STK-S2 Hot Stack...bassy sound when split

orangecountycarl

orangecountycarl

New member
Hi All,

I redid my S-S-H Kramer Pacer and used this diagram:

1 Humbucker - 2 Single Coil - 1 Vol - 1 Tone - 5 Way Switch

I previously had a Hot Rails in the Neck, Hot Stack in the middle and Custom for the bridge.

Now, I left the Hot Stack in the middle, installed ANOTHER Hot Stack in the neck and put a Dimarzio Mo Joe in the bridge.

I followed the diagram, but I'm not sure of the values of the cap and the pots. I know that previously the Hot Rails was VERY bassy which is why I'm getting rid of it for another Hot Stack. The Hot Stack in the middle sounded fine BEFORE as did the Custom in the bridge.

Here's the problem.

I have both Hot Stacks wired to two split coil switches (one for each Hot Stack) per the diagram. Before, the middle Hot Stack was fine....one switch position is full humbucking and fuller; the other position is half the volume and a little brighter.

NOW (and this pertains to both Hot Stacks), the full humbucking mode is louder but it's brighter than the other switch position which is now half the volume but also very bassy.

I don't understand why the split coil sound is very bassy....if anything, it should be brighter as before. I put on brand new GHS Sub Zero Boomers so if it sounds bassy with new strings, something's not right. :dunno:

The pots may be 500s...probably are, but I didn't have this problem before with the middle Hot Stack.

Any help will be appreciated. Thanks! :beerchug:

BTW....the jury is still out on the Mo Joe.....so far, it's not blowing me away compared to the Custom SH-5.
 
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Re: STK-S2 Hot Stack...bassy sound when split

One thing....isn't a ground a ground no matter where? :?:

Because everything needs to be grounded, I believe I may have grounded the two Hot Stacks using the tone pot (Green and bare wires to the tone pot).

Would that have anything to do with it?
 
Re: STK-S2 Hot Stack...bassy sound when split

Not strictly related , but once you get the wiring straightened out, let me know how you like them.
Ive got a set oif STK-s4 Clasic Stacks in my Mahogany Strat and they are really great. Cant say as I miss much if anything in these pickups on this guitar as compared to the Duncan Single coils.
Judgeing from their used price on E-Auction, I dont think they've quite caught on yet ( hint hint)..but as far as Im concerned there is little or no differnece compared to a vintage style SC like the SSL-1. Great pickup. I love it.
Dead silent.
 
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Re: STK-S2 Hot Stack...bassy sound when split

jerryjg said:
Not strictly related , but once you get the wiring straightened out, let me know how you like them.
Ive got a set oif STK-s4 Clasic Stacks in my Mahogany Strat and they are really great. Cant say as I miss much if anything in these pickups on this guitar as compared to the Duncan Single coils.
Click to expand...


Those sound like they'd be great.....can't tell because there are no sound samples on this website! :2:

Overall I like the Hot Stacks..they're a bit punchier than my California 50s (SSL-1 calibrated set) which would have been awful in the Kramer. The Kramer has a Floyd Rose which really makes your overall tone VERY BRIGHT. The Hot Stacks take a little bit of the ice pick highs away, but it's still pretty bright. The Kramer is my 80s, Satch style guitar. (Back when Kramers were made in the USA...it'a as heavy as a Les Paul...seriously!)

I only got the Mo Joe because I've been on a Satch kick lately and needed a wider pickup due to the Floyd spacing. The low E string was beyond the pole piece and hanging off the pickup. Just to try a different pickup and I don't have any Dimarzios.

Well, F Spacing is STILL not wide enough for the Floyd.! :poed:
A little better, but doesn't match exactly. Hopefully when the newness of the strings wears off, the tone will start to settle on the Mo Joe.
I dislike brand new electric guitar strings (too bright).....on an acoustic I love them.

I just need to figure out the Hot Stack bassy sound thing. I KNOW I soldered red and white together to the middle post of the switch and the lower post to ground. I've installed all my pickups before with no problem so this is frustrating. I've got the Dimarzio to split with no problem.
 
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Re: STK-S2 Hot Stack...bassy sound when split

Is it possibly a polarity issue. I think one of those out of the set is reverse wound reverse polarity, but thats pure speculation..IM not into wiring.
 
Re: STK-S2 Hot Stack...bassy sound when split

so how are the two stacks wired? the diagram only shows single coils in the neck and middle.

where do the five wires go?
 
Re: STK-S2 Hot Stack...bassy sound when split

You could be activating the bottom coil, which is way down there away from the strings. If you had to reverse phase on the stacks to get them to work with the other pickup, then the split would activate the other coil.
 
Re: STK-S2 Hot Stack...bassy sound when split

jeremy said:
so how are the two stacks wired? the diagram only shows single coils in the neck and middle.

where do the five wires go?
Click to expand...

I used this diagram (with the "coil splitting" picture) for the neck and middle Hot Stacks:

http://www.seymourduncan.com/images/products/electric/stratocaster/501015-105.pdf

White and Red wires to center post on switch.
Bottom post on switch to ground on pot.
Green and Bare wires to ground on pot.

Each Hot Stack is wired this way to its own switch.
All pickups sound in phase in relation to each other.
 
Re: STK-S2 Hot Stack...bassy sound when split

frankfalbo said:
You could be activating the bottom coil, which is way down there away from the strings. If you had to reverse phase on the stacks to get them to work with the other pickup, then the split would activate the other coil.
Click to expand...

My previous message shows the diagram and wiring I used....just like Seymour's instructions.

Currently, ALL pickups sound in phase to each other. The Dimarzio is working fine and I used their wiring diagram....in the second column at top where it shows for "Single Coil Switching":

Dimarzio Wiring Diagram

Having only the Hot Stack bottom coils activated sounds very logical....I can see how it would be bassy using that coil. How would I wire it so I could activate the correct, upper coil for each Hot Stack?


Does it matter on which side of the switch post I use? It seems that using a middle post and outer post is all that matters, but that may not be the case.

(BTW, one Hot Stack is from the late 80s and the other is from the mid 90s....both covers do not have the SD logo in white, but I don't think the wiring should be any different.)
 
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Re: STK-S2 Hot Stack...bassy sound when split

to change which coil is active you would flip the black and green wires.

so just to clarify, the "series" coils linked is working fine but the split is overly bassy right?

do you have a multi meter? if so put a short cable into the jack of the guitar with all the controls at 10. with just the neck pup selected, what dc resistance do you get with the meter leads on the tip and sleeve of the cable in series mode and in split mode?
with just the neck pup selected in series and split?
on the bridge pup by itself?
 
Re: STK-S2 Hot Stack...bassy sound when split

If you can, get some pictures. Some one may be able to see whats going on easier than just guessing.
 
Re: STK-S2 Hot Stack...bassy sound when split

jeremy said:
to change which coil is active you would flip the black and green wires.

so just to clarify, the "series" coils linked is working fine but the split is overly bassy right?
Click to expand...

Yes, exactly! :1:

jeremy said:
do you have a multi meter? if so put a short cable into the jack of the guitar with all the controls at 10. with just the neck pup selected, what dc resistance do you get with the meter leads on the tip and sleeve of the cable in series mode and in split mode?
with just the neck pup selected in series and split?
on the bridge pup by itself?
Click to expand...

I have one deeply packed away in some box at storage. :34:

Thanks, Jeremy for the green/black wire flip. I just wanted to make sure what to do before taking strings and pickguards off once again.

Carl :yourock:
 
Re: STK-S2 Hot Stack...bassy sound when split

kjrocks said:
If you can, get some pictures. Some one may be able to see whats going on easier than just guessing.
Click to expand...

Not only is my multimeter packed away....somewhere, the recharger cord for both my video camera and digital still camera is also, once again....somewhere. Moved from SoCal a few months ago. :banghead:

Jeremy wrote which wires to switch, so I hope that will do the trick.

Thanks for replying back, though, kjrocks. :bigok:
 
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