New Member

[Teachering]

I've only just registered to this forum and am a little nervous about what to say. I'd like to begin by saying hello to everyone on this forum.

I own a fair amount of gear, especially Fender guitars and amps, but am not very tech savvy.
I have a question I'd like to put forward for anyone qualified to answer. I swapped out the Texas Specials in my Knopfler Strat for Seymour Duncan STK-S4s and changed the vintage wiring to modern. I did this because the Texas Specials that came stock in the Strat were frankly just plain awful to my ear. The Duncans are a definite improvement but I'm still not that happy with the bridge pickup or the middle/bridge pickup configuration. Just not enough bite, if you know what I mean. What I'd like to know is, would things improve if I also made a change to the guitar's pots and capacitors?

Again, happy to be on board with everyone.

[GuitarDoc]

Re: New Member

Welcome to the forum.

Changing out the 250k vol pot for a 500k will give you more bite. But may make your neck and middle brighter than you want. But it's an easy and inexpensive mod to try. If you like it, great. If not, just put the 250k back in and we'll help you find another solution.

[Teachering]

Re: New Member

Welcome to the forum.

Changing out the 250k vol pot for a 500k will give you more bite. But may make your neck and middle brighter than you want. But it's an easy and inexpensive mod to try. If you like it, great. If not, just put the 250k back in and we'll help you find another solution.

I've given some thought to your reply, GuitarDoc. Thank you very much for taking the time to help with a solution. This Knopfler Strat has been a bugbear with me since I first took possession of it. It's a nice Strat; really just a '62 reissue with Knopfler's signature printed on the headstock. It's a lovely guitar. A beautiful Hot Rod Red and one of the lightest guitars I've ever owned. Thing is, for whatever reason we don't get along. My son informs me that sometimes it's like that with guitars. We either like the tone they produce, or we don't for no one particular reason. I'm thinking of giving it to my son on his birthday at the end of the month. He likes this guitar. Again, thanks for your helpful advice, GuitarDoc!

[Evan Skopp]

Re: New Member

Just a quick note to say hi and welcome to the forum. You'll get lots of great advice here (as you've already seen). I look forward to reading your future posts.

[LtKojak]

Re: New Member

I swapped out the Texas Specials in my Knopfler Strat for Seymour Duncan STK-S4s and changed the vintage wiring to modern. I did this because the Texas Specials that came stock in the Strat were frankly just plain awful to my ear. The Duncans are a definite improvement but I'm still not that happy with the bridge pickup or the middle/bridge pickup configuration. Just not enough bite, if you know what I mean.

Well, considering the p'up set you chose is a noiseless one, this is the kind that live or die by the setup. If you set'em too close to the strings, they lose that "Single-Coily" vibe and sound more like humbuckers, which, BTW, are EXACTLY WHAT THEY ARE.

Start setting the bridge p'up to 3.2mm from the pole to the 6th string, 2.9mm 1.st string, middle p'up to 3.5mm from the pole to the 6th string, 3.2mm 1st string, and finally, neck p'up to 4.mm from the pole to the 6th string, 3.5mm 1st string, measured with the strings fretted at the last fret of the fingerboard.

Now... how is it?

Let us know.

HTH,

[esandes]

Re: New Member

i switched from 250k to 500k pots for single coils in one of my guitars and it did give the single coils more of a bite but i preferred the more vintage single coil sound that the 250k provided. when i get around to it i will switch it back to 250k. with 500, it sounds more "open", with more "presence". but it can be a bit overbearing.

i think you're a humbucker man at heart, like me. mind you, i really like single coils in the mid and neck position of a strat.

what exactly did you not like about the tone? and what are you looking for?

[stevie_bees]

Re: New Member

Welcome to the forum. I'd certainly tweak the pickup heights first, it's amazing what a difference a couple of millimetres in height can give.

[Scott Olson]

Re: New Member

Welcome to the forum! Hopefully a height adjustment will help you get a little more bite. If not, let us know and we can help you find some replacement pickups for the bridge and middle. I've used the Little '59 and found it had plenty of bite or maybe a Custom Stack Plus which should give you quite a bit more oomph. What kind of music do you play?

And if you bought them new don't forget the 21-day exchange: http://www.seymourduncan.com/support...rranty_inform/

[JOLLY]

Re: New Member

Welcome aboard!!

[Andrew Lamprecht]

Re: New Member

Welcome my friend.