Hi folks.

I have had my American Deluxe Strat for a while now and I would like to change the bridge pick up to something like a DiMarzio mini HB or something with a little body to it. I looked around on-line and wasn't able to find any info on the S1 system and different pickups.

Has anyone out there swapped or know if this can be done without having to rip out the entire S1 system? I think this is possible and I might remember reading about this somewhere but cant remember enough, I lost some brain cells somewhere along the way. I do know that the N3's require three wires and an average pickup requires two, this would be the issue. Any info would be appreciated.

Happy New Year. Be safe out there.

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𝄞 ♪ Brannon May ♫

Laissez les bon temps roules! Chank a' chank...

Support your local music store every chance you get and it will support you.

dimarzio mini hb, i have dimarzio tone zone in my hr 57. im very happy with.
although scns neck/mid.
i did a little research when i was trying to mod my deluxe,
i know due to the s1 switching, you may have some phasing issues if not wired correctly.
most new hb's have 4 wires now, green, red,white.black, and a bare one.
also you can try, seymour duncan hot rails, jb jr, lil screamin demon.

im sure andybighair, martian ,nikininja, and xefri,ceri etc.. are valuable in helping you out. i know im missing someone else.

good luck, i love checking out new mods and reviews. leme know how it goes...

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"Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, but today is a gift. That is why it is called the present."

oogway, kungfu panda 2008

Howdy!

Yes you can swap out the bridge pup and retain the current S-1 switching.

If you let me know what pickups you've settled on I'm more than happy to draw you out a wiring digram.

Andy

Edit: Whoops! I haven't seen the new 2010 S-1 wiring yet and Fender haven't got the service diagrams up yet...So we need is a nice clear pic of the underside of the Pickguard or have the wiring colour translations for an N3 humbucker....

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Pending Greatness

Does anyone know if you can swap out all of the N3 pup's, install lace sensors (red, silver, blue package), and retain the current S-1 switching. And if so, where might I find a wiring diagram?

Thank you,

Lou

Howdy & Welcome to the forum.

I haven't seen the new 2010 S-1 wiring yet and don't have the cognitive capacity (at the moment) to work it out but I reckon you could do a straight swap.

Do the N3's have the following coloured wires...?

Neck = White, Green, Black
Middle = Yellow, Green, Black
Bridge = Red, Green, Black

If you can confirm the above for me I can tell you what to do. If your handy with a soldering Iron, it should be a piece of cake!

Andy

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Pending Greatness

Thank you for your response Andy.

I have been traversing the internet and have yet to come up with any information in regards to the N3 wiring diagrams. I spoke with 2 different guitar techs today and they both honestly told me they didn't know if it was possible.

It seems the Lace Sensors have 2 leads and the N3's have 3 but I have been unable to find a schematic to date. Maybe I'll just have to to pull the pickguard and take a look. I just got the American Deluxe Saturday and came to the conclusion today that the N3's were not going to do it for me. No complaints mind you. Just not the sound I'm looking for. I have used the Lace combination on an earlier stat with good results. However, there were no S1 electronics on board so it was not a concern.

Thank you for the welcome Andy. I'll check on the wiring and get back to you.

Best,

Lou

I have a similar question. I'm thinking of picking up an American Deluxe HSS w/ S1 and wonder if I could switch TexMex pups for the N3's if I wanted to upgrade. Any other upgrade suggestions for this guitar?

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'10 American Deluxe HSS Sunset Metallic
'10 JA-90 Thinline Telecaster
'15 Music Man JP-15 Blueberry Burst
'07 Les Paul Standard Faded LCPG #82
'14 Carvin ST300
'12 Carvin CS424S
'66 Guild Starfire IV w/Bigsby
'14 Warmouth Partscaster Daphne Blue

Hi Lou,

Are you sure your Lace Sensors only have two wires.... Its just that I have 3 sets of Lace Sensors and they all have 3 wires on each pickup.

Orange = Hot
White = Ground
Green = 2nd Ground


Cheers!

Andy

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Pending Greatness

Hi Andy,

You are right about the wiring on the Sensors. 3 wires in the color configuration you mentioned.

And in regards to the N3's, the Neck and Bridge wire colors are as you stated.

The Middle = Blue, Green, Black.

I'm not sure how or if the differing wire coloring schemes may affect things but it appears I may be able to wire in the Blue, Silver and Red Sensor combination and keep the S1 switching function intact.

It will be interesting however how the S1 positions (5) will sound with the Sensors as opposed to the N3's. I'm also not sure at this point how the "no load tone control" will fit in (Tone Control 2 - active in all positions except the neck). This is a new type of control for me.

In the American Deluxe Schematics, it shows Tone Control 2 with a 250K Pot. There is no mention on what Tone Control 1 may be. Guitar electronics are not my strength.

Anyways, I wanted the Sensors in Black but couldn't find them in stock at any local music store so I ordered them online. They are due in at the store this Friday.

By the way, the schematics for the new American Deluxe Series with the N3's (S-S-S), was not on the Fender website. I called Fender Consumer Relations and they were nice enough to send a copy to me (5 pages).

I will be installing into an Ash Body with a Rosewood fingerboard. I have read online that this particular combination does not necessarily lend itself well to standard single coils, noiseless or otherwise. Possibly to much "spank and/or sparkle".
My experience with this combination in the short period of time I have had it is there may be some truth to the statement. Maybe Alder and Maple are better with single coils?
Then again, it could be me as my preference lies with the hotter non-single coil type of sound.

All very subjective I know.

I'll have to let you know if it all works out. My prior experience with this Sensor combination was very good.

Lou

Hello Lou,

I also want to remove my N3's for 57\62 alnicos.

Did you get the schematics for the new American Deluxe Series??

I also need the pot voltages to make sure they are the same.

Thanks, Larry...

American Deluxe Series with the N3's (S-S-S)?? was not on the Fender website. I called Fender Consumer Relations and they were nice enough to send a copy to me (5 pages).

I must be in the minority around here. I have an HSS with N3s in the neck and middle and like the tone quite a bit.

I have S. Duncan SSL-1's in another strat and while the tone is different, I wouldn't say one is better or worse than the other.

Jeff

Now that I have my new Strat, I'm very happy with it and don't intend to make any changes. The sheet that came with my guitar shows that the selection of pups with the N3's and S1 are different from the older S1 sheets that are posted on this site. The number 2, 3, & 4 positions with the S1 engaged and the #2 position with the S1 off have changed. (previously this was the #4 position but they reversed the sequence).

_________________
'10 American Deluxe HSS Sunset Metallic
'10 JA-90 Thinline Telecaster
'15 Music Man JP-15 Blueberry Burst
'07 Les Paul Standard Faded LCPG #82
'14 Carvin ST300
'12 Carvin CS424S
'66 Guild Starfire IV w/Bigsby
'14 Warmouth Partscaster Daphne Blue

Interesting. This is the second thread on the subject. Wonder if Fender got it right with those N3's.

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"Another day in paradise!"

Hello Andy,

I'm finally back from overseas.

I appreciate your replies to my question and your offer to help me with the wiring for my new bridge pick up. I've ordered the Seymour Duncan Lil Screamin' Demon Pickup. My guitar is a American Deluxe 2010, SSS.

Any help you can provide will be much appreciated. Thanks and looking forward to hearing from you.

_________________
𝄞 ♪ Brannon May ♫

Laissez les bon temps roules! Chank a' chank...

Support your local music store every chance you get and it will support you.

Hi Ragin Cajun and welcome back!

What you need to do is make a note of where the Red and Black wires on your N3 Bridge pickup is currently soldered, then....

Replace the Red N3 wire with the Black wire from the Duncan.

Replace the Black N3 wire with the Green wire from the Duncan.

Make sure the Red and White wires on the Duncan are soldered together and then taped up so they won't connect with anything else.

Simple as that!

Keep us posted on how you get on. I'd be interested to hear your opinion of the Screamin' Demon.

Cheers!

Andy

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Pending Greatness