Rewiring a Strat

[es336td Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close es336td]

I have built a Strat from parts on eBay. I have 3 Seymour Duncan Lil 59ers for it, two 500K ohm Bourns linear taper pots, a Gibson 500K ohm push pull pot, a 3 way switch and two mini toggles. I want to wire it as in this article: http://members.aol.com/ludiekunk/temp/JBaxterStrat.jpg, AND use the mini toggles to do coil split on the neck and bridge, and the push-pull to do the middle split. Anyone done anything like this? Thanx.

[Robert S. Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close Robert S.]

Re: Rewiring a Strat

I can't read the article, it is far too small when it opens.

Wiring the splits is fairly easy so thats no big deal. Is there something else in particular Jeff was trying to do with that wiring? If you describe what you want the guitar to do, we can work it out for you.

[es336td Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close es336td]

Re: Rewiring a Strat

Your browser should show an orange box, or the like, when you move the cursor over the image. This allows you to zoom in. Failing that:

This shows it a little better: http://www.geocities.com/Paris/2689/strat.html

Basically: one volume becomes a master volume over the neck and bridge; one tone becomes the volume for the middle pickup; one tone becomes the master tone. The 3 position switch acts like a Les Paul; up = neck, middle = both, down = bridge. You can then blend the middle in with its volume control. All I want to do then, is put the coil split switches in the circuit for each pickup; two minis for the neck and bridge and the push pull for the middle. I know there are more versatile set ups, but I've used this one on other guitars for years and have had luck with it. Thanx!

Thanx!

[es336td Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close es336td]

Re: Rewiring a Strat

No ideas?

[Kent S. Volume Enhanceologist Find all posts View Profile Close Kent S.]

Re: Rewiring a Strat

Run your series parallel, series split parallel, or series split switches to the pups, take the out put of the switches to the 3 or 5way per the diagram you are speaking of, the middle goes to it's switch and the output to the middles volume control. That Baxter set up is really just a blender pot for the middle pup that hooked to the output of the 3 or 5way, the output of the 3 or 5way lever goes to the volume knob and tone control. the splits are done the same way as done normally. Check the schematic section of this site. For diagrams of how to split a full size humbucker with a mini toggle (DPDT), it's the same as those pups. They are just small humbuckers anyway.

[es336td Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close es336td]

Re: Rewiring a Strat

Ok, let me show my ignorance once again... in my dream world, I want to go from a regular humbucker sound to a single coil Strat sound with the flick of a switch... the series parallel confuses my poor old feeble brain; I didn't know there was more than just a coil split. Could you enlighten me? Thanx!

[Kent S. Volume Enhanceologist Find all posts View Profile Close Kent S.]

Re: Rewiring a Strat

Ok, let me show my ignorance once again... in my dream world, I want to go from a regular humbucker sound to a single coil Strat sound with the flick of a switch... the series parallel confuses my poor old feeble brain; I didn't know there was more than just a coil split. Could you enlighten me? Thanx!

You'll find the schematics for the switch (I could have sworn that you mentioned parallel ... my bad) one this site under schematics, look up coil series/split/parallel under anthing that has it, that will show you how to wire those DPDT switches. PUP>DPDT>Rest of circuit. Series in your normal sound, split is as you know,parallel is similar to split except both coils are still on and the pup is hum-cancelling still, parallel has a little less volume than split ... it's a lighter tone than series ... as to which on is brighter, that's kind a matter of interpretation I think. Series, split, and parallel are explain under the FAQ section of the SD website as well.

[es336td Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close es336td]

Re: Rewiring a Strat

Thanx! I'll have to try it out this weekend!

[es336td Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close es336td]

Re: Rewiring a Strat

Well, one thing has happened or another and I have yet to do this project. I did notice something... the mini switches and the push-pull have 6 terminals each instead of 3. I am assuming I just have dual terminals because the switches only have two positions. Just curious.

Also, from reading back, I want to make sure I made myself clear... I want to get the 3 pup Strat tones, 3 pup SG/LP Custom tones, and everything in between... of course with a master volume for the neck & bridge, and one for the middle pup, and a master tone for all. Thanx.

L

[Kent S. Volume Enhanceologist Find all posts View Profile Close Kent S.]

Re: Rewiring a Strat

Well, one thing has happened or another and I have yet to do this project. I did notice something... the mini switches and the push-pull have 6 terminals each instead of 3. I am assuming I just have dual terminals because the switches only have two positions. Just curious.

Also, from reading back, I want to make sure I made myself clear... I want to get the 3 pup Strat tones, 3 pup SG/LP Custom tones, and everything in between... of course with a master volume for the neck & bridge, and one for the middle pup, and a master tone for all. Thanx.

L

It sounds like you have a SPDT switch, with that you can't do series/parallel, but the coil splitting is easy ... wire the strat up according to the Baxter schematic ... **Neck and Bridge: blacks (hots)to the 5 way, greens to ground,white & red together (call this tap line *A*)**; **Middle: red (hot) to that knob that controls it (whatever is on the baxter schematic),white to ground,black & green together (call this tap line *B*)**.
Run tap lines *A* & *B* to one lug on the SPDT switch, then one another lug to ground (you'll have to figure out which connects in what position of the switch, the third lud isn't used). And you're done. Now since single coils hum a bit if you want the neck and bridge LP style combo hum free, simply swap wirings of the middle with the bridge or neck, either one, the reason for changing some of the taps around was so that you could have some hum-cancelling in some of the combined split positions.

[es336td Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close es336td]

Re: Rewiring a Strat

I think I've got it... so the third lug of one side isn't used and the 3 on the other side aren't used on each switch? The switch is a Carvin S3 Mini Switch, for On/Off, phase, or dual-single. It has on/off positions and two rows of 3 lugs. The push/pull pot for the middle pup coil tap also has two positiions and two rows of 3 lugs.


I'll have to try it out soon. If I get it working, I'll post a link to the resulting schematic! Thanx!

L

[Kent S. Volume Enhanceologist Find all posts View Profile Close Kent S.]

Re: Rewiring a Strat

I think I've got it... so the third lug of one side isn't used and the 3 on the other side aren't used on each switch? The switch is a Carvin S3 Mini Switch, for On/Off, phase, or dual-single. It has on/off positions and two rows of 3 lugs. The push/pull pot for the middle pup coil tap also has two positiions and two rows of 3 lugs.


I'll have to try it out soon. If I get it working, I'll post a link to the resulting schematic! Thanx!

L

Wait a damn minute ... I thought you said it only had three ...
Somewhere along the lines something got crossed up ... LOL!
It doesn't matter if it's a DPDT though as it will work they same way.
Like I said, doesn't matter ... Try this though, instead of running the line to ground (from the DPDT switch that is) run it through a .1uF capacitor to ground. Try that so you can remain humcancelling in all positions. Just try it, if you don't like it just clip it out and run straight to ground.