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Post subject: wiring oddity on 5-way switch
Posted: Sat Mar 10, 2018 8:55 am
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I'm in the middle of doing an overhaul of my mutt '75 Strat, including revisiting the wiring (which is a bit of a hack job).

I'm comparing the current wiring with the schematic provided by Fender (https://p4.zdassets.com/hc/theme_assets ... A_SISD.pdf) and noticing that, unlike the schematic, I have a wire bridging the #1 and 2 lugs on Stage 2 (see this diagram: https://www.premierguitar.com/ext/resou ... 1cb3a1.JPG).

Anybody have any idea why this would've been done?


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Post subject: Re: wiring oddity on 5-way switch
Posted: Sat Mar 10, 2018 12:26 pm
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It extends the tone control to the bridge pickup. :D


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Post subject: Re: wiring oddity on 5-way switch
Posted: Sat Mar 10, 2018 12:32 pm
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Yup, it hooks the tone pot to both the middle and bridge pickups. Would be my first mod on a Strat that wasn’t already set up this way; dramatically increases the usability of the bridge pickup (IMHO).


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Post subject: Re: wiring oddity on 5-way switch
Posted: Sat Mar 10, 2018 1:24 pm
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Yep, Fender has done a few different versions of this wiring.
Traditionally, the tone pots have been wired to the neck and middle pickups, but on the American Special and Highway One with the Greasebucket tone circuit, they are wired to the neck and bridge.
On current American Standard, the middle and bridge are jumpered.

The jumper makes the most sense, but the Am Special also makes sense.

With no tone pot being connected to the middle pickup (AmSpec), the front tone control impacts the 4 and 5 positions, the rear tone pot impacts the 1 and 2 positions. How many of you ever use the middle pickup by itself? I'll use pretty much any position other than that.

Without a tone pot connection to the middle pickup, there is no interaction between the two tone pots when in the #2 and #4 slot positions.

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Post subject: Re: wiring oddity on 5-way switch
Posted: Sun Mar 11, 2018 5:31 am
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Aspiring Musician
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Quote:
How many of you ever use the middle pickup by itself?
Ha ha, Rich, you've thrown the gauntlet down there!

I have to respond that I do, frequently! And I prefer the tone pots on just bridge and neck, with the middle being unaffected. With the ice-picky-ness of some Strat bridge pups I couldn't run them wide open when a couple of points on a tone knob will cure it.

The nice thing, isn't it though, is that it's an easy mod to apply your tone pots wherever you want them.

Cheers - Peter.


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Post subject: Re: wiring oddity on 5-way switch
Posted: Sun Mar 11, 2018 9:08 am
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As a by-the-way remark: adding the jumper between lugs 1&3/stage2 (instead of lugs 1&2) in that premierguitar-switch-diagram connects the bridge pickup to T1.
And this wiring also has 'both tones interacting' on switch positions 2&4, so again; some like it, some not.


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Post subject: Re: wiring oddity on 5-way switch
Posted: Sun Mar 11, 2018 11:09 am
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Peter S wrote:
Quote:
How many of you ever use the middle pickup by itself?
Ha ha, Rich, you've thrown the gauntlet down there!

I have to respond that I do, frequently! And I prefer the tone pots on just bridge and neck, with the middle being unaffected. With the ice-picky-ness of some Strat bridge pups I couldn't run them wide open when a couple of points on a tone knob will cure it.

The nice thing, isn't it though, is that it's an easy mod to apply your tone pots wherever you want them.

LOL!

Ya, I certainly prefer having the tone control on the bridge. Particularly on the AmSpec, those Texas Specials are hot and the strong mids can be a bit overpowering when combined with the sharp highs.
Don't get me wrong, I love these pickups, but they aren't what I'm used to from my '78 Strat, nor from my G&Ls, or the humbuckers that I've primarily played over the last 25 years. It'll take some time to get my amp settings and attack dialed in.

For comparison purposes, I snipped and combined the various passive/non-TBX tone circuits that Fender has used:

Image

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Post subject: Re: wiring oddity on 5-way switch
Posted: Tue Mar 13, 2018 1:17 pm
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Man, so SO much good info here - thank you, all!


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