Swapping a SSL-6 for a STK-S6? Wiring question.

Synapsys

Synapsys

New member
Hi everyone,

Got myself a Charvel Pro-Mod DK22 SSS 2PT CM last Christmas.

It cones stock with a Hot Rails bridge / Custom Flat middle / Custom Flat neck.

Really like the tones, but due to the switching, the only position that hums is the neck single, so I am considering swapping it for a Custom Stack.

Would like to keep the other 4 positions hum-free as they come wired stock, but gaining a noiseless neck, since I hate hum.

Can it be done? See the stock switching in the photo, to clear things out.
 

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I'm not sure the pickup route is deep enough to fit a Duncan stack pickup. If you decide to 'make it fit', consider one of the other stack plus for the neck position, maybe the stk-s7.
 
I already own the STK-S7 in another axe; I like the Custom Strat neck, just want it noiseless, and keep the switching positions.
 
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Looks like the middle is never on by itself. This is similar to the HSS wiring I've used with the middle position being the outside 2 pickups (in my case, it is a split humbucker and a rw/rp split STK-S4 for hum cancelling).
 
Thanks for your input, Mincer.

Would I need a RWRP Custom Stack? Are those even available outside the SD Custom Shop?
 
If your current pickups are hum cancelling in position 4 (neck + middle), it seems that one of them must be RW/RP already. It would be better to confirm which one you will keep in the middle before choosing the new pickup. If one of the SSL6 pickups is RW/RP and you can swap them around, then it wouldn't really matter which polarity the custom stack is, as both possibilities would be covered.
 
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Just checked the spec sheet, and the stock neck pickup is indeed RWRP.

I could just swap it with the current middle position SSL-6, and then get the STK-S6 for the neck. But would that (putting the RWRP in the middle) cause any issues when using it with the split Hot Rails in positions 2 and 3 on the switching I posted previously?
 
Synapsys said:
Just checked the spec sheet, and the stock neck pickup is indeed RWRP.

I could just swap it with the current middle position SSL-6, and then get the STK-S6 for the neck. But would that (putting the RWRP in the middle) cause any issues when using it with the split Hot Rails in positions 2 and 3 on the switching I posted previously?
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Now I checked the image in post #1. You are right. You need the regular SSL-6 in the middle because the hot rails is coil-split in position 2 (Bridge + Middle).

Back to the issue of the routing depth. I found the thread where this came up previously when putting classic stacks in a charvel DK-22.
https://forum.seymourduncan.com/for...t-pickups-advice-needed?p=6084055#post6084055
 
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Can you check the polarities of the two non humbucker pickups you already have and post them up? If you can tell us which one is a "north up" and which a "south up" we may be able to figure out how to use the RWRP neck in the middle and a regular polarity stack in the neck.

Plan B might be to get an El Cheapo no name single coil pickup from eBay and pull the magnets out, use it as a dummy coil under the pickguard somewhere.
 
Thanks for your input, guys.

BTW, routing deeper cavities will not be an issue, if needed.

Just had an idea: what if I don't split the STK-S6? Would I still have noiseless tones in position 3 and 4?
 
If you arrange the polarities correctly and coil split to leave the right humbucker coil active, you can have hum canceling in all positions except where you have either a regular single coil on its own or two coils of the same polarity.
 
Thanks, Mincer.

Really like the tones the DK22 gives me, and the neck SSL-6 handles gain very well, but is very noisy, using the noise gate setting used fot the other positions.

I just don't get why Charvel didn't think of it whan this model (and the other HSS models in ther product line) was designed. I really don't think Charvels are used by many players looking for cleans...
 
Synapsys said:
Thanks, Mincer.

Really like the tones the DK22 gives me, and the neck SSL-6 handles gain very well, but is very noisy, using the noise gate setting used fot the other positions.

I just don't get why Charvel didn't think of it whan this model (and the other HSS models in ther product line) was designed. I really don't think Charvels are used by many players looking for cleans...
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Or mostly that Charvels were bought for their bridge pickup sound, and most Charvel players never move the switch from that position.
 
Mincer said:
Or mostly that Charvels were bought for their bridge pickup sound, and most Charvel players never move the switch from that position.
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Exactly! That constitutes a form of discrimination to those who use ALL pickup position on a guitar! ( Jk/ ON).
 
The stock SSL-6 in the neck position is an RWRP model and the on in the middle is the regular model, correct? If this is the case then you just need a regular STK-S6. This is because for some reason SD makes the regular STK-S# pickups as RWRP relative to regular single coils from SD like SSL-2 or SSL-6. Being that said, you need to split the STK-S6 when combined with the regular SSL-6 in the middle for to do the hum cancelling. And yes the STK-S6 is deeper compared with a regular SSL-6. And yes, I have used both pickups in the past.
 
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IMENATOR said:
The stock SSL-6 in the neck position is an RWRP model and the on in the middle is the regular model, correct? If this is the case then you just need a regular STK-S6. This is because for some reason SD makes the regular STK-S# pickups as RWRP relative to regular single coils from SD like SSL-2 or SSL-6. Being that said, you need to split the STK-S6 when combined with the regular SSL-6 in the middle for to do the hum cancelling. And yes the STK-S6 is deeper compared with a regular SSL-6. And yes, I have used both pickups in the past.
Click to expand...

So, as it turns out, there's none of the issues I was afraid of.

Thank you so much for your input, Imenator, those are fantastic news!
 
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