Hi all,

I'd like to get your educated opinions on a sensible way to tame the TONE beast.

I'm working on 2 separate issues:

1) The BRIDGE pup sounds to bright and harsh
2) I want the NECK + BRIDGE combo

Here's the details:

o I've got a 92 +DX (Blue/Silver/Red Lace + VOL/TONE/TBX)
o I'm assuming the 1st tone pot is for the NECK, the TBX pot is for the MIDDLE and the BRIDGE is wide open ?!?!?
o I'm aware of trying not to load up 2 pots in POSITIONS 2&4

So here's where your collective opinions come into play:

The most popular approaches to these issues seem to be:
EJ MOD: VOL/neck TONE/bridge TONE (MIDDLE wide open)
BLENDER: VOL/combined(master) TONE/BLENDER
FAT-O-CASTER: Rotary Switcher/VOL/combined(master) TONE

The 2 solutions I like the best (and are kinda under the radar):

3 NO LOAD TONE 250 POTS (MY IDEA!!) : VOL/middle TONE (push-pull for adding Bridge PUP)/TONE for neck & bridge (concentric pot)

... the theory is the PUP can always be dialed out of the circuit since its NO LOAD

SUPERSWITCHER:

... same setup to above but with a super switcher to give discrete wirings in POS 2 & 4 to only 1 TONE POT (combined signal)

I seen lots of debate on these issues but I haven't seen anyone summarize an across the board opinion giving the pros and cons of these approaches. I'm really interested in your opinion about my 3 NO LOAD TONE CTRL idea - haven't seen that on any sites ?!?


I would - and I betcha there's a bunch of you guys that wanna know too!!! - really appreciate some clarification on these options.

Here's additonal info:

5 way switcher-> tone-> Unity Gain Buffer (Waldo Buffer)-> FX LOOP to pedal board
(Mutron III (TB'd), OC-2, Phase 90 (R32mod), TS10 w/ Analogman TS-808 silver mod, TS-808 reissue)
-> back to guitar->250 VOL POT->Out to amp (sometimes a JC120 and/or 72 Silverface with Blackface Mod)

Get a push/pull pot and wire it so you can add the neck pup to any switch position setting:

http://www.guitar-mod.com/wiring/neck_on_howto.gif

THEN
Wire the lower tone control to control only the bridge:

I don't know how your wiring is. This would be a standard strat.



http://home.comcast.net/~jlcollins/strat.JPG


RED WIRES in diagram


So really all you do is take the wire that runs from the switch to the lower tone control and move it up to the empty lug on the switch.

Then take short jumper wire and solder it across the two lower lugs on the diagram ( so you have neck and middle tone control if you want).

i just play mine, and they work swell

Thanx sjtalon ....

I'm all set with how these mods are wired .... what I'm specifically looking for is feedback and personal experience on running 3 tone pots without muddying up the output in POS 2 & 4.

Also ... Add in Bridge OR Add in Neck with push/pull - differences ???

I thought this was the place to get feedback from techs AT Fender ?!?!?

Not that I know of.

Welcome.

The easiest way to resolve your requirements without all those ancillary devices is to install a push pot (or mini-switch) which will kick in the neck (or bridge) pickup on command and also get a premium EQ so you can dial out the offending frequencies and dial in the desired ones and/or ones you wish to enhance.

_________________
You dig?

Or install the switch and get a warmer sounding bridge pup and leave the tone controls alone for the sake of simplicity.

_________________

Just think of how awesome a guitar player you could have been by now if you had only spent the last 10 years practicing instead of obsessing over pickups and roasted maple necks.

ancillary


wew ! I had to look that one up.

See, you learn something new every day!

_________________
You dig?

+1

I'd go with the mini SPDT switch (but i'm a bit of a switch freak! I'm slowly growing out of it though)

Enjoy!

_________________
Pending Greatness

For three singles look at a standard Blender pot setup. The blender goes in the bottom tone knob position. You can buy a complete assembly from Mojo Tone with a 5 way. The benefit here over a toggles is that the toggle is on/off while the blender fades the neck with bridge. The idea being that you can have the neck and bridge on to varying degrees as you turn the blender knob. The configuration is pure stock, it's reasonably cheap and you will get more tonal options that you probably will ever use.

Position 1 - Neck and/or bridge (blend bridge as much as you want)
Position 2 - Neck/Middle and/or bridge (all three can be on at once, bridge blended)
Position 3 - Middle
Position 4 - Middle/Bridge and or neck (all three can be on at once, neck blended)
Position 5 - Bridge and/or neck (blend neck as much as you want)

When the Blender knob is turned completely clockwise it acts as a true bypass. The pots are master volume, master tone and blender. It's a fairly simply mod and it keeps your guitar and pickguard looking standard. It uses a standard 5 way selector. You can buy the wiring pre assembled or you can buy the parts and save a few bucks if you are handy with a soldering iron.

Remember all of these tonal option are subtle, so don't get crazy thinking that you need all of these electronic options to create the "perfect tone". That said, cool electronics are desirable in my experience from the custom Strat's I've sold. But I'm of the firm belief that if you are looking for the holy grail of tone, then invest in practice.