Modifying a Steinberger SS-2F

H

Hyperborea

New member
I recently picked up a Steinberger SS-2F (not the multi-scale length model) and would like to make a pickup and wiring change. The form factor is great, the neck is the size I like (a bit chunky but not a baseball bat - maybe a bit smaller than the "59" neck), and it hangs well (a lot of travel guitars are unbalanced). I don't like the EMGs so I'm thinking of swapping them out and while in there making some wiring mods too. I've read the old threads by Mincer on his mods to the same guitar.

What I'm thinking about is using a set of 4 wire Seth Lovers that I have and using the same wiring diagram as Mincer used (produced by Artie Too). I'll also need to flip one of the magnets to keep 2 and 4 noise cancelling. This wiring gives the options:

  1. Bridge
  2. Outside
  3. Both
  4. Inside
  5. Neck


super5way.jpg

I'm planning to use a push pull on the tone to add a "half out of phase" option. I'd do that by not joining the bridge+neck output at the switch and using push pull tone pot to add a capacitor in line with the bridge output and then join them at the volume. This should help the 2 and 4 sound a bit more authentic.

I'm a mostly into blues, rock, power pop, jazz and will use this at some point for an extended time as my only guitar so I'd like it to be pretty versatile. Any feedback on the wiring and/or pickups? Should I just hard-wire the HooP into position 2 and/or 4? How will the Seths do split like this?

Thanks.
 
Re: Modifying a Steinberger SS-2F

The Inside Coils permutation is the one that, in theory, ought to sound most like a Stratocaster in switch position 2 or 4.

The Dan Armstrong / Jerry Donahue HOOP idea is intended to work with two coils spaced further apart. i.e. Your Outside coils.
 
Re: Modifying a Steinberger SS-2F

I'd love to know how yours comes out. I used an Alnico II Pro and a custom shop double screw 59/Custom Hybrid. The split sounds are great. Normally, I love Seths, but never tried this wiring with them (or tried to split them) so I would be curious to know how it worked.
 
Re: Modifying a Steinberger SS-2F

Ok, thanks for the input guys. I've got the parts on order. I'll try out the HooP and if it isn't working for me then I'll drop that from the wiring.
 
Re: Modifying a Steinberger SS-2F

I'd love to see it, too. You don't see many of these around. I did use a ZT3 for a few years, but other than the TransTrem (which was a work of art), I didn't like the guitar itself.
 
Re: Modifying a Steinberger SS-2F

Well, I got the parts last week but I haven't had a chance to wire it up yet.

However, while waiting for those parts I've been reading the site a lot (I was absent for a while) and came across the discussions of the Fishman Fluence pickups. The Classic model sounds like an ideal solution for this guitar. They have two humbucker voices and can be split without much if any loss of volume. I could wire the 5 way up similar to the original plan to give neck, inside, both, outside, bridge and then use the tone pot to switch voices. If I want to I could also wire up the volume to give the high frequency tilt though I worry that the pulled up volume may stick up too much on that small body and get in the way. Maybe go with the black nickel to match the look of the guitar. The black plastic would be the best match but that's only available in the Modern model.

For Mincer, here is the actual guitar in current unmolested form.

BlueSteinberger.jpg
 
Re: Modifying a Steinberger SS-2F

Wow, nice! The EMGs lasted a month in mine, and that's it. I needed a much warmer sound. I am also not really used to how active pickps react to my playing. Mine is rocking now- it is actually a really warm sound guitar, if Gibson had let it be.
 
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