Strat wired in series

marthur

Newbie
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I really want to wire the single coils i have in series. I dont care for the usual 2 and 4 parallel positions. Ideally, I'd like to have this set up where three of the positions are each single coil by itself, and one is the neck and bridge in series, and another is all three pickups in series. I cant figure out how to wire this. Any help?
 
I'm a sucker for this stuff, it's like an easy crossword in the morning. Here is the diagram using a stew mac mega switch, my favorite switch. If you decide later you want a different combo, this switch can do it.
 
Here's the wiring I have on my own strat, it gives you I think 11 different tones (neck / bridge, all three, neck / mid series, etc. etc. ) and looks 100% stock. Requires some patience though.
 
EDIT: Just realized you want 'all three in series' which technically is 1 1/2 humbuckers - technically possible but it wouldn't be hum cancelling and would probably be a muddy mess of a sound. The first diagram I sent has neck / mid series (very useful) and neck / bridge series. Note that two strat pickups in series gives you a very fat and pretty high output humbucker sound, doesn't sound much like a PAF.
The second diagram can give you all three on, middle in series with the other two which are both in parallel - I guess the current flows from the middle + to the - 's on both neck and bridge. I use it with noiseless pups so hum isn't an issue but I never use that combo - too muddy. Bridge / neck parallel is the 'alternate' one I use most.
 
Thanks for the diagrams and info. I could ditch the 3 in series if it's going to be too muddy, but the neck and mid in series and the neck and bridge series still sounds good to me. The may design is cool but I don't really want to add all the extra switches and such. I'm assuming that I'd have to get that Model S or E megaswitch? There are alot of circles (connections i guess)  on that diagram Farny, more than in the pictures at stew mac. Rookie at wiring and dont know which one i need. Appreciate the help though.
 
Read this: http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Electronics,_pickups/Components:_Switches_and_knobs/1/Super_Switch/Instructions/I-3200.html#details
On the first one I drew up for you, the squares are poles of the switch, the circles are the output (common) lugs. This switch can do nearly anything you want it to, which is another reason to get it - you can change around the wiring easily later on, maybe even 3 in series.
 
I dunno why Tim says it's going to be muddy.  People put humbuckers in series sometimes, which is like 4 single coils in series, and it's a good sound :party07:
 
dbw said:
I dunno why Tim says it's going to be muddy.  People put humbuckers in series sometimes, which is like 4 single coils in series, and it's a good sound :party07:

I can do this on my LP and it kills a lot of highs. It's nice to a very fat smooth sound, but it's quite boomy. By the time the signal passed through all of that wire there's no much high end left.
 
The only reason I say that is because it's muddy! Also I thought Brian May used out of phase quite a bit, and I'm not sure the power of the pickups in that thing. If you put one of the three out of phase, that solves any muddiness.
I'll draw up the thing the OP asked for as soon as I get the time.
 
In the 80's fender made a guitar that was sort of a response to all the active pickup guitars being put out.
From what i understand EMG was supposed to make the pickups but they ended up being made by somebody else instead?

But it was wired to have 3 push buttons rather than a 5 way switch. each button was on/off and controlled it's corresponding pickup so that any combination could be on at the same time.

I met a guy that had one, but didn't get to spend much time talking about it. anybody have any idea what i'm talking about? this thread sorta reminds me of it.
 
Yeah that's the one. although from what i can tell they were just regular PUs and there was a pre-amp and a dummy coil involved.
 
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