Hello. Can anyone help me?

I'd like to rewire my strat copy to allow me to access more pickup combinations. My idea is to wire 5 combinations of the bridge and neck pickups with the normal 5-way switch, and then use a 3-way switch to flip between the neck and the other two pickups.

So the 5 way would offer the follow:
1. bridge
2. bridge and middle in parallel
3. middle
4. bridge and middle in series
5. bridge and middle in series reverse phase

This switch would then be sent to the new three-way selector.

The 3-way selector would choose between:
1. Neck
2. Neck and 5-way
3. Just 5-way

Does anyone know how I would do this? I think I can manage the 3-way, but don’t know how to wire the 5-way?

Thanks people.

tom

Hi tomclapping, welcome to the Forum.

What you are describing is achieved by the setup of Dave Gilmour's Black Strat. Google that for more wiring diagrams than you can throw a stick at. For example:

http://www.stratcat.biz/dgbs-wiring-diag.jpg

Alternatively, some people use a push-pull pot under one of the tone knobs to do the same thing, so that they don't need to have extra switches poking through their pickguard.

Options.

Cheers - C

PS "The sound of one tom clapping." Is that some sort of Buddhist thing...?

Thanks so much Ceri.

I like the sound of the Gilmour mod, though it would only provide 2 more options: neck and bridge, and all three. I am interested in also having the bridge and middle in series (to achieve a psudo-humbucker) and the bridge and neck out of phase. But I guess I could do this with more switches or push pulls.

T

Ha - well for that series and phase stuff you need someone with a stronger head for electronics than mine! Don't worry, there's fellas round here that can help. Interested to see what they have to say...

Cheers - C

Howdy and Welcome!

I'm thinking......give me a bit on time on this one. Sure we can sort something out.

Andy

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Pending Greatness

Yep - that's one of the "stronger heads" I was thinking of.

"A respectful, expectant silence falls as great thoughts take place..."

Cheers - C

You are looking for a wiring setup like Brian May's Red Special. There is limited space inside a Strat so without major re-routing of your Strat body that won't work.

I have rewired/modified a couple of my Strats. One has 3 on/off/on toggle switches that work as On/Off/Out Of Phase and 3 concentric pots so that there is volume and tone control for each pickup. The second is a Robbie Robertson style of wiring which involves a push/pull pot that is a series switch for the bridge/neck pups for that humbucker sound. This wiring also allows you to use all 3 pups at the same time.

_________________
Chet Feathers

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I didn't Lose my mind, I traded it for this guitar.

Wow, thanks Andy. Looking forward to what your 'strong head' can come up with.

I love this forum, everyone is so friendly.

I reckon Chet's wiring will be very similar to mine.....
....but I'm still thinking...

Andy

_________________
Pending Greatness

ABH
I would be more than happy to share my wiring diagrams with you. Send me an email if you are interested.

_________________
Chet Feathers

Authorized TonePros Dealer
Authorized WD Music Products Dealer
F/A Official Southpaw Compliance Certification Tester http://faamps.com/

http://www.facebook.com/cafeathers


I didn't Lose my mind, I traded it for this guitar.

A little headsup: I so strongly recommend you accept that generous offer! You won't be disappointed: just about the tidiest circuit known to mankind...

Cheers - C

Hi Chet!

Oooh! Yes please!

I'll e-mail you in the next couple of days. I have a little collection of my own if you fancy a trade (S-1 switching, Mid-boosts, coils split/taps etc)

Cheers

Andy

_________________
Pending Greatness

It does Rock round here!

Are you sure you want the out of phase options? as IMO its not a very desirable sound, very thin (and for the want of a better description) a bit pants! Series on the other hand is worth it and there is plenty of options for mods to achieve this.

Let us know

Andy

_________________
Pending Greatness

Excellent. Yes. I am a tinkerer with my wiring mods!!

_________________
Chet Feathers

Authorized TonePros Dealer
Authorized WD Music Products Dealer
F/A Official Southpaw Compliance Certification Tester http://faamps.com/

http://www.facebook.com/cafeathers


I didn't Lose my mind, I traded it for this guitar.

Thanks guys. Although I've got loads of ideas in theory, perhaps the easiest is to add a switch for the gilmour modification, and another to put the bridge and middle in series, and perhaps another to reverse the phase on the neck pick up. Then I can do one at a time and see how I get on.

Anyone know of any good diagrams/ explanations for these?

Tom