Stratocaster wiring with 2 volume

[ThomasP]

Hello everybody,

I have a question about how to wire a second volume pot just for the neck pickup, using a 5 way switch on a SSS strat style wired guitar.

My guitar is wired this way : Bridge and middle single coils pickups are classic wired to the 5-way switch, who's wired to a volume pot liberator and that's it to out. No tones pot.
I have a 1P2T switch that add the neck pickup to volume pot for the 7 sound strat mod.

So I have one hole left unused on the pickguard, I would like to try a second volume pot instead of a tone to blend the volume of neck + bridge when they are together on in parralel, I realised that I'm almost always on this pickup setting when I play so I would add some versatility to this neck + bridge position.

My question is : since there is a 1P2T switch that litteraly link the hot wire of the neck pickup to the principal volume pot "in", can I just wire it to the "in" of another volume pot, bypassing the 5 way switch and removing/adding the neck pickup using the 1P1T switch ?

Thank you

 

[Artie]

If I understand you correctly, change the switch to a SPDT, then do this:

 

[ThomasP]

If I understand you correctly, change the switch to a SPDT, then do this:

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Aha yes that's what I meant thank you !

But why a throw of the SPDT is going to the 5-way switch ? I can put the neck pickup off and on only using the SPDT switch to the new volume pot ?

 

[Artie]

I believe you're correct. If you select the bridge position on the 5-way, then it shouldn't hurt to have the neck connect to the 5-way and the switch simultaneously.

Which would make it this:

 

[Artie]

I can't edit above, but you can use any value pot. Since this is a blend pot, I believe the higher the better. 1 meg might even be better. Experiment if you can and see what works best for you.

 

[ThomasP]

What I don't understand is why connecting the SPDT to the 5-way switch ? To have the neck pickup normally on neck position of the 5 way ? If I dont connect it to the 5 way It would be a kill switch on neck position until I activate the neck with the SPDT ?

My neck pickup is the ssl-1 so why a high volume pot like 1meg? But my bridge pickup is the hot for strat so maybe switching the two and have the bridge on a higher pot since its already dark ? Does my second volume pot absolutely have to be a blender pot ? I have this squier super-sonic and the two humbucker have their own volume pot connected to the 3 way switch then to the out, and I can blend them on the middle position of the 3 way switch.

Can I wire a volume pot like this to achieve neck or bridge pickup blending? Or it have to be a blender pot?


Thank you

 

[Artie]

I think what's causing the confusion is just the way I drew the segment of the circuit. Ultimately, the "hot" wire of the neck pup will go to both the 5-way and the blend switch. The sequence doesn't matter since it's a short. In the attached diagram, the left and right are electrically identical. You'll probably wire it like the left side. My segment was like the right side. Both are the same.


​

 

[ThomasP]

Well, it was a succes ! Thank you ArtieToo !!

The SPDT middle throw is connected to the 5 way switch at the neck pickup, one throw to the "in" of the second volume pot and then the volume 2 pot "out" leg directly connected to the out of the guitar.

It's not the cleanest work but what is under the hood ...

 

[Artie]

Cool that it worked out. Even if that does look like the wiring for my heat-pump.

 

[ThomasP]

... When I tested if everything was allright like touching the pickups with the metal of my screwdriver and seeing if it worked, it did but now that I've changed the strings something is wrong ...
Now I have 2 master volume so, my guitar work perfectly "normal" but not what was intended.

What could have gone wrong ?
Why do I have two master volume since the second volume pot is only connected to the neck pickup and not on the switch ?
Sorry I can't draw the circuit I can only take pictures like the one I posted before.

 

[Artie]

If you're talking about when the 5-way has both pickups on, then the switch is connecting the two volume pots together. There's no good way around it, except trying what they call "independent" volume pot connection. It's where you reverse the in & out lugs of the volume pot on each volume pot. This has the down side of changing the "load" on the pup as you turn the volume down, but LP owners have been doing this for years.

If you need, I can do a drawing, but I'm just heading out to a Dr's appointment.

 

[ThomasP]

Yeah well I have this 3 way switch that was on my squier super-sonic and when the switch was in middle position I had the two humbuckers on and there was 2 volume, one for each pickup so I was able to blend them how I wanted.

But I realise I need to drill a 4th hole in my pickguard for this switch and I don't know how I would wire this.

-The middle and bridge pickup in the 5 way switch, then the 5 way switch to the "in" volume pot 1.
-The neck pup on the SPDT, wired to "in" volume pot 2.
Each volume pot "out" would be connected to leg 1 or 2 of the 3 way switch.
When the 3 way switch would be in middle position I could have the neck and bridge in parralel with separated volume pots, just like the super-sonic was wired.
The 3 way switch would be wired to the ultimate "out" and the 5 way only to the volume pot 1.
With the 3 way switch on position 1 or 3 (not in middle) I would have the normal wiring of a strat except that position 1 would be for neck pickup and position 3 the middle and bridge pickups.

Does that make any sense? I'm kind of a beginner in the guitar wiring world, I can follow a plan and perform a mod but I never understand how it is working so I can hardly imagine a mod and the way to do it.

 

[ThomasP]

I think I will forget it since it's so much trouble for such a little adjustment in the tone ... :knockedou:sigh:

 

[Artie]

Don't give up. It's why we're here.

Just walk away from the project for a day. Take a break. Then come back to it.