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Post subject: 3 pickups and 3 volume controls
Posted: Wed Apr 01, 2009 5:57 pm
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Just fooling around with a 1970s Magnum Strat clone I bought at a flea market for $26. Was wondering if I can wire it up so that there is no selector switch, just 3 volume controls, one for each pickup. I hardly ever use the tone controls, so I figured I might try something new.
Basically, each pickup would be on all the time, and the volume controls would adjust whether each unit is audible, and how much.
Anybody ever try this mod? What would the wiring look like?
PS This Strat clone is actually a pretty cool find. It has a solid body, maybe maple. It is heavy, with some nice grain. It is pretty old cuz the stock selector switch is a 3 way unit, and the stock wiring is cloth covered solid core stuff. The pickup covers have gone from white to a cool vintage yellow. Th bridge is a hardtail with brass saddles. $26!!!! Not too bad, huh? When I saw the solid body and brass bridge, I bought it right away. He wanted $40, but I had $22 in cash and $4 in quarters, and he took it. Gotta love flea markets.


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Post subject: Re: 3 pickups and 3 volume controls
Posted: Thu Apr 02, 2009 6:04 am
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paisley strat wrote:
...Was wondering if I can wire it up so that there is no selector switch, just 3 volume controls, one for each pickup... Basically, each pickup would be on all the time, and the volume controls would adjust whether each unit is audible, and how much.
Anybody ever try this mod? What would the wiring look like?


I've never done it to any of my stuff but I'll walk you through the wiring:

Select three pots.

As you are looking at each of them with the shaft of each pointing face down toward the floor:

Solder the right terminal of each pot to each of their respective casings.

Run a wire from the left terminal of each pot, one to the others' left terminal and then run that same wire to the positive terminal of the output jack.

Wire the positive wire of whichever pickup you want controlled by whichever pot to the middle terminal of that pot.

Solder the negative wire of all three pickups, the bridge ground wire and the beginning of the next step's wire to the casing of one of the pots:

Run a ground wire from the casing of each pot to the negative terminal of the output jack.

That's it.

Enjoy!

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Post subject:
Posted: Thu Apr 02, 2009 6:13 am
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Martian strikes again! 8) If I ever have a pick up problem I'm looking you up! :)


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Posted: Thu Apr 02, 2009 6:17 am
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fhopkins wrote:
Martian strikes again! 8) If I ever have a pick up problem I'm looking you up! :)


My pleasure. If you ever do, please don't hesitate!

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Post subject:
Posted: Thu Apr 02, 2009 7:55 am
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Thanks!!! I will let you know how it works, and put photos up. !!!


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Posted: Sat Apr 18, 2009 7:46 pm
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Well, my little 70s Strat clone project is coming together nicely. Just as a curiosity, I wanted to wire up this Strat with a volume control for each pickup. No tone controls, no 3 or 5 way switch.
After putting the guitar together, all I can say is WOW!!! With each pickup having its own vol control, I can get tones out of this Strat that I have not heard before from 3 single coils. It is really cool to be able to fade and blend the pickups in a way not possible with stock wiring.
I highly recommend the set up outlined in this thread. If you want to have a unique sounding strat, go for it. It is 100% reversible if you want to go back to stock.
Just think of the possibilities. I wish I had wired up one of my Strats like this a long time ago. It is not the best set up for live work, but if you have the time to fiddle with things(like in the studio) this 3 vol set up works nice.


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Posted: Sat Apr 18, 2009 9:42 pm
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I recently wired up my Highway 1 Strat with 3 dual concentric pots and 3 toggle switches instead of the normal Strat wiring.

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I didn't Lose my mind, I traded it for this guitar.


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Post subject:
Posted: Sun Apr 19, 2009 10:03 am
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I love Strats due to the fact that there are infinite ways to hot rod these guitars. They are very much like muscle cars in that you can go for selected pieces to not only enhance the performance, but also to improve looks and crowd appeal.
Makes me miss my 1968 Pontiac Firebird 350!!!!


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Post subject:
Posted: Sun Apr 19, 2009 10:43 am
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you could wire the 5 or 3 way up as a tone control like on the esquire. OrvilleOwner gave me a drawing for it way back. I'm just too thick to figure it out.

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Post subject:
Posted: Sun Apr 26, 2009 10:14 pm
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paisley strat wrote:
Thanks!!! I will let you know how it works, and put photos up. !!!



Don't forget the pics! :)


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