50s Mod
- Thread starter robrhy
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gregory
New member
Re: 50s Mod
Move whatever is connected to the volume control that leads to the tone control (either a wire or the leg of a capacitor) to the center lug of the volume control.
It's just slightly more complicated if you're dealing with a Strat (the output half of the blade that selects the pickup connects to to the input of the volume control; the center lug of the volume control goes to the half of the blade that selects the tone control(s)):
https://www.premierguitar.com/articles/Gibson_50s_wiring_on_a_Stratocaster
Move whatever is connected to the volume control that leads to the tone control (either a wire or the leg of a capacitor) to the center lug of the volume control.
It's just slightly more complicated if you're dealing with a Strat (the output half of the blade that selects the pickup connects to to the input of the volume control; the center lug of the volume control goes to the half of the blade that selects the tone control(s)):
https://www.premierguitar.com/articles/Gibson_50s_wiring_on_a_Stratocaster
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beaubrummels
Well-known member
Re: 50s Mod
If it's hard to find, that's probably because that mod was Gibson wiring originally. Single coil Strats never had it originally, nor a master tone.
If it's hard to find, that's probably because that mod was Gibson wiring originally. Single coil Strats never had it originally, nor a master tone.
dystrust
Well-known member
Re: 50s Mod
If your Strat has a master tone, the mod is as simple as changing the connection on the volume pot. I wired my Strat that way and swapped the unused 2nd tone for a Fralin Blender.
If your Strat has a master tone, the mod is as simple as changing the connection on the volume pot. I wired my Strat that way and swapped the unused 2nd tone for a Fralin Blender.
Re: 50s Mod
Hello!
I'm new to all of this and to be sure, could somebody please tell me which connections exactly I need to switch in this DIagram to achieve the 50s mod? As I noticed with the Gibson 50s wiring, the capacitor is soldered on a different location on the Pot, doesn't that matter?
Thanks
Hello!
I'm new to all of this and to be sure, could somebody please tell me which connections exactly I need to switch in this DIagram to achieve the 50s mod? As I noticed with the Gibson 50s wiring, the capacitor is soldered on a different location on the Pot, doesn't that matter?
Thanks
Discharged
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gregory
New member
Re: 50s Mod
That diagram is modern, not '50s. If you go with a linear taper volume and audio taper tone, it is still modern (EDIT: but with a poorly chosen taper on the volume control
).
Clint 55 is right, you connect the tone to the middle lug of the volume pot for '50s. (EDIT: In this case it does work better for the volume to be linear taper.)
Also, that connection to the second bank on the 5-way is superfluous.
That diagram is modern, not '50s. If you go with a linear taper volume and audio taper tone, it is still modern (EDIT: but with a poorly chosen taper on the volume control
).Clint 55 is right, you connect the tone to the middle lug of the volume pot for '50s. (EDIT: In this case it does work better for the volume to be linear taper.)
Also, that connection to the second bank on the 5-way is superfluous.
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Discharged
New member
Re: 50s Mod
gregory, look at the Gibson '50s diagram and tell me what you see...
http://www.seymourduncan.com/blog/tips-and-tricks/lespaulwiring
gregory, look at the Gibson '50s diagram and tell me what you see...
Discharged
New member
Re: 50s Mod
There are two '50s wiring schemes: one makes both pot's position independent from each other, so when the toggle is in the middle position, to cut the signal you need to lower both the neck and the bridge volume.
The other, the one depicted, is "volume dependent", which allow to take the signal out of the circuit with either the neck or the bridge volume, having the toggle on the middle position. Both schemes allow to keep the highs while lowering the volume.
http://www.stewmac.com/How-To/Onlin...d_Wiring/Switchcraft_3-way_Toggle_Switch.html
There's a simple explanation here.
/Peter
That's not what makes it '50s, but the way the Tone control is fed. Modern wiring feeds the signal to the central lug of the tone pot, where 50s feed the left lug.
There are two '50s wiring schemes: one makes both pot's position independent from each other, so when the toggle is in the middle position, to cut the signal you need to lower both the neck and the bridge volume.
The other, the one depicted, is "volume dependent", which allow to take the signal out of the circuit with either the neck or the bridge volume, having the toggle on the middle position. Both schemes allow to keep the highs while lowering the volume.
http://www.stewmac.com/How-To/Onlin...d_Wiring/Switchcraft_3-way_Toggle_Switch.html
There's a simple explanation here.
/Peter
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gregory
New member
Re: 50s Mod
Peter, you couldn't be any more wrong about that.
Modern: tone comes before the volume
'50s: tone comes after the volume
Independent volume is where you connect the pickup to the middle lug and take the output from the outside lug. As you reduce the volume the pickup gets loaded down with a smaller and smaller resistance. Have you ever rolled back a TBX control from maximum to the center detent? It's the same effect, though with a TBX the carnage at least stops at 82k. Guess what happens to the highs.
Peter, you couldn't be any more wrong about that.
Modern: tone comes before the volume
'50s: tone comes after the volume
The order in which you connect the tone pot makes no difference. Do you think flipping a resistor around changes anything? That's exactly what you're describing.
Independent volume is where you connect the pickup to the middle lug and take the output from the outside lug. As you reduce the volume the pickup gets loaded down with a smaller and smaller resistance. Have you ever rolled back a TBX control from maximum to the center detent? It's the same effect, though with a TBX the carnage at least stops at 82k. Guess what happens to the highs.
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Discharged
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Clint 55
OH THE DOUBLE THICK GLAZE!
Re: 50s Mod
Thanks for pointing that out, I hadn't thought about that. Is that going to make a difference with the knobs rolled back? Or mostly just with everything on 10?
Thanks for pointing that out, I hadn't thought about that. Is that going to make a difference with the knobs rolled back? Or mostly just with everything on 10?
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Lewguitar
New member
Re: 50s Mod
It seems to me that most of us spend about 90% of a song playing rhythm with the guitar's volume knob turned down...and waiting to take a solo and then we turn it up to 10.
So if the guitar is sounding thinner and brighter for 90% of the song, my sense is that the guitar sounds a little thinner and brighter overall.
And I got tired of my guitars giving me that feeling.
It seems to me that most of us spend about 90% of a song playing rhythm with the guitar's volume knob turned down...and waiting to take a solo and then we turn it up to 10.
So if the guitar is sounding thinner and brighter for 90% of the song, my sense is that the guitar sounds a little thinner and brighter overall.
And I got tired of my guitars giving me that feeling.
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