bob7point7
Senior Member
- Messages
- 272
I recently decided it was time to revamp my Strat. It had SD Classic Stack Plus pickups in the neck and middle with a Little '59 in the bridge. The wiring consisted of a 5-way super switch that provided the traditional Strat sounds while splitting the pickups in positions 2 and 4, along with 3 push-pulls and a spin-a-split for a myriad of pickup combinations. The problem was it was way too cumbersome to get to many combinations, several combos were redundant, and a few resulted in no output at all. I've also grown to appreciate a good bridge single coil sound much more over the past few years, even though I need access to humbucker-esque sounds for the band I play in. I've really been enjoying my Teles so access to neck+bridge has become more important. This all left me with a few goals for the revamp:
1. Find a good noiseless warmed-over Strat pickup for the bridge
2. Create an intuitive wiring scheme using only a 5-way and one push-pull
3. No redundant or dead positions, I want 10 unique usable sounds
4. All 5 traditional Strat sounds must be available
5. Convincing humbucker sounds must be available (esp. bridge)
6. The Tele-like neck+bridge sound must be available
I ended up finding a deal on a Duncan Custom Stack Plus for the bridge which works nicely with the Classic Stack Plus pickups I already had. The real magic is in the wiring scheme though. I found that by wiring a capacitor across the middle pickup and wiring it in series with either the neck or bridge I was able to get some pretty convincing humbucker sounds. I get the extra output in the lows and midrange but the cap rolls off the high-end of the middle pickup eliminating the comb filtering that causes the 'cluck' or 'quack' sounds. It doesn't sound like a Les Paul, but the bridge/middle version can pull off some great overdrive sounds while the neck/middle has warm and round with just the right amount of articulation. With the push-pull down I have the traditional Strat pickup combos. With the push-pull up I have the simulated humbucker sounds in positions 1 and 5, the neck+bridge parallel sound in position 3, and some interesting new combinations in positions 2 and 4. Position 2 has the neck and middle in series with each other, then in parallel with the bridge. It gives a nice fat sound while maintaining some of the bridge+middle 'cluck'. Position 4 has the bridge and middle in series with each other, then in parallel with the neck. I tried these positions with and without the capacitor across the middle pickup, but opted to go without as it sounded more stratty and was a better contrast with the position 1 and 5 humbuckers. Overall I think it's a very versatile and easy to use wiring scheme that doesn't sacrifice any of the original Strat character. I've attached the wiring diagram if anyone is interested.
-Bobbie
1. Find a good noiseless warmed-over Strat pickup for the bridge
2. Create an intuitive wiring scheme using only a 5-way and one push-pull
3. No redundant or dead positions, I want 10 unique usable sounds
4. All 5 traditional Strat sounds must be available
5. Convincing humbucker sounds must be available (esp. bridge)
6. The Tele-like neck+bridge sound must be available
I ended up finding a deal on a Duncan Custom Stack Plus for the bridge which works nicely with the Classic Stack Plus pickups I already had. The real magic is in the wiring scheme though. I found that by wiring a capacitor across the middle pickup and wiring it in series with either the neck or bridge I was able to get some pretty convincing humbucker sounds. I get the extra output in the lows and midrange but the cap rolls off the high-end of the middle pickup eliminating the comb filtering that causes the 'cluck' or 'quack' sounds. It doesn't sound like a Les Paul, but the bridge/middle version can pull off some great overdrive sounds while the neck/middle has warm and round with just the right amount of articulation. With the push-pull down I have the traditional Strat pickup combos. With the push-pull up I have the simulated humbucker sounds in positions 1 and 5, the neck+bridge parallel sound in position 3, and some interesting new combinations in positions 2 and 4. Position 2 has the neck and middle in series with each other, then in parallel with the bridge. It gives a nice fat sound while maintaining some of the bridge+middle 'cluck'. Position 4 has the bridge and middle in series with each other, then in parallel with the neck. I tried these positions with and without the capacitor across the middle pickup, but opted to go without as it sounded more stratty and was a better contrast with the position 1 and 5 humbuckers. Overall I think it's a very versatile and easy to use wiring scheme that doesn't sacrifice any of the original Strat character. I've attached the wiring diagram if anyone is interested.
-Bobbie
