Hello all, I'm back here after quite to tell about the final result of my Strat modifications/upgrade.
Also I want to tank kingswebe, GuitarDoc, Benjy_26 and all other users who were so much kind to help me out with understanding and clearing many questions and doubts.
I took some time to find the final configuration after some "trials and errors", in fact I tried some different configurations with split coils, at first it didn't work properly, then with some modifications it worked but I really didn't like much the final sound. So in the end I went on realizing my first idea that was to connect all the pickups as they were common single coils to the 5 way switch, so with no splitting of humbuckers (or stacked single coils).
Now I am really very happy of my guitar, to me the sound is amazing, at least so much better than before. Also I didn't want to replicate an exact Strat tone, I wanted more a unique sounding guitar. In the end I am very satisfied and I will keep like that for long time.
If you don't mind I would like to post some pictures and details of the realization, also hoping to be of help for others maybe.
About the aesthetics, I wanted to give a "custom shop / pawn shop" kind of look, and also about that I liked it a lot in the end.
First the whole picture:
View attachment 100526
About the components I kept all the original parts, except:
- Pickguard (I got it from an online store and came with the "Allparts" stick in the rear).
- n.2 Di Marzio Area 58 Pickups (cream color).
- n.1 resistor + n.1 capacitor (I took at a local store for cents) for "Treble bleed" circuit, which I put together ready for soldering to the volume pot, as in the picture below:
View attachment 100527
I also added a more robust shielding on the pickguards and in the guitar cavities using a copper tape as shown below:
View attachment 100528
In the picture below there are all the components mounted in the pickguard. Actually it is not the final circuit, it is the split coil version which I didn't like much and that I changed (also there is no treble bleed mod).
The only modification that I had to do is to drill larger holes for the Di Marzio pickups screws which were too large.
Unfortunately I did not remember to take a picture with the final version of the wiring...
View attachment 100529
This is the final wiring diagram, please note that the bridge Fender Humbucker is polarity inverted because it was out of phase with the middle pickup.
(Sorry for the low resolution of the diagram. Actually I made it larger but the forum functions resize it while uploading. I also tried to add a PDF but it says that I added too much attachments for this post. If anyone wants the PDF please let me know I'll make another post with just it).
View attachment 100530
Last, I recorded some sound samples. It is not a professional thing (also I am not a pro guitarist), they are just quick audio recording took from the Fender Mustang amp USB connector directly to the computer, using built-in features. But you can hear the guitar sound, if you want to.
In the audio files you will hear the same notes repeated many times, each time changing switch position from position 5 (neck) to 1 (bridge).
View attachment 100531
View attachment 100532
View attachment 100533
View attachment 100534
View attachment 100535
Again, thanks to all for the great help.
