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Post subject: First post, and a bit of Strat modding advice
Posted: Tue Jun 27, 2017 12:35 am
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Hobbyist
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Joined: Mon Jun 26, 2017 9:35 pm
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Hi all!

This is my first post here. I recently bought my first ever stratocaster, a Mexican Deluxe Roadhouse 2017 (2016?). It's a wonderful guitar, and I'm thoroughly enjoying positions 4 and 5 on the selector. I've strung it up with 11-56 strings (I like bridge cables) in Standard E/Drop D depending on how I'm feeling that day.

The onboard V6 mid boost preamp is a lot of fun as well, extra oomph and grit at the push of a button. Setting my amp at the EDGE of breakup (modelling amp with an excellent Marshall plexi style setting) and picking really hard with those bridge cables is endlessly satisfying, and engaging the preamp on position 4 is one of the most satisfying, chewy sounds I have EVER achieved on any guitar I have owned previously.

NOW. The bridge single coil. Not my cup of tea. I'm very much a bridge humbucker guy, and bought this guitar because I wanted to experiment with single coils. The experiment paid off, in the sense that I don't think I can ever go back to 'buckers in the neck position. But in the bridge I realize that I want a humbucker.

I'm in the process of picking out a humbucker, but I have a question: how do I wire it with the on board preamp? I want to maintain the mid boost. the single coils on it are Fender vintage noiseless.

1) Can I switch the bridge noiseless single out for a full size 'bucker and still wire it up to the V6 preamp? Or will I need to throw out the preamp? I really want to keep the preamp.

2) Do I need to worry about noise? I have my sights set on an asymmetrically wound humbucker that is not 100% humbucking (the Duncan 59/Custom Hybrid).

3) I'd like positions 3,4 and 5 to remain as they are, but position 1 to be full bridge 'bucker, and 2 to be one 'bucker coil and the middle single.

4) Am I hoping for too much?

Thanks a bunch folks, cheers!


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Post subject: Re: First post, and a bit of Strat modding advice
Posted: Wed Jun 28, 2017 3:20 am
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Rock Star
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Joined: Tue Jul 17, 2007 1:53 am
Posts: 4241
In the good old days, we used to have some fantastic wiring gurus on the forum, and they're missed, sincerely and often...
I'm absolutely not a guru myself, and I'm not familiar with either the Dlx Roadhouse or the SD 59/Custom... But, here goes, to get the topic rolling:

Checked the MIM Dlx Roadhouse diagram; someone sure had a weird field day at Fender... The S1 switch (/250K pot) acts as an active/passive switch and master vol, the PCB with the V6 rotary switch assembly, and the 1Meg tone pot...
Your Q4, "am I hoping too much" sort of calls for a yes-answer; there's always the other route of getting another Strat with HSS and simpler wiring.

When Fender uses a humbucker, it's often wired full on, not splittable. With my logic: if you can live without your "Pos2 = humbucker split + mid" option, you could probably just wire a humbucker in the bridge.
There may be unexpected results soundwise; those pot values aren't exactly hummer oriented.
Another thing is that the single coils are all "South" oriented, so be sure about the humbucker wire colors (SD is different from Fender; they have a diagram on the support pages).
And furthermore; the single coils seem to be quite low output (DCR in specs ~5KΩ); a hummer may overpower them so some extent. Fiddling with pickup heights to be expected - at least.

But unless someone who's done the HSS mod chimes in, it's just a trial/error method case. You can always revert back to original...

If you need the coil split option, it could be done with an additional mini switch. Then again, changes in the middle of a song might become troublesome; hassling with pup switch & mini switch & V6 & vol pot simultaneously... 8)

Anyways, here's the current Dlx Roadhouse Strat 014-7300/7302 Service Diagram


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