Series Mods for Strat.

[playguitar]

Hi guys,

I just found a site with a couple of very interesting series mods
for Strats: http://www.deaf-eddie.net/pushpull/pushpull.html

There are 2 projects, one for 2 PUPs in series and one for 3 PUPs
in Series, but there is some combinations missing in both of them.

Anyone knows of similar mods which include the following series
combos, and that they can be activated with just a single
push/pull pot, plus a 5-way selector switch: Bridge + Middle,
Bridge + Neck, and Neck + Middle? Also, if possible, all 3 PUPs
in series.

Thanks in advance.

Cheers.

 

[jeremy]

Re: Series Mods for Strat.

im not sure three pups in series would sound all that great. even two pups in series sometimes doesn't sound that great depending on what the pups are.

this is a bump as much as anything else

 

[GEARHEAD8]

Re: Series Mods for Strat.

Hi, Check out this link at Rothstein guitars , I have done it to a few Strats and it works great.
Basically, you use the second tone pot as an adjustable tap and "blend" in the neck or bridge depending ont your switch.
you also get the advantage of all 3-on and bridge/neck-on , so a seven position Strat with no extra switches needed. Your
other tone becomes the master , always on..
http://www.guitar-mod.com/wiring/blender.gif

 

[playguitar]

Re: Series Mods for Strat.

Hey,

Yeah, depending on the PUPs, some may sound a bit muddy, others won´t.
Three PUPs in Series should sound muddier, but could be cleaned up with
a pedal, e.g. a treble booster. Brian May has 3 PUPs in Series and does
that. Three in Series is not the priority, but it could be interesting.

Anyone has a Strat with a Bridge + Middle in Series or Neck + Middle
in Series combos, and can confirm if they sound quacky at all or not?

Thanks.

 

[hermetico]

Re: Series Mods for Strat.

http://hermeticoguitar.blogspot.com.es/2012/11/classification-guitar-modded-fender.html

 

[blueman335]

Re: Series Mods for Strat.

I've wired some of my P-90 guitars with a push-pull for linking them in series, gives a boost for solos. Two HB's linked in series is usually too dark, although it works if the neck is in coil cut (which is part of the Jimmy Page system). Two Fender single coils in series should be very usable, especially of one's a bridge PU. Good idea.

 

[dr.barlo]

Re: Series Mods for Strat.

I have a mini toggle switch on my strat, which makes me get this bridge-middle series tone. The bridge is a 7.20K Van Zandt blues (or was it 7.00K ?) and the middle is a 6.20K strat pickup. It sounds powerful, it sounds like a HB. But still there is quack. Not as pronounced as the regular (parallel) position, but it's there and it's noticeable.

I have to confess that I am not using this mode that much. Instead I use my FuzzFace clone (AM Sunface with them white dots) in the bridge, and it delivers. The series needs different eq. and it is not like a "regular" HB sound. A regular 42 HB consists of 2 coils with at most 5K #42 wire. Two strats make at least 12K, 6+6, of #42 wire. For a while I had this idea about going to custom shop and get from MJ two tapped strat pickups, bridge say 7-4K and middle 6-4K. Then I'd get the "usual" #42 8K "humbucker" thing you know...

I did not do his. Because for these purposes I am playing my PRS with the Brobucker in the bridge.



And... I don't wanna think at all about how the 3 pickups in series would sound like. It'll be very muddy, to say the least.

B

 

[playguitar]

Re: Series Mods for Strat.

http://hermeticoguitar.blogspot.com.es/2012/11/classification-guitar-modded-fender.html

Thanks, I´ll have a look.

I have a mini toggle switch on my strat, which makes me get this bridge-middle series tone. The bridge is a 7.20K Van Zandt blues (or was it 7.00K ?) and the middle is a 6.20K strat pickup. It sounds powerful, it sounds like a HB. But still there is quack. Not as pronounced as the regular (parallel) position, but it's there and it's noticeable.

Thanks. This is what I needed to know. I thought the quack could still be there even when
wired in Series. Perhaps the Middle + Neck combo has a bit less quack. I don´t want quack.

A Bridge + Neck combo shouldn´t have quack. The project number 2 mod from the site I
posted has this combo plus Neck + Middle, so I think I better go for this mod...

Here´s a video I just found of a guy demoing this mod, or one very similar. Check the
Neck + Middle combo from 4:17. It sounds very "Gibson- y", doesn´t it?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oTNlbJksTu8

 

[scorch]

Re: Series Mods for Strat.

I have a strat with two Phat Cats and a Quarter-pounder in the middle. Have a switch to put the bridge PC and QP in series. Something like 27k ohms. It's my nuclear option. Really slams the front end. Somewhat compressed sound, the metal guys probably wouldn't like it. But for leads its really neat.

 

[blueman335]

Re: Series Mods for Strat.

I have a mini toggle switch on my strat, which makes me get this bridge-middle series tone...It sounds powerful, it sounds like a HB. But still there is quack.

+1. You know, with that in an HSS, would you really need an HB in the bridge slot at all? A SSS with a push-pull to link a couple single coils in series(like you did) would probably do the job for a lot of players.

 

[playguitar]

Re: Series Mods for Strat.

http://hermeticoguitar.blogspot.com.es/2012/11/classification-guitar-modded-fender.html

Hi hermetico,

I visited your blog and found another interesting mod which has the Bridge + Middle
and Neck + Middle combos but with some sort of out of phase wiring. This one:

http://hermeticoguitar.blogspot.com.es/2012/11/wiring-diagram-mike-richardson-mod-01.html

Do you know if this out of phase mod produce quack in both combos? It´d be great if
not, and if still could have a fat type of humbucker tone.

I´ve been searching on this mod but I haven´t found any more info nor feedback on it.
Anyone has some input on this?

Thanks.

 

[dr.barlo]

Re: Series Mods for Strat.

+1. You know, with that in an HSS, would you really need an HB in the bridge slot at all? A SSS with a push-pull to link a couple single coils in series(like you did) would probably do the job for a lot of players.

It sure does work. But like many us here, including you and me and the op, I do not think it'd be good enough. On the other hand, using a hot #42 bridge HB (like a Brobucker or PATB-3) with sorta 4.5K+ #42 slug coil is, I think, a better option. Then, the bridge middle parallel position sounds great. The only downside is the loss of the strat bridge sound, which is quite useful especially with fuzz pedals.

Both choices are fine. Then again, the best option is to have a strat AND a LP.

B

 

[hermetico]

Re: Series Mods for Strat.

Hi hermetico,

I visited your blog and found another interesting mod which has the Bridge + Middle
and Neck + Middle combos but with some sort of out of phase wiring. This one:

http://hermeticoguitar.blogspot.com.es/2012/11/wiring-diagram-mike-richardson-mod-01.html

Do you know if this out of phase mod produce quack in both combos? It´d be great if
not, and if still could have a fat type of humbucker tone.

I´ve been searching on this mod but I haven´t found any more info nor feedback on it.
Anyone has some input on this?

Thanks.

Yes, in combos Neck in series with Middle and Middle in series with Bridge, there is still some quack, definitively.
Not so clear as when you run those in parallel but the quack is there.

But, honestly...
The three series combos are very similar in tone and, from those three, I like Neck & Bridge the most.
And, I could live with MIddle & Bridge, too but, Neck & Middle is darker, muddier and repeatitive, IMHO.
Because of the reasons already pointed by dr. barlo, it seems to much to put a couple of singles in series.

Things that work better to me are:

Series but out-of-phase (that opens the sound and tames the output)
Series but, in parallel with the third pickup. This drops the output also and adds more definition and openess.

That's my experience with my own strato and pickups.

 

[playguitar]

Re: Series Mods for Strat.

Yes, in combos Neck in series with Middle and Middle in series with Bridge, there is still some quack, definitively.
Not so clear as when you run those in parallel but the quack is there.

But, honestly...
The three series combos are very similar in tone and, from those three, I like Neck & Bridge the most.
And, I could live with MIddle & Bridge, too but, Neck & Middle is darker, muddier and repeatitive, IMHO.
Because of the reasons already pointed by dr. barlo, it seems to much to put a couple of singles in series.

Things that work better to me are:

Series but out-of-phase (that opens the sound and tames the output)
Series but, in parallel with the third pickup. This drops the output also and adds more definition and openess.

That's my experience with my own strato and pickups.

Hola hermetico,

Thanks a lot for the input.

If in Series and out of phase there is still quack present, I think I´ll
go for project #3 from the site I posted... It has Bridge + Neck in
Series (I guess this combo shouldn´t have quack), Neck + Middle
(a bit less quack than Bridge + Middle, I guess) and Bridge + Middle
in Parallel and in Series with Neck.

I´d like to have also Bridge + Middle in Series alone but I haven´t
found a mod which has it along with Bridge + Neck, and Neck +
Middle. These 3 combos together in a single mod that can be
activated with a single push/pull pot and the 5-way selector
switch, not a super switch, would be great.

Thanks!

Cheers.

 

[hermetico]

Re: Series Mods for Strat.

Hola hermetico,

Thanks a lot for the input.

If in Series and out of phase there is still quack present, I think I´ll
go for project #3 from the site I posted... It has Bridge + Neck in
Series (I guess this combo shouldn´t have quack), Neck + Middle
(a bit less quack than Bridge + Middle, I guess) and Bridge + Middle
in Parallel and in Series with Neck.

I´d like to have also Bridge + Middle in Series alone but I haven´t
found a mod which has it along with Bridge + Neck, and Neck +
Middle. These 3 combos together in a single mod that can be
activated with a single push/pull pot and the 5-way selector
switch, not a super switch, would be great.

Thanks!

Cheers.

That's the issue, if you restrict your needs to certain components, you wouldn't be able to achieve everything you wanted.
You should think on the oposite way, that is, think first what do you want and, then how can you achieve it.

What I mean is that by using the standard 5-way switch and a single pull/push, options are limited.
There are tricky solutions but, once you choose three posible ways of arrange wires, available combos between pickups are restricted to those available choices.
That's why some times, a super-switch is the cure or, some times a 4PDT switch is or, sometimes both are needed.

First, requirements, last which components are needed.
If you first choose components, your requirements WILL CHANGE. Period.

 

[playguitar]

Re: Series Mods for Strat.

That's the issue, if you restrict your needs to certain components, you wouldn't be able to achieve everything you wanted.
You should think on the oposite way, that is, think first what do you want and, then how can you achieve it.

What I mean is that by using the standard 5-way switch and a single pull/push, options are limited.
There are tricky solutions but, once you choose three posible ways of arrange wires, available combos between pickups are restricted to those available choices.
That's why some times, a super-switch is the cure or, some times a 4PDT switch is or, sometimes both are needed.

First, requirements, last which components are needed.
If you first choose components, your requirements WILL CHANGE. Period.

The reason I want to use just a single push/pull pot for the Series mod, is that
I already have 2 more on this guitar; one for a neck-on mod, and another one
to coil-tap a tapped SSL-5 pickup, and I don´t want to drill the pickguard to
install any mini-toggles.

 

[hermetico]

Re: Series Mods for Strat.

The reason I want to use just a single push/pull pot for the Series mod, is that
I already have 2 more on this guitar; one for a neck-on mod, and another one
to coil-tap a tapped SSL-5 pickup, and I don´t want to drill the pickguard to
install any mini-toggles.

Hola, compañero...

Yup. I understand you but, understand me. If you choose components, your options are now limited. Period.

I think this one http://hermeticoguitar.blogspot.com.es/2012/11/classification-guitar-modded-fender.html is the closer to what your are requesting.
Notice that, in standard mode, the middle pickup is not being selected but Neck in parallel with Bridge (which is a nice Tele-middle sound).
In alternative mode, you have all pickups in series (not bad at all but, volume-wise unbalanced), all pickups in parallel (very round, accoustic and beautiful sound but, weak as a hell) and those three two-pickups in series combinations: Neck in series with Bridge, Neck in Series with Middle and Middle in series with Bridge.
But, as I said, those three later would sound to you so really close that you would prefer something different and more exciting, after short time.
Just my 2cts.

 

[playguitar]

Re: Series Mods for Strat.

Hola, compañero...

Yup. I understand you but, understand me. If you choose components, your options are now limited. Period.

I think this one http://hermeticoguitar.blogspot.com.es/2012/11/classification-guitar-modded-fender.html is the closer to what your are requesting.
Notice that, in standard mode, the middle pickup is not being selected but Neck in parallel with Bridge (which is a nice Tele-middle sound).
In alternative mode, you have all pickups in series (not bad at all but, volume-wise unbalanced), all pickups in parallel (very round, accoustic and beautiful sound but, weak as a hell) and those three two-pickups in series combinations: Neck in series with Bridge, Neck in Series with Middle and Middle in series with Bridge.
But, as I said, those three later would sound to you so really close that you would prefer something different and more exciting, after short time.
Just my 2cts.

Hi,

Thanks. I saw this mod but I don´t like removing the middle pickup when in
standard configuration, I use it once in a while. I decided to go for another
mod, as I said earlier, but haven´t had the time yet to do it; I will probably
next week. Maybe the Bridge + Neck (if without quack) will suffice for a
fatter tone to make this Strat more versatile, but it´s just that once you
get into this type of modifications you always want to try more options
to have more variations to choose from...

Cheers.