Peavey Generation upgrades

[KenD]

hey everybody, I'm new 'round here and have been reading through some of the posts. First off, sorry for the long post, but I just gotta get this out there and get some feedback. I have done some research and want to run something by the forum and see what you all think. I have this Peavey Generation I just bought as a back up to my strat that has to go in for some work. The strat is a MIM with a set of EMG active SA pups in it, so I am happy with the "strat" sound I get. I picked up the used peavey for an amazing $149, and the neck feels great to me. The piezo in the bridge is an added plus, but I really don't like the stock pups. They don't clean up well at low volumes as much as I would like and they are very noisy. So, i'm replacing them. I'm willing to spend the money I saved on this guitar on some nice pickups and have an idea for making this my "jack of all trades" guitar. I lead a praise band at a local church so I play a lot of different styles. Here is what I am thinking, you guys let me know if it sounds do-able/usable and if I'll get the versatility I am looking for.

Neck - Duncan Lipstick tube for Strat
Middle - Duncan QP Flat
Bridge - Duncan Custom 5 (SH-14)

I want to add another Tone and Volume run for the HB.

for the 5-way switch I am looking at doing the following
1 - Bridge
2 - Top Coil of Bridge/ Middle (like 2nd position of normal strat)
3 - Bridge (full)/Middle
4 - Middle/Neck (like 4 position of normal strat)
5 - Neck/back coil of Bridge (kinda like a Tele')

Well that's it. With this I am hoping to get the humbucking ca-chunk and lead of a LP or Fat Strat (postions 1, and 3), the quak of the strat(in the 2 and 4 positions), and the jangle of a Tele' (position 5), plus the piezo as an added bonus, all in one. Will it work?

Thanks for your input in advance. Any advice/insight would be greatly appreciated.

Ken
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[Artie]

Re: Peavey Generation upgrades

Thats so close to how I had my Genny set. I had twin, tapped, QP's in the neck and middle(RW/RP), and a Custom 5 in the bridge. Mine wasn't the piezo model so I left the 5-way almost stock. I reversed the middle and neck "hot" wires so that I could use the neck and bridge. I had two push/pull pots. One to split the C5, and one to tap the QP's. It was a pretty amazing sounding axe.

I've since changed it to twin humbuckers, although at the moment, I've got my two old Peavey "Super Ferrite" pups in there. The C5 and a 59 will be going back in this week.

Anyway, your choices sound cool too. The Peavey's are under-rated guitars, I think.

Artie

btw - Welcome to the forum.

 

[KenD]

Re: Peavey Generation upgrades

thanks Artie, you kow what, I think I would want that middle pup RW/RP to fight the hum in position 2 and 4, right. The bottom coil of the HB is already rw correct? So it won't hum against the lipstick tube, right? Do you think, based on your peavey, that there is enough room in there for two more knobs for the HB? I really need (want) more control over the humbucker than just the one volume/tone that is on the guitar now.

 

[Artie]

Re: Peavey Generation upgrades

It'll be tight.

You might want to consider going with dual-concentrics, like these:

Stew-Mac pots

Also, I'll have to look over those switch options closer, but you might need to use a SuperSwitch to get that setup. Maybe not. I'll get back to you on that.

 

[Artie]

Re: Peavey Generation upgrades

I just thought of something - if yours has the piezo, does it also have the standard Tele control plate? I thought the piezo version didn't.

 

[KenD]

Re: Peavey Generation upgrades

It's like this without the 3 position piezo selector, you just turn the volume up or down to use it. Mine also has a single coil in the neck.

 

[Artie]

Re: Peavey Generation upgrades

Ah, mines different. Were you going to drill holes for the other two pots?

 

[KenD]

Re: Peavey Generation upgrades

yes, I figured it would have to be done. I don't think I was going to take this on by myself though. I was going to take it to my friendly local lutherie and let them do it. I like the idea of the dual concentric for the HB. very clean. I had seen that on the nashville teles and thought that was a great idea.

 

[Artie]

Re: Peavey Generation upgrades

Dual-concentrics would keep the look clean. Also, if you check my sig, you'll notice my "other" Tele has a Stag Mag at the neck. I love it, and your Genny is already configured for a humbucker at the neck. If you did HSH, with the ability to split both 'buckers, and the piezo, you'ld have one heckuva versatile axe.

Although, the Lipstick tube is a cool idea also.

Artie

btw - How do you like that piezo and the ACM?

 

[KenD]

Re: Peavey Generation upgrades

It's a Fishman (maybe farmed out somewhere and stamped, who knows), but it sounds realistic enough when played through an acoutic amp, or direct.
Acoustic tone isn't what my Taylor 314ce is, but the price wasn't either.\
I can blend a little in to the electric signal through my amp (Tech 21 Trademark 60) and get a little more "bite" on the clean channel, but on the dirty side these pickups are either all grit, or no tone, so adding a little piezo, or a lot for that matter, makes no difference.