SHS strat: recommend me a wiring

[metale]

Hi.

I'm going to mod an old MIJ strat copy into an SHS setup (I never use the bridge single coil by itself, and already have another strat for the quacks, so may as well put something there that I use) but would like to install something other than the standard 5 way switch/setup.

The pickups are:

• Neck fender big dipper
• Middle seymour duncan pearly gates for strat (neck model)
• Bridge custom made single coil (think scatterwound SSL-1 with a baseplate)

I'm thinking about installing a 3 way switch tele-style (N, N+B, B). The 3rd knob blends between that and the middle pearly gates (0-100% / 100-0%), with the first two being master volume and master tone.

How does this sound to you, and would you wire it differently?

Cheers

 

[6p5p]

Re: SHS strat: recommend me a wiring

Check Seymour Duncan homepage, they have many wiring schematics there

Sent from my A0001 using Tapatalk

 

[Chistopher]

Re: SHS strat: recommend me a wiring

Do you really want a middle humbucker? If you've tried it and liked it, go right ahead, but I would really consider rethinking the SHS layout if I were you.

 

[metale]

Re: SHS strat: recommend me a wiring

Never tried it, that is part of the reason I want to. Any reason I shouldn't? Bad balance with other pickups?

 

[Despair]

Re: SHS strat: recommend me a wiring

Middle humbucker isn't generally a go-to tone [Vivian Campbell is about the only one I've seen choose that], excepting single-sized... Which is exactly what you are talking about.

As far as switching, I'd probably just get one of the new 6-way switches. Gives you all the standard strat options, plus the tele bridge+neck option. I'd find having to flip a switch and turn a knob aggravating to reach different sounds.

Given you mention never using the bridge single coil by itself, could even just remove that option, and replace it with bridge+neck using the right kind of 5-way switch. Again, not my first choice. For that kind of arrangement I'd probably just do three way toggles for each pickup [out-of-phase, off, in-phase], sort of a condensed Brian May config. Tom Anderson guitars used to do that.

I have a strong opinion that people should have paid more attention to how Hendrix got his sound, and reversed the bridge slant on the bridge pickup. More bite on low strings, smoother on high strings is exactly what I want compared to the standard Stratocaster bridge pickup... But then I always prefer function over form rather than myopic worship of vintage designs. Doesn't make the other choice invalid, but the #1 complaint on strats is usually unusable bridge pickup. Very few use the bridge pickup for rhythm in a big band like Leo intended [nevermind the tiny amps back then, either]...

[Not sure I'd recommend that to tele users, but if you feel the same way about tele bridge pickups, which is what a plate under a single is generally aiming at...]

Paul Gilbert got it right in his single coil equipped guitars' pickup slant. Jake E. Lee often uses a reverse slant on his middle & neck pickups, too. Most guitarists are conservative about the least consequential things in a guitars' looks. Wrong polepiece appearance, can't use that pickup, etc.

 

[Chistopher]

Re: SHS strat: recommend me a wiring

I have a strong opinion that people should have paid more attention to how Hendrix got his sound, and reversed the bridge slant on the bridge pickup. More bite on low strings, smoother on high strings is exactly what I want compared to the standard Stratocaster bridge pickup...

I'm not trying to spark up a debate here, but Jimi's tone wasn't from his reverse angled bridge pickup. Most of his tone came from his reverse staggered pole pieces and his wall of Marshalls. The only time he really ever used the bridge pickup alone was when he played with heavy fuzz, which aren't really the definition of transparent.

If I were to change the angle of the pickup at all, I'd do what Billy Gibbons did on his one Esquire and make it parallel with the bridge. Or since you are clearly fine with odd pickup combinations, throw a Tele bridge in there. Or if you want the custom single coil in there, just make it either in parallel with the humbucker or in series with the humbucker split.

Good luck to you, hope it ends up nice.

 

[Mincer]

Re: SHS strat: recommend me a wiring

Never tried it, that is part of the reason I want to. Any reason I shouldn't? Bad balance with other pickups?

My first thought is yes, bad balance with other pickups. You could go with high output singles, or Rails, though...but then the higher the output, the further away from single coil tone they will get. If you do this, go for a vintage output humbucker, like a Jazz, 59 or APH-1. For the singles, looks at the SSL-5, the Quarter Pounds, or the Cool Rails.

 

[metale]

Re: SHS strat: recommend me a wiring

Middle humbucker isn't generally a go-to tone [Vivian Campbell is about the only one I've seen choose that], excepting single-sized... Which is exactly what you are talking about.

As far as switching, I'd probably just get one of the new 6-way switches. Gives you all the standard strat options, plus the tele bridge+neck option. I'd find having to flip a switch and turn a knob aggravating to reach different sounds.

Given you mention never using the bridge single coil by itself, could even just remove that option, and replace it with bridge+neck using the right kind of 5-way switch. Again, not my first choice. For that kind of arrangement I'd probably just do three way toggles for each pickup [out-of-phase, off, in-phase], sort of a condensed Brian May config. Tom Anderson guitars used to do that.

I have a strong opinion that people should have paid more attention to how Hendrix got his sound, and reversed the bridge slant on the bridge pickup. More bite on low strings, smoother on high strings is exactly what I want compared to the standard Stratocaster bridge pickup... But then I always prefer function over form rather than myopic worship of vintage designs. Doesn't make the other choice invalid, but the #1 complaint on strats is usually unusable bridge pickup. Very few use the bridge pickup for rhythm in a big band like Leo intended [nevermind the tiny amps back then, either]...

[Not sure I'd recommend that to tele users, but if you feel the same way about tele bridge pickups, which is what a plate under a single is generally aiming at...]

Paul Gilbert got it right in his single coil equipped guitars' pickup slant. Jake E. Lee often uses a reverse slant on his middle & neck pickups, too. Most guitarists are conservative about the least consequential things in a guitars' looks. Wrong polepiece appearance, can't use that pickup, etc.

True about the inverted slant on the bridge pickup: I had a lefty strat stringed righty for that Hendrid vibe, and the bridge pickup was a whole diferent animal. Not perfect though IMO... which leads me to belive I would prefer it no-slant (bass side 1cm from where it is normally).

I had a modded Brian May wiring on a strat (stock looks, switch, etc) but grew tired of the tones since the pickups were very bad. Ended up dismantling before upgrading pickups.

The superswitch ideia is a good one. I'm still going to try the Pearly Gates in the middle since I already have it. Will report back.

 

[metale]

Re: SHS strat: recommend me a wiring

My first thought is yes, bad balance with other pickups. You could go with high output singles, or Rails, though...but then the higher the output, the further away from single coil tone they will get. If you do this, go for a vintage output humbucker, like a Jazz, 59 or APH-1. For the singles, looks at the SSL-5, the Quarter Pounds, or the Cool Rails.

Is a Pearly Gates that much stronger than the ones you mentioned? It's an 9,8k (awg43?) Alnico II. Not exactly a JB.

 

[Chistopher]

Re: SHS strat: recommend me a wiring

The PG does have an odd thing about having a higher perceived volume than you would think, at least in my experience. But the mini PG could work, I haven't ever touched one in a guitar.

 

[metale]

Re: SHS strat: recommend me a wiring

It's supposed to be tamer than the Little '59, but we'll see. I'll probably pop it in with the standard 5 way just to try it, to get a feel. The bridge pickup won't be here for 3 weeks or so, so no rush.

The bridge pickup, in fact, is coming as a set. So there are lots of options/combinations possible for this particular guitar, between the OEM set, the Oil City set, the strat-sized PG and the big dipper.

 

[metale]

Re: SHS strat: recommend me a wiring

Just installed the Pearly Gates with the stock 5 way (no fancy wiring) to try it.





Sounds very good! Classic neck and bridge tones, and then the angrier middle position, with a bit more hair and harmonics. Very nice.

Still haven't installed the Big Dipper (and still have to think if I will).