Hey Folks,

I am the proud owner of this wonderful instrument; an 1984 Strat with Lace Sensors. These pickups add a special quality to the tone especially on the top end. However I notice that when I reduce the volume the tone becomes even more trebly. I'm guessing this is related to the passive circuitry in particular the attenuated volume pot coupling resistance to the tone circuit and changing the roll off point?

So I'm thinking ...should I go active ? Adding a low gain preamp to buffer the tone circuits and maintain the tone at different volumes ?

Anyone done this ? Please can you offer pointers ?

Cheers and thanks in advance

Barry

Are you sure that it's an '84 Strat. I suspect that the guitar is an early Strat Plus (which was a model that came with Lace Sensors).
Early Strat Pluses, from '87-'88, all had S/N starting with E4.

To conferm this: Does the guitar have a metal roller nut and locking tuning keys?

As to your question: You could add the Clapton tone circuit, which is a wonderful combonation. The only draw back is that you would need to cut into the body to fit the circruit and battery.

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1975 Sunburst Stratocaster rosewood finger board
1979 Stratocaster with roseowood finder board
2001 Candy Green Clapton Stratocaster
2007 Andy Summers Inspired Telecaster
2007 '51 P-Bass
2012 Taylor 110
2015 Mystic Ice Blue Deluxe Stratocaster Plus

Worth popping it open to see if it's got a treble bleed cap on the volume pot - if not done right, those make your tone appear more and more bright in a rather unpleasant way as the volume goes down. Remove the capacitor, and you might find the problem goes away completely.

I had to deal with that issue when I installed the EMG Gilmour pickguard in a Stratocaster and spoke of this several times over the years when the question arose. I removed the center spring from the trem block and seated the battery there. The real issue concerns the placement of the board in the Clapton circuit.
The top of the Clapton body is routed in the area of the lower bout to accept the board. If the OP wants about a 12db boost, perhaps the EMG SPC pot might serve. That replaces a standard tone pot and mounts directly to the pickguard.

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"Another day in paradise!"

Good call!

Strats from the 80s all have the swimming pool cavity under the pickguard. You might be able to fit the Clapton circuit in there. The Clapton Strat uses vintage routing.

Wonderfully helpful responses thanks so much.

Yes it does say E4 and so yes it's a Strat Plus ( doh ! )

Now to ponder on what you've told me.

Thanks again

Cheers
Barry

I would love to see pics if you get a chance

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Mona
"Music is What Feelings Sound like"

[quote="paris]strats from the 80s all have the swimming pool cavity under the pickguard.[/quote]

....as did the '97 AmStd I installed the EMG's in, which was why we could not rout a battery recess in the trem cavity ala Clapton, and opted to remove a spring and put it against the wall. The question still remains as to whether or not there remains sufficient room in the body rout for the pickups in which to hide the midboost circuit board.

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"Another day in paradise!"