Strat Wiring Query

[Skarekrough]

So a few months ago I installed a Cool Rails into the bridge of my 73' Strat.

It gave the desired effect but I've grown to really dislike how bright it is.

The pickup wasn't installed so that any of the Tone knobs would effect it. And I'm thinking that's probably what I need to do.

Can one tone pot be used to control two pickups? Can I just use the terminal off of the 5-way selector switch for the bridge pickup and solder a lead to the tone pot terminal where one of the other pickup tone leads connect to?

Thanks...

 

[Artie]

Re: Strat Wiring Query

I just put a CRb in the bridge of my Strat-a-clone a few weeks ago, and I love it. But, I wired it up with a master volume and tone. Its one of the few guitars that I'll play in a bridge-only mode.

You can definitely wire the tone control to one side of the 5-way, but keep in mind, that depending on how you do it, you may end up with both tone controls active at once. For example, you could connect one tone control to the 1st lug, and the other tone control to both the 2nd and 3rd lugs. That would give you tone controls for all pickups, but both would be active in the #2 notch position. (neck and middle)

Or, you could connect one to the 1st lug, and one to the 3rd lug, and they'ld stay independent, but you wouldn't have a tone control when the middle pup was used by itself.

There's lots of options, but I prefer the single tone control, myself. Besides, it leaves a nice hole for a parallel/splitting switch.

Artie

 

[Fresh_Start]

Re: Strat Wiring Query

There are a couple of ways to get a tone control on the bridge pickup, but Artie's already laid out the drawbacks to the basic ones.

Would you be interested in a master tone control (treble cut) and a master bass cut? That's how some G&L's are wired, and I really like it for my H/S/S frankenstrat (C5/SSL-2/APS-2). Sometimes it's useful to crank up the bass on your amp or equalizer, then dial it down on the guitar until you want a BIG sound.

Just a thought...

Chip