I finally got my butt down to the guitar shop the other day, and tried some of these out. I had been putting it off for quite some time. I really couldn't find too much that was usefull with this switch. Only a *slight* tone change, with a very noticeable volume change. Am i missing somthing about this switch? it seems to me that people have been talking about it like it's the greatest thing in a fender since noiseless pickups.
New Fenders w/ Series/Parallel Switch
- Thread starter Byakhee00
- Start date
Gearjoneser
Gear Ho
I like the idea of the push pull top on the new Fender knobs,
but never found phase switches to be that useful.
It sure is a better idea than Tom Anderson's, which cover their beautiful tops with all those ugly mini switches.
but never found phase switches to be that useful.
It sure is a better idea than Tom Anderson's, which cover their beautiful tops with all those ugly mini switches.
Fresh_Start
New member
I hadn't heard anything about Fender's new parallel/series switches. Do they apply to a humbucker pickup, or to a couple of single coil pickups?
I've got a parallel/series switch for both of my strat layouts and use them a lot. Going to series seems to add more bass and output - kinda like having a humbucker except the coils aren't right next to each other. I especially like neck and bridge single coils in series - with the coils so far apart, you get some cool harmonics to the tone. Like a tele in the middle position only with a lot more meat and less twang.
Chip
I've got a parallel/series switch for both of my strat layouts and use them a lot. Going to series seems to add more bass and output - kinda like having a humbucker except the coils aren't right next to each other. I especially like neck and bridge single coils in series - with the coils so far apart, you get some cool harmonics to the tone. Like a tele in the middle position only with a lot more meat and less twang.
Chip
I tried the one on the new strats, and I also tried it on the new P-Bass. I was probably overly critical of the circuit, since i have a BC Rich bass that has s/p switches in it, with two QPs, and when i flip the s/p switches, i can get a VERY jazz bass esque sound out of it. the fender simply didn't do that.
As far as the strat was concerned, when i hit the switch, it sounded just plain wierd to my ears. of course, that may be because i'm so used to how a "normal" strat sounds, it just kinda caught me by suprise.
Next time i'm down there, i'll give 'em another look
As far as the strat was concerned, when i hit the switch, it sounded just plain wierd to my ears. of course, that may be because i'm so used to how a "normal" strat sounds, it just kinda caught me by suprise.
Next time i'm down there, i'll give 'em another look
I tried one...apparently Feder literature neglects to tell you exactly what the switch *does*..it might be a series/parallel switch, but I doubt it, since it works on individual pickups (neck & middle). To my ears, it sounds like it instantly takes your tone control to about 4...now I am not sure what it does electronically, but that is what it sounds like. I picked up an older strat, turned the tone down to 4 and *nailed* the same sound. A gimmick if you ask me. It makes me suspicious if Fender won't tell you what it does.
MattPete
New member
Fender tells you what it does right here:
http://www.fender.com/products/s1/
Withi the S1 switch up, it switches like a normal Strat:
(1) neck
(2) neck and middle inparallel
(3) middle
(4) middle and bridgein parallel
(5) bridge
With the S1 switch down, it does this:
(1) Neck + Middle in series
(2) Neck (with special capacitor) + Middle in series
(3) Middle (with special capacitor)
(4) Bridge (with special capacitor) + Middle (with special capacitor) in series
(5) Bridge + Middle in series
some of the Special capacitor connections have the pickup in question connected o the capacitor in series, others in parallel. Hell if I know what the difference is.
http://www.fender.com/products/s1/
Withi the S1 switch up, it switches like a normal Strat:
(1) neck
(2) neck and middle inparallel
(3) middle
(4) middle and bridgein parallel
(5) bridge
With the S1 switch down, it does this:
(1) Neck + Middle in series
(2) Neck (with special capacitor) + Middle in series
(3) Middle (with special capacitor)
(4) Bridge (with special capacitor) + Middle (with special capacitor) in series
(5) Bridge + Middle in series
some of the Special capacitor connections have the pickup in question connected o the capacitor in series, others in parallel. Hell if I know what the difference is.
