Strat Wirings

DonovanB

Are there any interesting or different wirings for a strat?
I have a MIC Squier that I am going to be mucking about with and I though I might try something new.

Bob-Dubery

One option would be to do what Richard Thompson does (on his Ferrington's anyway, and those are conceptually very similar to a strat) and have a volume control for each pickup and no tone controls.

DonovanB

That could do Bob, but I have no interest in being able to have all 3 pups at once.

I thought of shielding the cavity and if anyone has some more info on that I would be stoked.

I found an article from ~~the prophet~~ Alan, here and another article here, but not from Alan... ?

I do like the thought of the tone control on the bridge pickup so I will try that as well.

Bob-Dubery

Donovan Banks wrote That could do Bob, but I have no interest in being able to have all 3 pups at once.

The wiring in question retains the usual 5-position blade switch. It just has a volume pot for each pickup so that you can blend them to taste.

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Donovan Banks wrote That could do Bob, but I have no interest in being able to have all 3 pups at once.

By this do you mean individual volume controls, or being able to select all three of them at the same time? I would think that's a pretty handy wiring mod. Why wouldn't you want to try that?

I do like the thought of the tone control on the bridge pickup so I will try that as well.

That's a function I used to have, although I've gone back to regular wiring. Also very handy.

DonovanB

Stratisfear wrote By this do you mean individual volume controls, or being able to select all three of them at the same time? I would think that's a pretty handy wiring mod. Why wouldn't you want to try that?

That sounds like a formula for muddiness right there. I'm not so much a tone freak that I need every available option on one guitar. I also mainly use one pup at a time so it would be wasted on me.

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Donovan Banks wrote Are there any interesting or different wirings for a strat?
I have a MIC Squier that I am going to be mucking about with and I though I might try something new.

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Donovan Banks wrote I'm not so much a tone freak that I need every available option on one guitar. I also mainly use one pup at a time so it would be wasted on me.

??? :-\

aja

Here is an interesting one for you!

MikeM

That, is cool. I like that the stock positions are accessible.

Going to read up on it.

aja

MikeM wrote That, is cool. I like that the stock positions are accessible.

Going to read up on it.

Tell me if you find it, I cant see it on his site ☹

MikeM

It's blowing my mind. Seriously, just can't figure out how he'd get all those from it ? Neeeeeeeeed to do something similar!

AlanRatcliffe

Don't know if it's what he's doing (didn't watch the video), but you can do the Fender S1 switching using a four pole mini toggle instead of the S1 switch, which gives you five extra sounds. That's about as flexible as you get with three single-coils. The downside is that the five extra sounds are mostly of limited use.

Otherwise the most useful mods IMO are tone on bridge pickup and "neck on" mod. The bridge tone improves bridge pickup sound and the neck on mod is simple to use live, but adds useful tones. If you don't like the regular position two and four on the switch, you probably won't go for the new sounds either (neck + bridge, all three).

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Alan Ratcliffe wrote Otherwise the most useful mods IMO are tone on bridge pickup and "neck on" mod. The bridge tone improves bridge pickup sound and the neck on mod is simple to use live, but adds useful tones.

Ah ha, now I know what the mod on my RatoBlastacaster is called... ?

aja

Alan Ratcliffe wrote Don't know if it's what he's doing (didn't watch the video),

watch the video, worth it IMO

AlanRatcliffe

No time ATM... ☹

MikeM

May have figured it out!!! Just need a superswitch (And 3pdt switch ?) to test it

Garth-S

I have an additional switch that turns my bridge pickup on and off. It's really cool, and the bridge + neck combo is very similar to a tele. I don't really use all 3 together, but I love having the "tele" sound available.

MikeM

Ok this is what I have so far - B: Bridge, M: Mid, N: Neck, SC - Single coil, HB - Bucker.

1-5 = SC Fender so

1. B
2. B + M
3. M
4. M + N
5. N

Then here's the alternate

6. B HB
7. B + N HB
8. N HB
9. ?
10. B SC + N SC

Now I have one position to fill. Any ideas? I feel as though I have covered it all :/ And I am definately not a fan of "all on".

aja

MikeM wrote Ok this is what I have so far - B: Bridge, M: Mid, N: Neck, SC - Single coil, HB - Bucker.

1-5 = SC Fender so

1. B
2. B + M
3. M
4. M + N
5. N

Then here's the alternate

6. B HB
7. B + N HB
8. N HB
9. ?
10. B SC + N SC

Now I have one position to fill. Any ideas? I feel as though I have covered it all :/ And I am definately not a fan of "all on".

NICE!!!

how about a series or parallel HB variation?

Attila

Heres one I am doing on my old Washburn Strat which I will finish over the weekend … the text below is not mine.... instead of the volume DPDT switch I have used a standard mini one but mounted it so that you only see about 4mm sticking above the pick guard through a tiny slot and is geographically situated between the volume and 1st tone pot, easy to find and out the way.

“ I installed the Kinman pickups with a Volume DPDT switch. When the switch is pushed up, the first position of the 5 position switch plays the neck pickup in series with the bridge pickup. The next position plays the neck and middle pickups in parallel with the bridge pickup in series. Middle position plays the middle pickup in series with the bridge pickup. All pushed-up positions use the bridge tone pot, which uses a .01uf cap. The nonstandard pickup configurations are great with more presence. “