How to wire a tele bridge (a la Brent Mason) with a strat middle pickup such that...

[dr.barlo]

Hi all,

How do I wire a tele bridge pickup and a strat middle pickup as if the following is done using a single volume pot, the good old 5 way switch, and the addition of an on/off DPDT mini switch:

- In the new position (second position with the miniswitch on or of whatever), it should sound like the middle pickup is "parallel" with the middle pickup such that it is as if the middle strat pickup has an independent volume control that is mixed just a little bit with the bridge...

The idea came to me from Brent Mason's tele. I wanna get that bridge sound, but without the addition of extra volume pot that he has for his middle pickup. Here you can see more of this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OmqMd3wdet4&t=2m16s

At exactly 2:42 he talks about this and says that he uses it like an eq instead of a strat kinda tone by washing off some of the annoying high end...

So I want to wire this strat of mine as follows:

- When the mini is on in the mid position, I'll be adding a resistor (say 175-250K) in series with the hot of the middle pickup. When the switch is off, there wouldn't be any resistors in series so it would sound like a standard strat second position. Hook the middle lug of the DPDT switch to the 5 way switch where the middle pickup is supposed to be connected to.

I intend to "experiment" with a bunch of K values before settling on the right value.

Do these make sense?

Or is there something I am missing?

Thanks in advance guys.

B

 

[dr.barlo]

Re: How to wire a tele bridge (a la Brent Mason) with a strat middle pickup such that

Nobody?

B

 

[Teleplayer]

Re: How to wire a tele bridge (a la Brent Mason) with a strat middle pickup such that

https://www.seymourduncan.com/images/wiring-diagrams/Tele_3S_3B_1V_1T_1Bld.jpg

Seymour Duncan have a diagram. I'm not sure if the 3x 250k controls will take away too much brightness. I like your idea of replacing the blend control with a switch.

Do you think the Brent mason wiring diagram is a good starting point for what you want to do?

 

[dr.barlo]

Re: How to wire a tele bridge (a la Brent Mason) with a strat middle pickup such that

Nice! Thanks.

It is a good starting point definitely. Trying to do it without the addition of another pot you know. After all, I am not going to be using it very heavily, just as a way to wash off those annoying highs a bit (as Brent Mason does).

B :beerchug:

 

[Teleplayer]

Re: How to wire a tele bridge (a la Brent Mason) with a strat middle pickup such that

I think I understand what you want to do. It would also be possible to use a 3 position ON-ON-ON toggle switch. So you can get more adjustability. For example using a pair of 150k resistors you could have the following combinations.
Pos 1) single 150k blend resistor.
Pos 2) two 150k resistors in parrallel = 75k blend resistance.
Pos 3) bypass the resistors. Middle pickup is directly connected to the middle lug of the 5-way switch.

I realised the diagram I linked uses a 3-way switch, so a standard strat diagram may be a better starting point.

 

[idsnowdog]

Re: How to wire a tele bridge (a la Brent Mason) with a strat middle pickup such that

http://docshare.tips/wiring-diagram-brent-mason_5756979ab6d87f38a78b4816.html
https://tonefiend.com/wp-content/uploads/wiring-diagram1.pdf

 

[dr.barlo]

Re: How to wire a tele bridge (a la Brent Mason) with a strat middle pickup such that

The first one has an extra volume/blend pot while the second does not have the wiring with the resistor. Hence, I fail to see the point of your post.

Care to explain?

B

 

[idsnowdog]

Re: How to wire a tele bridge (a la Brent Mason) with a strat middle pickup such that

The first one has an extra volume/blend pot while the second does not have the wiring with the resistor. Hence, I fail to see the point of your post.

Care to explain?

B

I'm having a hard time visualizing what you're looking for. Those two schematics are for the Brent Mason wiring scheme can you modify either of them to show us what you're looking for?

 

[dr.barlo]

Re: How to wire a tele bridge (a la Brent Mason) with a strat middle pickup such that

It's simple. I am gonna connect (via the addition of a mini toggle switch - DPDT) a resistor in series with the hot of the middle pickup. So it will be as if the mid pickup is blended into the bridge as if with some independent volume set low... I intend to experiment with the values before settling for one.

The schematic is simple. I'll do it and post it here for future reference...

What I am asking, I think, is... does that make sense? Am I missing something?

I guess the answers are yes and no, no?

B

 

[Teleplayer]

Re: How to wire a tele bridge (a la Brent Mason) with a strat middle pickup such that

I was expecting you would retain two tone controls and the 5 way blade switch. That is why I think nowdog's diagram is fairly close to what it should look like. I look forward to seeing your schematic.

 

[idsnowdog]

Re: How to wire a tele bridge (a la Brent Mason) with a strat middle pickup such that

Couldn't you just use a mini trimmer pot instead of a regular-sized pot like in the Brent Mason diagram? The switch could be used to bring the middle in/out with the other switch positions.

 

[Teleplayer]

Re: How to wire a tele bridge (a la Brent Mason) with a strat middle pickup such that

Here is an alternative scheme which you could consider. It only affects the tone when the bridge pickup is selected. Otherwise the function is the same as conventional strat wiring. The necessary wiring is added in orange.

The toggle switch is a 3-position DPDT ON-ON-ON.
Pos 1) No blending of pickups. Same as a conventional strat.
Pos 2) 150k Blend resistor for middle pickup.
Pos 3) Dual parallel 150k Blend resistors = 75k resistance.

 

[dr.barlo]

Re: How to wire a tele bridge (a la Brent Mason) with a strat middle pickup such that

Couldn't you just use a mini trimmer pot instead of a regular-sized pot like in the Brent Mason diagram? The switch could be used to bring the middle in/out with the other switch positions.

That is a good idea. I could do that.

That said, a pot is a particular way to wire some varying resistance (either in series or parallel depending on how you wire it). So if I am gonna be going for a particular value, why bother with the pot in the first place.

Anyways, nowadays my 75 deluxe is doing exactly what I want. That's why I am not hurrying with this plan.

B

 

[dr.barlo]

Re: How to wire a tele bridge (a la Brent Mason) with a strat middle pickup such that

Here is an alternative scheme which you could consider. It only affects the tone when the bridge pickup is selected. Otherwise the function is the same as conventional strat wiring. The necessary wiring is added in orange.

The toggle switch is a 3-position DPDT ON-ON-ON.
Pos 1) No blending of pickups. Same as a conventional strat.
Pos 2) 150k Blend resistor for middle pickup.
Pos 3) Dual parallel 150k Blend resistors = 75k resistance.

View attachment 105481

Hi.

I don't get this.

I would place the mini DPDT (on/off) between the hot of the mid pickup before the 5 way switch. If off, it will connect the hot of the mid pickup directly to the 5 way switch. If on, it will add some K value (like 150-200K) in series to the hot of the mid pickup.

See?

B

 

[Teleplayer]

Re: How to wire a tele bridge (a la Brent Mason) with a strat middle pickup such that

The two schemes do the same thing, but some differences in the usage of the switch combinations. In my scheme the blend is only applied with the pickup selector in position 1. The other Positions 2, 3, 4, 5 all work exactly the same as a regular strat, without the need to adjust the toggle switch when changing pickup selection. Your suggested wiring concept is maybe simpler to implement, because you only need to add the resistor in series with the middle pickup.

 

[dr.barlo]

Re: How to wire a tele bridge (a la Brent Mason) with a strat middle pickup such that

I get it...

Cool!

B :beerchug: