A couple of "mods" from my scrapbook.

[Artie]

Edit: I've left this post intact for posterity's sake, rather than delete it, but just wanted to let folks know that mod #1 didn't stand the test of time, and I don't recommend it. Mod #2 did, however, and it adds several nice new tones to an HSH configured guitar.

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I put the new Lil 59 in my Strat tonight, and tried a couple of wiring mods that I've been wanting to check out. I'll try to keep this brief, and if anyone wants more details, I'll be happy to provide them.

Mod #1:

By altering the circuit traces on one side of one of these cheapy 5-ways:

. . . and some interesting "wiring" of the middle pickup, I ended up with this switching scheme:

1. Neck
2. Neck and middle
3. Neck and bridge
4. Middle and bridge
5. Bridge

So, I traded the #3, middle-only position, for the neck/bridge combo, which I find more useful. The schematic looks like this:
(Ignore the SPST switch on the far left for a moment. Thats mod #2.)

Fig. A shows how both traces in the red and blue box used to look. Fig. B shows how I modded the half in the red box. The bottom half of the switch only grounds the middle pup when its in the #2 and #4 "notch" positions.

Works good . . . sounds great.

Mod #2:

I used a master volume and master tone control, and replaced the second tone control with a simple SPST switch. And I connected the red/white wires of both humbuckers to either side, as shown in the above schematic. (This mod would work equally well with a two-humbucker guitar.) This is sorta hard to visualize, but its like this:

"A" and "B" represent the normal parts of a 3-way or 5-way switch. "C" is the added SPST switch. When "C" is open, "A" selects the neck, "B" selects the bridge, and "AB" selects both - like normal. When you close "C", "A" gives you the adjustable coil of the neck, in series with the parallel combination of the two stud coils. "B" does the same for the adjustable coil of the bridge instead. Its a different sound than you'ld get by combining a split 'bucker with a full humbucker, as you normally would by using a push/pull pot to split one.

Like I said, didn't mean to get too long-winded here. I'll try to record some sample's this week. Hope thats all not too hard to follow.

Artie

 

[STRATDELUXER97]

Re: A couple of "mods" from my scrapbook.

Artie....Very cool....You electronic Dog you!...Your ideas are great,your drawings give me a headache most of the time though....LOL...

John

 

[Fresh_Start]

Re: A couple of "mods" from my scrapbook.

Nice work Artie!

What if you used a no-load pot instead of a switch for gradually blending in that second slug coil? Just a thought.

Here's a slightly different twist on putting the neck & bridge on in place of the middle pup for position 3. (This is from a guy named Hastings on the GuitarNuts site.) Functionally, the difference is that the neck & bridge pups are in series - makes the most sense for a single coil guitar.

HASTING'S "KILLER MOD"

However, the way the second pole of the "5-way" switch turns on the middle pickup may be a little cleaner. I've had some unexpected side effects when the hot lead of a pickup is attached to the live part of the circuit even when that pickup is not grounded (namely the pickup was still partially active some of the time).

Keep on moddin' (and rockin' ) buddy!

Chip

 

[Artie]

Re: A couple of "mods" from my scrapbook.

What if you used a no-load pot instead of a switch for gradually blending in that second slug coil? Just a thought.

I almost did that. I can't remember why I chose not too. But I'm glad I didin't. With this type of mod, the difference between the switch on and off is subtle. I'm not sure you'ld need the "in-between" tones. But I may try it and see.

Here's a slightly different twist on putting the neck & bridge on in place of the middle pup for position 3. (This is from a guy named Hastings on the GuitarNuts site.) Functionally, the difference is that the neck & bridge pups are in series - makes the most sense for a single coil guitar.

Thats a cool diagram too. On this guitar, however, I have humbuckers in the neck and bridge, so not sure how that would sound. His idea is definitely better, though, in terms of not having to modify the circuit traces on the 5-way. (Which most people wouldn't want to do.)

However, the way the second pole of the "5-way" switch turns on the middle pickup may be a little cleaner. I've had some unexpected side effects when the hot lead of a pickup is attached to the live part of the circuit even when that pickup is not grounded (namely the pickup was still partially active some of the time).

Yeah, you're right. I just realized upon seeing that, that I could switch the "hot" with a simple wiring change. Like this:

I may undo the 1st mod, and just put in a Fralin blend pot, but I like the sound of the second mod. In either case, I need to play with this some more to get the long-term affect. I only got to play with this a short time last night.

Artie

 

[Artie]

Re: A couple of "mods" from my scrapbook.

I just noticed something very cool about that "Hastings" drawing: If you wired it up like his, and added my "mod #2", you'ld get a nice affect. With my switch off, you'ld have the two humbuckers in series, which would probably be a fairly "dark" sound. But when you flipped my switch "on", you'ld have the north coil of one 'bucker, with the south coil of the other. Sort of like having a 5" wide humbucker. One coil at the neck, and one at the bridge. That might be a nice tone.

I'll have to try that. Film at eleven.

Artie