HSS Wiring Questions in Fender MP Telecaster

[greypilgrim76]

Hi All,

Recently, I posted (here) about choosing replacement pups for my Fender Modern Player Telecaster, and I've more or less decided on the hardware. I'm going with the Alnico II Pro Tele neck pickup, the '59/Custom Hybrid bridge pickup, and either the Vintage Flat Strat or Five-Two in the middle. (I did say "more or less.")

Anyway, now that I've got that mostly sorted out, I'm starting to think about wiring the guitar to maximize the options on such an already-versatile guitar, and since my only previous experience with guitar wiring was limited to swapping out pups in an Epi LP, I'm hoping to get some feedback here about whether my ideas are even possible without routing or drastically altering the guitar.

Here's what I'd like to do in a perfect wiring world:

1) Separate the hotter humbucker from the two vintage single coils for tone and volume. (Having all three separated would be even better, but I'm trying to be realistic!)

2) Squeeze as many tone options as possible out of the humbucker. Series/parallel/split for sure, and ideally splittable to both coils (see next point).

3) Add the option of combining the neck pup with the bridge humbucker when split to the '59 coil to get something like a Tele tone.

Of course, the issue is that right now I've got two knobs, one 2-way mini-toggle, and a standard five-way switch to work with. That said, I'm happy to do non-routing work--swap out for a 3-knob control plate, add a Triple Shot, change the stock pots to concentric pots, use push-pulls, etc. I'm not categorically opposed to a super switch either, but to be honest, I've read up on them a bit and don't quite understand the nuances of what they offer yet. (Though I'm good at homework, if it comes to it.)

Here are the three scenarios I've come up with so far, but again, I may be punching out of my weight class here, so tell me if any of these are just not possible. Here they are in the rough order of preference:

1) Change my two knobs to concentric knobs, with one running tone/volume for the two single coils and the other running tone/volume for the humbucker. Either swap the 2-way mini-toggle to the 3-way for series/split/parallel, or better yet, use a Triple Shot for the humbucker and wire the 2-way to add the bridge pup to the humbucker-only position. Not sure what type of main switch I'd need for this.

2) Swap the stock control plate for a 3-knob one and either put a concentric pot in each one to run tone/volume separately for each pup, OR use one concentric for the humbucker volume/tone, one concentric for tone on each single coil, and one push-pull to run volume for both single coils and turn on the neck pup for the humbucker-only setting. Also not sure about the main switch for this.

3) Give up on separate volume/tone, keep the basic hardware I've got, add the Triple shot, and use the 2-way switch to add the bridge to the humbucker-only setting.

So, that's sort of what I'm thinking right now. Obviously, my main goal is to improve the guitar, but I'm also fascinated by this sort of electrical work, so I'm approaching it as a learning experience, too. I'd love to hear any thoughts you might have on which of these would work!

Thanks!

EDIT: I'd also love to hear wildly different ideas on how to mod this guitar, if you think there better options!

EDIT 2: I'm also wondering if something like Fat Strat wiring with the Triple Shot and two-way for adding the neck to the bridge would work?

 

[Teleplayer]

Re: HSS Wiring Questions in Fender MP Telecaster

I have some comments about your project.

Are you satisfied with the difference in output level between bridge humbucker and neck tele pickup?
Would you consider to changing the neck pickup to a different type such as a Strat size humbucker. Eg. Lil 59 or Cool rails?
Obviously that would require a custom pickguard for 2 strat pickups that may be difficult to source. I don't know if its possible.

Regarding concentric pots. I found the ergonomics is so bad that for me its almost unusable. If the humbucker has different requirements, you could: 1) Leave it without any tone control connected. 2) Add a hardwired network of Fixed resistor and tone cap, Eg. 330k Resistor and 0.022uF cap. 3) Add a hardwired network, and wire it to a push-pull switch on the tone knob. Then you can disconnect the network by pulling out the tone knob, to make the humbucker extra bright if needed.

I made a wiring diagram for a HSS Stratocaster for another thread that has some of the features you are looking for, such as coil split wiring, and also "neck on" switch.
https://forum.seymourduncan.com/sho...3-Way-Switch&p=4097216&viewfull=1#post4097216

 

[KNUCKLHEAD]

Re: HSS Wiring Questions in Fender MP Telecaster

I have some comments about your project.

Are you satisfied with the difference in output level between bridge humbucker and neck tele pickup?
Would you consider to changing the neck pickup to a different type such as a Strat size humbucker. Eg. Lil 59 or Cool rails?
Obviously that would require a custom pickguard for 2 strat pickups that may be difficult to source. I don't know if its possible.

Of Course it's Possible , U just cut out Your own pickguard ( I get em' from the place in Cali ) No Biggie

 

[greypilgrim76]

Re: HSS Wiring Questions in Fender MP Telecaster

I have some comments about your project.

Are you satisfied with the difference in output level between bridge humbucker and neck tele pickup?
Would you consider to changing the neck pickup to a different type such as a Strat size humbucker. Eg. Lil 59 or Cool rails?
Obviously that would require a custom pickguard for 2 strat pickups that may be difficult to source. I don't know if its possible.

Regarding concentric pots. I found the ergonomics is so bad that for me its almost unusable. If the humbucker has different requirements, you could: 1) Leave it without any tone control connected. 2) Add a hardwired network of Fixed resistor and tone cap, Eg. 330k Resistor and 0.022uF cap. 3) Add a hardwired network, and wire it to a push-pull switch on the tone knob. Then you can disconnect the network by pulling out the tone knob, to make the humbucker extra bright if needed.

I made a wiring diagram for a HSS Stratocaster for another thread that has some of the features you are looking for, such as coil split wiring, and also "neck on" switch.
https://forum.seymourduncan.com/sho...3-Way-Switch&p=4097216&viewfull=1#post4097216

I appreciate you sharing that diagram. It'll definitely come in handy when the time comes. As far as pickup balance goes, I really like the sound of the Tele neck pickup, so I think I'm going to keep that and balance it with the split to the '59 in the humbucker and just live with the volume difference when it's in full humbucker mode.

I'll definitely look at the hardwired options for the humbucker, too. I'm starting to wonder if separating out the tone controls for the pickups is worth the trouble, and I'm thinking that maybe the best approach is something like the Fat Strat setup with the Triple Shot and the two-way switch for bridge-on. For now, I'm just trying to practice the guitar-wiring version of "measure twice, cut once."