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Post subject: EOB Strat Modding
Posted: Sat Nov 10, 2018 11:36 am
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Copy of my Gearslutz post:

I recently purchased an EOB Strat. For those unfamiliar, it is a signature Strat from Fender and Radio Heads Ed O'Brien and contains the Fernandes Sustainer system. If you've never used a sustainer circuit it is fun and can add so many new things to your sound. Unfortunately I've realized something I don't like about it and that is that the battery must be used whether you are in sustaining mode or in passive mode. Plainly the guitar does not work w/o a battery present. I want to bypass this so when the sustainer is not activated it becomes a Strat with a 5 way selection of 3 pickups. To add some more confusion to that mess I would also like to change out the SD JB Jr. the guitar comes with to a Dimarzio DP218 (Super Distortion Strat single sized) and I'd like to use positions 1 and 2 on the 5 way as series and parallel of the DP218, position 3 a blend of the DP218 and the Texas Special middle, 4 just the special, and 5 a blend of the sustainer p/u and the special. I don't want the sustainer by itself as it sits high up and close to the strings and is a muddy beast on its own. Too tall an order? Maybe. But I'm just willing to bet there are some electronics guys out there with the knowledge of this sustainer circuit that can pull it off. Any takers?


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Post subject: Re: EOB Strat Modding
Posted: Sat Nov 10, 2018 1:53 pm
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https://www.fmicassets.com/Damroot/Orig ... 8-2017.pdf

Yep... All 3 pickups are routed into the Sustainer circuit board, which then feeds the 5-way switch.
You might be able to get creative with a Superswitch to add the options that you want from the SDS, but even at that, the 5-way is a specific part for the Sustainer system and the Superswitch may not work.
The good news is the SDS should be a drop-in for the JB, though IMHO, the pickups are not that different in tone. Both are pretty hot pickups.

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Post subject: Re: EOB Strat Modding
Posted: Sat Nov 10, 2018 11:57 pm
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Thanks for that link. So maybe there is a way to switch between the 5 way and the board perhaps? I think I need to strip away the sustainer board and look at how the guitar would be wired the way I want without it, then add the circuit and see what needs to be connected/disconnected to get both. This is going to be interesting no doubt.


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Post subject: Re: EOB Strat Modding
Posted: Sun Nov 11, 2018 1:42 pm
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It would certainly be possible to bypass it, but I don't know if it could be done without at the very least a 3PDT toggle being added, and I don't know if that 5-way is the same type used on import models or not. It looks like a single-wafer variation on the Superswitch. Not knowing how the Sustainer board circuit is designed, I can't make any guesses as to which contact does what.
The problem is that *everything* ties to the board.
Even the wiring on the 5-way is confusing... the 4th terminal from the bottom connects to the volume pot, that's your output... but it connects directly to the board, and only in the bridge (sustainer) position does it connect to the purple wire.

I'm not sure how the top 4 terminals are configured... whether the last one or the 5th one from the bottom is the common.

You could get a Superswitch and use one wafer to duplicate the current configuration.
The 2nd wafer would duplicate normal Strat wiring (without the tone control options) leaving one set of contacts available (I don't know that the neck Sustainer would function as a passive device)

A toggle would be needed to break the battery connection, and switch the pickup outputs from the EOB board to the 2nd half of the 5-way switch... you would need a 5P2T option, I've not seen mini-toggles in this configuration It might actually be easier to do this with a pair of (4P2T) relays, wired so that when the relays are energized, they are pulled to the EOB circuit... that way removing the battery or turning the EOB circuit off would release the relays and switch to conventional mode.
Continue to use the input jack to make the battery ground contact so the relays and circuit don't drain the battery when not in use.

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Post subject: Re: EOB Strat Modding
Posted: Sun Nov 11, 2018 2:30 pm
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That's kind of what I was thinking. I want to break the battery connection so it's not on even when the guitar is plugged in when in normal Strat position but a 5p2t mini switch is hard to find. I'm thinking maybe a rotary switch and just toss out the tone control, don't use it much anyhow, so the function is there but the look of the guitar won't be frankenstein'd with additional switches, etc. This is going to be harder than I thought. Probably why it is wired like it is. I was also hoping to incorporate a push button volume like what I have in my Tele Image. This is configured with a special humbucker from Fender that when depressed is supposed to produce the single coil sound of an original Tele bridge pickup (hum cancelling only in middle position when configured with lipstick neck pickup). The humbucker is in series mode when the button is up. I know, adding complexity to an already complex situation, lol. I like it much better than the push/pull types but can't find this thing anywhere. Anyhow, thanks for your input, I am going to pull this off somehow and truly make this guitar a one of a kind tone monster.


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Post subject: Re: EOB Strat Modding
Posted: Sun Nov 11, 2018 2:36 pm
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If you use relays, then they could be activated by an S1 switch (which could also connect the battery, the S1 is a 4P2T switch)) on the volume pot, no need for a toggle or new holes, and completely reversible if you are careful with the wiring.
The only issue is if there is room in the body cavity for the relays.

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Post subject: Re: EOB Strat Modding
Posted: Sun Nov 25, 2018 2:13 pm
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Quote:
You could get a Superswitch and use one wafer to duplicate the current configuration

Using this single idea I drew the following:
Image

This is a 1st draft edition and while drawing it I found at least one error in the Fender rendering of the connections (for this see https://www.fmicassets.com/Damroot/Orig ... 8-2017.pdf page 3). The tone pot has no return. The volume sends to the capacitor which sends to the tone pot. The tone pot lug is connected to the pot jacket but goes nowhere after that. I remedied this in my drawing by connecting the tone pot jacket solder connection to the volume pot ground connection. The end result here is that when the 4P2T is in sustain position all of the original connections are being made. When it isn't in sustain mode, the battery is disconnected, the SD is pos. 1, the SD and middle is pos. 2, and the middle alone is pos. 3. The S-1 is splitting the SD in both scenarios. I'm not going to use pos. 4 and 5 at this time and am not going to use the neck pickup/driver in this mode as it adds even more complication and it doesn't sound all that good as a pickup anyhow, imo. I might consider using the 4 and 5 positions as additional selections between the bridge and middle pickups but for now the aforementioned is all I want to accomplish. This is a drawing only devised from other drawings using same devices and without actually looking too closely at the wiring of the guitar. Is this drawing sound? I expect changes will be needed before I start buying parts but I definitely need some expert feedback here as I've never wired a S-1 and never used a super switch before. Also, the middle pickup return is soldered directly to the circuit board. My connections here assume that it is a ground connection that is common with circuit ground. Thanks ahead for consideration and input, hope the drawing ins't too hard to follow.


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Post subject: Re: EOB Strat Modding
Posted: Sun Nov 25, 2018 2:53 pm
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The pot jacket is connected to the pickguard shield through the shaft.
In reality, it likely is hard-wired to the star ground on the volume pot, but it is optional. It may have been omitted from the drawing for clarity.
Switching to a vintage style control cavity plate instead of (or in additon to) the PG foil backing negates the need for any separate grounding paths, and on the 70s CBS models, the tone pots were not grounded separately, but instead relied on the foil.
We had a thread a month or two ago where someone's tone pots did not work on his '70s model, and it was apparently caused by the foil wearing away from the pot mounting stem.

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Post subject: Re: EOB Strat Modding
Posted: Sun Nov 25, 2018 7:33 pm
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Yeah that makes sense. In fact I have seen that before, just didn't think of it. Not how I would want to make that connection though as pots do come loose on occasion and over time that foil is going to get worn. I prefer wire and solder myself. I'm still getting used to the guitar but I think after the holidays are over and I get some free time I'm going to get the parts I need and start experimenting with this. Should be fun!


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Post subject: Re: EOB Strat Modding
Posted: Thu Jul 25, 2019 12:09 pm
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Hi Guys, could you please clarify a simple thing for me regarding the EOB stratocaster.
How do you stop the battery draining when the guitar is not in use and the sustainer is set to off.
Should I leave my Guitar lead connected or remove it.
You guys seem a world above me when it comes to circuitry. I just don't want the battery to drain on me again.
I took apart my pedalboard today because I'd lost signal and I'm pretty thorough when it comes to logic and problem solving, but this 9v battery just caused me several hours of strife.
All the best, Regards from the Carromkid.


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