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Post subject: HSS FENDER STRAT
Posted: Fri Feb 10, 2017 12:27 pm
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I have a Fender strat with 3 Fender custom 69 pickups and a Floyd Rose tremolo. I want to replace the bridge pickup with a Seymour Duncan Pearly GatesTB-PG1trembucker. My guitar has 3 250k pots. I am a little bit confused because some Fender wiring diagrams have 1 volume 500k pot with 2 250k control pots and some all 3 pots 250k. If I install the 500k volume pot i worry not to lose my wonderful custom 69 tone. If i let all 250k I worry if the Pearly Gates pickup is not working properly. Pearly Gates has output 8.8K while the custom 69's 5.8K resistance so I worry about the 2nd position. I have seen Fender custom shop models with alike configuration.
Any suggestions?
Thank you


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Post subject: Re: HSS FENDER STRAT
Posted: Fri Feb 10, 2017 12:50 pm
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I think before addressing your query we will need a little more info from you.
I believe the first issue is the question of how much you use your volume control on your guitar.
Many players crank the guitar volume to maximum and rarely touch it except to mute the guitar.
Others use it as a means to have a measure of control over how much grind/OD/Distortion they are hearing.
Which category do you fall into?

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Post subject: Re: HSS FENDER STRAT
Posted: Fri Feb 10, 2017 12:57 pm
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I belong to the second category. I like to play with the volume knob and pass from cleans to dirty and vs.


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Post subject: Re: HSS FENDER STRAT
Posted: Sat Feb 11, 2017 2:22 am
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Reading between the lines of BMW-KTM's answer, I agree that there is no single right option suitable for every player and every guitar, every pickup.

The Lone Star™ Stratocaster® has the Pearly Gates as the stock bridge pickup, so I'd start with that wiring: Lone Star 0107900/7902 Service Diagram
Note that you'll have a tone pot in every position, but pos2 has the middle single coil plus only the inner coil of the humbucker.
If that doesn't sound right for you, one pot is relatively easy to change.
(Personally I feel there are no 'too bright' guitars, so would probably go for 500K...)


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Post subject: Re: HSS FENDER STRAT
Posted: Sat Feb 11, 2017 3:27 am
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a) What if in pos2 have the middle pickup plus the whole Pearly Gates (not splited) ? How will be the sound?
b) The custom 69's won't sound too bright with the 500k pot?

Thank you


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Post subject: Re: HSS FENDER STRAT
Posted: Sat Feb 11, 2017 4:52 am
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Like I wrote, to me there are no 'too bright' guitars - I find it's easier to tame highs than to add them, if they're not there originally.

On the 'how does it sound' part, a Lone Star™ sounds IMHO about as the name describes; it's voiced pretty much as Fender usually does with its "Texas" category products. Roughish, fat, vaughanish, in-your-face, but not vintage.
Howling instead of singing. :wink:

Can't say about the CS69's with a 500K pot.
But, 250 and 500 aren't the only alternatives; there are pots around 350K which might be an alternative. Or a two volumes master tone wiring.

The hardest part in this is, only you know what you like the most soundwise - and you know it only after you've tried the new wiring(s).
But in general, think about how you want the electronics to function: coil split or not, tone pot (on which positions), pickup combinations on the switch, etc; it would be easier to find wiring diagram suggestions.


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Post subject: Re: HSS FENDER STRAT
Posted: Sat Feb 11, 2017 9:32 am
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Quote:
I want to replace the bridge pickup with a Seymour Duncan Pearly GatesTB-PG1trembucker.
In my opinion, you've certainly picked the right humbucker for the job! Still sounds like a Strat but with added fatness, and cleans up nicely. And if you can't get the Trembucker for some reason, don't worry, the standard HB spacing is just as good. I think the CS'69's may prove a bit underpowered, though. I like them in isolation but Texas Specials would be a better match for a HB volume-wise. You might be OK if you wind the PG well down (away from the strings), but you will then lose some of the 'PG sound'. HSS's are always a bit of a compromise, I've found - having spent decades fiddling with such setups!

I run my PG on a 500k pot, but have an HH configuration so that's fine for the neck as well. I can only suggest you try both 500k and (the existing?) 250k and see what, if either, sounds best. Pots are cheap enough even (if you don't have a few spares knocking about), easy enough to swap, and ultimately only you can really tell what sounds good to you. Good luck with it!

Cheers - Peter.


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Post subject: Re: HSS FENDER STRAT
Posted: Sat Feb 11, 2017 9:46 am
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You mean 500k on hambucker sharing the 250k with middle pickup or 500k volume pot, 500k tone pot for humbucker and 250k sharing tone pot for middle and neck pickups? Which of the two options sound better?
Last but not least in pos2 what is better hum splinted with middle or whole humbucker with middle?


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Post subject: Re: HSS FENDER STRAT
Posted: Sat Feb 11, 2017 3:30 pm
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Spy wrote:
You mean 500k on hambucker sharing the 250k with middle pickup or 500k volume pot, 500k tone pot for humbucker and 250k sharing tone pot for middle and neck pickups? Which of the two options sound better?
Last but not least in pos2 what is better hum splinted with middle or whole humbucker with middle?
Er, you've lost me slightly! Assuming only one volume pot (forgetting the tone pots for now), try a 250, then 500. See which you like best. You could temporarily extend the volume pot wiring outside the scratchplate to hook them up - I've done that to try treble bleed caps - make it much quicker to swap from 250 to 500 and back. I don't use tone pots much so can't comment on that.

Re whether to split the HB when paired with the middle, again you'll just have to suck it and see. Logic says to split for more of the Strat bridge/middle sound, but logic doesn't have much bearing on the sound you hear and like, I don't think!

Cheers - Peter.


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Post subject: Re: HSS FENDER STRAT
Posted: Sat Feb 11, 2017 3:42 pm
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Peter S wrote:
Spy wrote:
You mean 500k on hambucker sharing the 250k with middle pickup or 500k volume pot, 500k tone pot for humbucker and 250k sharing tone pot for middle and neck pickups? Which of the two options sound better?
Last but not least in pos2 what is better hum splinted with middle or whole humbucker with middle?
Er, you've lost me slightly! Assuming only one volume pot (forgetting the tone pots for now), try a 250, then 500. See which you like best. You could temporarily extend the volume pot wiring outside the scratchplate to hook them up - I've done that to try treble bleed caps - make it much quicker to swap from 250 to 500 and back. I don't use tone pots much so can't comment on that.

Re whether to split the HB when paired with the middle, again you'll just have to suck it and see. Logic says to split for more of the Strat bridge/middle sound, but logic doesn't have much bearing on the sound you hear and like, I don't think!

Cheers - Peter.


Thank you


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Post subject: Re: HSS FENDER STRAT
Posted: Sat Feb 11, 2017 5:53 pm
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What is the difference in sound for the bridge with
1. 500k volume pot 500k tone pot
2. 500k volume pot 250k tone pot?

Thx


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