble. I don't often use it - but it's handy when ya need something to cut through a mix - does it better than a just a neck pup.

I've got a copy of the Kinman K7 wiring harness in my strat. Master Tone/Master Vol and the third pot is a blend that adds bridge to whatever position the 5 way is in. Looks completely stock and the extra tones from the blender are useful when I bored with stock tones.

Zorand

I tried a Blender pot a few years ago, on a SSS Strat, but it didn't work for me. Maybe it would work better with a humbucker in the bridge. I'll try it again some time.

V8

Zorand There's a fine art to it - you need a specific no load pot, otherwise it sounds crappy. I tried to duplicate it using a std pot and it just didn't work/sound usable.

Zorand

I bought a CTS Blender Pot from Stewmac when buying some other stuff, just to try.

That Kinman K7 wiring harness looks interesting and much more involved than just adding a Blender pot. Which pickups do you have with that wiring?

V8

Zorand I bought a CTS Blender Pot from Stewmac when buying some other stuff, just to try.

Opps, that's what I got too - guess it's just not to your taste!

Zorand That Kinman K7 wiring harness looks interesting and much more involved than just adding a Blender pot.

Honestly I wouldn't know, this wiring way outta my league - I got a mate (who's cpt's best at wiring) to do it. Well worth it, he's done 100's of strats. He did add a kinman style treble bleed to the vol as well

Zorand t. Which pickups do you have with that wiring?

Had a set of Kinman woodstock plus (their version of P85 bridge in the bridge), but swopped back to the original pups after a while. The woodstock plus'es need gain to come alive, the cleans were a bit sterile.

I'm real happy with the harness though, ironically I prefer this strat with the nasty microphonic pups (some MIJ ceramic SC's) than the kinman's. Though I'm told the blues set would likely be more my style - though I've gotten it into my thinking that microphonic pups aren't necessarily the work of the devil... ?

Zorand

I don't think I would dare start a wiring job like that. For anything that is more than just basic stuff, I also got a mate that does it for me. He explained the whole thing to me many times but I simply forget. Or lose interest.

For me, the whole thing with swapping pickups, changing the wiring, having different guitars, amps, etc. is just for fun and to learn more. I don't learn well by reading (about guitar stuff) so I prefer to test and do as much as I can myself. In time, I've learned a lot and definitely enough to stop caring about which guitar/pickup/amp/fretboard radius/etc is best and stuff like that.

For professional musicians, it's a different proposition but for a hobbyist like me, anything goes, depending on the mood. Microphonic pickups too. Why not?! If you like them, good for you. And if you change your mind and change the pickups again, that's fine too. Tastes change.

But I do hate a badly setup guitar and especially a dirty guitar! Cheap or expensive, it doesn't matter. That drives me insane.

I wonder what that mate of yours would say about my wiring?! (I'll speak to my friend on Sunday when we play).

V8

Zorand In time, I've learned a lot and definitely enough to stop caring about which guitar/pickup/amp/fretboard radius/etc is best and stuff like that.

Zorand Microphonic pickups too. Why not?! If you like them, good for you. And if you change your mind and change the pickups again, that's fine too. Tastes change.

+100 to the above! I've learnt I've preferences and those preferences may change based on time, what may work in the bedroom guitaring, might not work in the rehearsal room guitaring or on stage either. All very different circumstances.

nick_D01 i've got a push/push 12db boost mod i've been sitting on, thinking about trying, and ur guys attempts may just have made up my mind

Do itttt! Is it a clapton style mid boost?

nick_D01

hi guys, hey. really interesting reading about this wiring scheme/mod, and the various sounds available ? . i've got a push/push 12db boost mod i've been sitting on, thinking about trying, and ur guys attempts may just have made up my mind ?

Zorand

Hi Nick, I wasn't sure what that boost sounds like but I found their website (I assume it's the same/similar thing that you have):
http://microbooster.becos.ro/

Very nice demo videos on the website and the mod sounds really nice. The wiring doesn't seem very complicated and is non-intrusive. Let us know how it goes.