Feedback on HS setup and wiring advice

[Arpeggiowen]

So I'm thinking it's time for an overhaul on my trusty MIM strat, and this might be a bit of a weird one...

Right, it's going to be a HS setup. The bridge is getting a Black Winter trembucker, and I'm going to shift the SSL-5 to the neck position. One volume, one tone pot. Coil-split the Winter on one or two switch settings. Those are the parameters. What I could do with is some advice on realising this [possibly ill-conceived] setup.

1) I'm thinking a 500k volume pot and a 250k for the tone pot which will just be wired to the neck pup. I've read that wiring in a 470k/510k resistor in parallel will help balance the single coil. Worthwhile to do with these particular pickups?

2) Tonal options: not sure whether to stick with 3-way configuration (hum, split, neck) or go 5-way (hum, split, hum+neck, split + neck, neck). Hoping some more seasoned tinkerers could give advice here. Links to relevant wiring diagrams would be greatly appreciated.

3) Any general thoughts on the configuration itself? Is a maple neck relevant at all? I do have a predilection towards the heavier end of the spectrum, and the EMG 81-loaded ESP (with 18v mod) has that covered pretty well (too well in some regards), but I also love a well-articulated clean tone, which will be the main job of the single coil here. I suppose the overall aim is to get some sort of a Strat / LP Frankenstein that can be juiced to 11 when required. Modest ambitions, eh?

Whether you think there's merit or it's all pure silliness I would be glad to get any feedback on this little pet project. Cheers!

 

[gregory]

Re: Feedback on HS setup and wiring advice

500k volume and tone for both pickups.

Personally, I'd maybe do just a single 250k volume with push-pull or push-push to switch between the neck and bridge like old-school Lynch and avoid any of the combinations which I dont care for with an HS Strat with a humbucker and a single coil. 250k volume is equivalent to a 500k volume and a 500k tone.

 

[Silence Kid]

Re: Feedback on HS setup and wiring advice

I have an HS Strat with 500k; it's fine, and the pickups are brighter than what you are using (Stack S4 + Demon.) You can always roll back tone.

I agree, there's not a huge use IMO for combined tones with HS so I'd skip the five way and do a three way (oddly not the first time I've said that.)

 

[Mincer]

Re: Feedback on HS setup and wiring advice

Welcome to the forum!

I'd use 500k pots for both. I'd probably use a regular 3 way, and maybe a Fender S1 switch to split the Black Winter if you want it.

 

[gregory]

Re: Feedback on HS setup and wiring advice

Splitting a humbucker only requires a switch with a single pole. Switching the bridge pickup into parallel mode only requires one additional pole. Either mode can be done with any standard pot with a switch.

Why is an expensive 4-pole switch necessary in this application?

 

[Mincer]

Re: Feedback on HS setup and wiring advice

It is an elegant solution. It functions more ergonomically than a push pull, and is virtually invisible.

 

[gregory]

Re: Feedback on HS setup and wiring advice

No more ergonomic or elegant (subjective) than a push-push which was also mentioned.

 

[PFDarkside]

Re: Feedback on HS setup and wiring advice

I’ve been thinking about redoing my HS Strat recently. I’ve been thinking of using a Stack in the neck (Vintage Hot or Custom), a three way and splitting both the stack and HB in the middle. That’s three useful and noiseless options, and 500K would be appropriate (although tweakable if I’d need to change it).

Reasoning is that:
-It’s my higher gain guitar so noiseless would be nice
-I don’t really need Split bridge only sound
-Both Split and combined should net quackier tones when needed

Of course I’ve also considered keeping the true single and adding a super switch in addition to add resistors, capacitors, extra splits of the HB, etc. but I’m not sure how much more true utility I’d get from that.

 

[JB_From_Hell]

Re: Feedback on HS setup and wiring advice

If you're the type of player who manipulates the volume and tone controls frequently, push-pull or push-push switches are useless. Then again, if you're that type of player, you probably know that splitting a humbucker sounds awful and wouldn't be messing with that nonsense anyway

On the other hand, if you're into heavy stuff and asking about coil splits, you're probably not the type of player I referenced above. However, I do agree with Mincer on suggesting the S1. Like he said, I find it to be more elegant, and it does leave the option of tweaking knobs and activating the switch without messing up either.

 

[gregory]

Re: Feedback on HS setup and wiring advice

There is nothing more minimalist than a single volume control that toggles between two pickups, which falls into neither category. It's probably obvious that someone who would suggest such a thing probably never liked the sound of either a full humbucker or split bridge humbucker combined with a neck SC.

Some humbuckers sound better split or in parallel than others, so if you plan on doing that make sure you get a good one.

There's no accounting for my lack of taste or imagination, though.

Messing up the position of a knob with a push-push has never been a problem.

 

[Mincer]

Re: Feedback on HS setup and wiring advice

I haven't seen good push push pots that don't fall apart in a year. If you have a source, let me know.

 

[donaldr]

Re: Feedback on HS setup and wiring advice

I finished an HS MIM Strat couple of months ago. Stk-s7 neck, Screamin Demon bridge, 3-way blade switch, 250k V-T-T. The middle position is really, did I say really?, really good. I wasn't expecting anything from that position but to my surprise I use it a lot! No splitting, no parallel, only neck sc with bridge hb. I usually never use combined pickup positions, even on my LP, but on this guitar it's really good.

 

[Arpeggiowen]

Re: Feedback on HS setup and wiring advice

Cheers for the replies, folks! Some interesting food for thought. Think I'll go with the 3-way (hum, both, neck) and then a push-pull for the split - mainly to have a go and see if I like them.