All 3 pickups in parallel on a Strat

[Chistopher]

I'm learning to appreciate it. I accidentally flicked the switch on my Strat into that position from the middle/bridge position while doing some funky strumming last evening and didn't even notice until the end of the song. It sounds like and even more scooped 2 and 4 position, with a slightly rounder high end. Ended up using that position almost exclusively.

Nothing profound about any of this, I just know that the conventional forum "wisdom" is that all 3 pickups in parallel isn't that good a sound, so I just wanted to balance the score board. It's a great sound for stabby, attacky strumming if you want it to sound more laid back while still being percussive.

 

[crguti]

good

 

[Mincer]

How did you know all 3 are in parallel?

 

[GuitarDoc]

What special wiring did you do/have done to get all 3 in parallel?

 

[Chistopher]

I have a neck-on switch and accidentally hit it. I usually just use it for the faux-tele sound, but it's nice to know all 7-sounds have their uses for me

 

[ICTGoober]

That doesn't answer the question.

 

[Chistopher]

If you are asking about wiring, I didn't use a particular diagram. As to how I know all three are in parallel, it doesn't sound like the other 6 switching positions but it is the same volume as them. I assume I could test with a screwdriver.

 

[jeremy]

if you have a neck on switch and normal 5way, you can have all three pups active in parallel as you suggested. not a bad sound, but nothing i really need most of the time

 

[Spaghetti Bolo]

I like it and find it useful sometimes.

 

[Artie]

I like it too, occasionally. It's a nice "full", harmonically rich sound. Assuming the right pups. For me, it works best with lower wound "vintage-ish" pups.

 

[Clint 55]

That sounds like absolutely a right use for that - aggressive funk strumming while still sounding laid back. I think it's an aesthetically nice sound. I've tried it with different types of pickups like hums and minis.

How did he know he had all 3 pickups in parallel? Uh, he said he was in position 2 with the neck on switch engaged. :duh:

Fwiw: it doesn't have to be a neck on switch, it can also be a neck and bridge on switch. That way you can be in position 5 and only have to make 1 move instead of 2 to get neck and bridge on. Same with all 3 on.

 

[Chistopher]

I tried a "neck and bridge on" switch but settled on a neck-on switch. In terms of usability they were pretty similar for my purposes, no real reason I picked one or the other.

 

[Clint 55]

Cuz it's hipper as a guitarist to have the usability centered around position 1?

 

[freefrog]

In several Strats, I've swapped the neck PU tone control for a no-load pot, enabling progressively the neck pickup in parallel with the others. Very useful to me with the pot half-way : it diminishes the overall inductance and consequently mimics pickups with less turns of wire, without making the neck PU too present and the sound too bassy.

The funk gimmick in "Billie Jean" was played on a Strat copy with the 3 PUs in parallel, if memory serves me.

 

[GuitarDoc]

How did he know he had all 3 pickups in parallel? Uh, he said he was in position 2 with the neck on switch engaged. :duh:

Actually, no, he didn't say that until AFTER the question was asked...that WAS the answer to that question. :duh:

:eek2: zz0.8wp97aa8s4vzz

 

[Chistopher]

You guys are tearing this family apart :argh:

 

[maug2122]

I have a neck-on switch and accidentally hit it. I usually just use it for the faux-tele sound, but it's nice to know all 7-sounds have their uses for me

Here's my angle on the 7 way sound and I have the first tone knob for the neck / middle and the second tone knob for the bridge .