Is this inspiring any other builds? (Michael Nielsen - Dan Huff James Tyler)

PFDarkside

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Sorry if this isn’t an appropriate post in the General Discussion area.

I just saw Michael Nielsen’s video on the Dan Huff James Tyler signature guitar. Wow! I’ve been dreaming of a session style guitar with knobs and switches, and I always thought the Duncan Hot Stack was a cool and under appreciated pickup. It’s got me thinking!

Strat style with Floyd Rose
JB inspired bridge with a series/spilt switch (although the diagram I found online seems to indicate series parallel like the Hot Stacks)
Hot Stacks with series/parallel switches
Demeter onboard preamp/midboost

Maybe I can combine the concept with the Grafitti Yellow Soloist that’s been on my mind.

[video]
 
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The push in switches for the pickups are series/parallel on that Tyler, so I am not sure why in the video he keeps saying split when demonstrating the different sounds.

Of course, if you used toggles, you could do the same or do series/split/parallel.
 
The push in switches for the pickups are series/parallel on that Tyler, so I am not sure why in the video he keeps saying split when demonstrating the different sounds.

Of course, if you used toggles, you could do the same or do series/split/parallel.
On the first topic I noted that on the diagram I found it looks like the bridge is series/parallel as well, which would make sense since all possible tones would be hum cancelling.

Regarding the second point, the control scheme I had been dreaming up (before I even knew this guitar existed!) would use three toggles like the 80’s Jackson Soloists. However I’d use on-off-on switches and have the stacked singles be on-off-reverse phase and the Humbucker be full-off-split. However, there are a few redundant sounds there (both singles out of phase = both singles in phase) and combining the split Humbucker with the stack would have noise. My other thought was to do full-off-split for the singles and a forth toggle for phase of the middle pickup. However, I think these Parallel Hot Stacks get as thin and spanky as I’d want, and now all positions would be unique and quiet.

I’ve also thought about doing a similar setup with EMGs, SLV/S/89 and use the PI2 for phase reversal of the middle pickup. My idea would require a bit of de-soldering/soldering of a few of the EMG components, so the plug and play aspect is out the window!

Of course the addition of mid boost adds quite a bit of tonal versatility. Demeter on the Tyler and SPC on the EMG side.

I think the biggest positive to the Tyler wiring is that you can set and forget the pickup switches then use the 5-way to select the tone on the fly. My idea requires some thought for each switch one every selection. Like going from spanky position 2 to fat Humbucker is a single swipe on the Tyler, for me I’d have to set the two singles to the middle (off) and the Humbucker to on.

Here’s a mock-up I had done a few years ago on the Kisaeke program before I had gotten to Floyd and toggles.



2450FD31-331D-496C-926D-C6385345184D.jpeg
 
Personally, I think the series/parallel options are probably better for the stacked single size pickups. There are lots of options you can do, and for a studio guitar they may be useful, though for live use less may be more. Unless of course more is more in the case of Yngwie but that is not pickup selections :)

I did bookmark the Demeter boost as it might be useful for something I was planning on myself in an HSH guitar in the future.
 
Personally, I think the series/parallel options are probably better for the stacked single size pickups. There are lots of options you can do, and for a studio guitar they may be useful, though for live use less may be more. Unless of course more is more in the case of Yngwie but that is not pickup selections :)

I did bookmark the Demeter boost as it might be useful for something I was planning on myself in an HSH guitar in the future.
Have you seen these buttons for sale anywhere?

On the elite Fender it’s a switch, button and bracket but those are a fortune on Guitar Parts Warehouse. The push/push button is pretty slick compared to the toggles that stick up.
 
I hadn't seen this - super cool! Seems similar in concept to a combinatorial-type build I'm dreaming up, with independent voice toggles for each pickup.

So the DHJT has 2-way toggles for each of bridge/middle/neck (which can also be off) plus a preamp = 3x3x3x2 = 54 combinations (52 tones when you remove the 2 all-pickups-off combos). I assume a few of these combos (like all pickups on simultaneously, or neck/bridge both on) aren't actually accessible with that wiring.

I was thinking of doing a similar concept with Fishman Fluence P90s, which each have 3 distinct voices (so I'd use 3-way toggles as opposed to 2-way switching for each pickup). So bridge/neck alone give 4x4-1=15 tones. Then I was considering adding a piezo as a 3rd pickup, which would effectively double the tones to 30.

I'm still not 100% sure I want to go with actives though. Maybe I should do something more along the lines of the DHJT...
 
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With all this multi tonal ideas, have you considered actual playability? I play live, and even using less complicated as a Brian May set up is too much to deal within a live performance unless all the music is memorized and you already have the when and where’s to make changes planned out beforehand.
 
The options are mostly just for studio. For live, you can just pick your favorite voicing for each pickup, ignore the toggles, and treat it like normal.
 
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With all this multi tonal ideas, have you considered actual playability? I play live, and even using less complicated as a Brian May set up is too much to deal within a live performance unless all the music is memorized and you already have the when and where’s to make changes planned out beforehand.
I have guitars ranging from single pickup, single volume up to a Jimmy Page wired LP. Mostly
I use a Strat when I play with others, it’s pretty straightforward. This will be for fun, tonal
explorations and recording.

That being said I don’t think this setup is particularly confusing, far simpler than the Red Special, IMO. I think you set the series/parallel switches and just use the 5-way like a normal Strat. Roll in some boost for a solo if needed.

Unless you are intending that for Cromulent, in which case I do agree that at a certain point having an extreme number of tones tends to have many that sound similar/redundant. In the Dan Huff video above, I was really impressed by how different and usable to two settings (series/parallel) sound on the Hot Stacks.
 
Unless you are intending that for Cromulent, in which case I do agree that at a certain point having an extreme number of tones tends to have many that sound similar/redundant. In the Dan Huff video above, I was really impressed by how different and usable to two settings (series/parallel) sound on the Hot Stacks.

Huh? The video has around 50 tones, and the build I'm suggesting has 15 (30 if you add a piezo). It's literally the same concept except I'm suggesting only 2 pickups instead of 3. How is that more extreme?

Even JP wiring has 21 options.
 
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Ah, sorry I was thinking three Fishman, three tones each and a piezo and midboost all together, the kitchen sink!

I am kind of brainstorming a way that would switch two of the Hot Stacks to Parallel with one switch, but I believe you need two poles for each pickup.

Anyway I think we are both in the same boat, these would be guitars with many tonal options, and at least for me would compliment my more simple guitars.
 
Yeah 3 Fishmans seems like overkill, and I also didn't contemplate the onboard midboost (I already have a TS9). Also, it's probably the case that the Fishman voicings are much more subtle than coil-splitting or phase-switching (though I've never actually played them), so it's true that the Fishman build might not be as versatile.

You're a big fan of the hot stacks?
 
🤮That headstock! 🤮

Did Tyler set out to make the most hideous yet sorta familiar headstock design?

And a signature on the front of the body? Really?

Everything else is ok, I guess.
 
You're a big fan of the hot stacks?
Ever since I saw this demo (and knowing that Brent Mason also uses the Hot Stack in the middle) I’ve been interested in trying them. They look so unique and have a cool alternate sound to the other more standard Strats I already have. I think this Tyler demo pushed me over the edge to try them.

 
Wow they sound better clean than I imagined. As I mentioned above, I'm still not married to Fishmans, so considering other options as well.

Also what a weird looking guitar!
 
I have not looked but you would need DPDT push-push. A good place to look would be somewhere like Mouser. In a quick search I found this but they have lots of others.


Oddly enough, this came up in my YouTube suggestions.

Thanks for the link! I need to zoom in to see if the mounting bracket is apparent.

Fender does a good job of sourcing components into an easy to install kit, but they definitely make you pay for it. Maybe if I can find the original source for the push/push switches, fabricate a bracket and then only need to buy the buttons it wouldn’t be so bad. And of course we’ve always got the toggle option. ;)

Would you put the preamp/midboost on a bypass? It seems like switching between active and passive could really affect/create a jump in tone depending on the downstream signal chain. I’m kind of curious how this Demeter compares to the Fender Clapton boost and the EMG SPC.
 
🤮That headstock! 🤮

Did Tyler set out to make the most hideous yet sorta familiar headstock design?

And a signature on the front of the body? Really?

Everything else is ok, I guess.
It might be blasphemous here but I also feel the same about the Valley Arts headstock from the same era. On that topic, I think it’s difficult to come up with a new headstock design that bridges the gap between classic/familiar and fresh/new. The Warhead does it better than most other designs, IMO.
 
With all this multi tonal ideas, have you considered actual playability? I play live, and even using less complicated as a Brian May set up is too much to deal within a live performance unless all the music is memorized and you already have the when and where’s to make changes planned out beforehand.

I agree. I can see this as a studio workhorse, but live, I just want a volume, a 3 way toggle, and the truth. I love the Brian May guitar too, and have actually played one, but it’s impractical when I’m singing and tapping on a pedalboard. I just want to flick for neck, flick for bridge, and that’s it.
 
To each his own (which is really the whole purpose of building a custom guitar), but I hate a bunch of switches & knobs. Give me two (or three) pickups, three (or five) switching configurations, and ONE knob (volume).
 
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