'Ultimate' mad professor wiring?

T

TeaAt5

New member
Hello!

I am thinking of getting SETHn and 59/Cb. [UPDATE: I have now settled on a Set set, 4-conductor.]

I would like to wire my LP studio in the most flexible way possible, to explore some new frontiers...

I never use the neck tone pot. I usually have both volumes and tones at 10. Happy to replace the selector switch, drill new holes.... whatever!!!

So far I love the idea of the spin-a-split. I am intrigued by the idea of a blend pot instead of a selector switch. I would prefer to install new switches rather than push-pull pots.

What are some of the exotic wirings people are using?
 
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Re: 'Ultimate' mad professor wiring?

I started with a lot of switching options on my early guitars. I then realised they didn't do anything for me as I had guitars that would do those things better, plus many of the options just sounded practically the same, so I just learned to use the controls.....which gave me a much better palette of tones without the clutter.
But if you want to go through the process of discovery yourself, the Jimmy Page wiring will give you a LOT of options. You can substitute series parallel for coil split if you want to go that option.
 
Re: 'Ultimate' mad professor wiring?

Well... I've started with 2 humbucker 2vol 2tone, then I've modded it into Jimmy Page wiring and after a month I came back, because most of these sounds were unusable. Then I've got Epiphone G400 with Custom 8 and 1vol + series/parallel switch. I've never sounded better, I've never was so focused on playing and I've never achived so many sounds from so little.

Now I'm using what's in my signature and it's just right.

These days I'm preparing for one superstrat build with 1hum & 1vol i floyd, and something like Les Paul Junior with P90.

BTW, maybe start using tone pot. Why? That's why:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZkGCvLstPrE
 
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Re: 'Ultimate' mad professor wiring?

Thanks for the input... perhaps I am getting a little carried away :) I do play a bit of sound-scapey stuff, so strange tones aren't necessarily a bad thing... Maybe I will stick with something simple.

Question: does 50s wiring mean I can blend both pickups without it cutting out when I roll one back to 0? ie, does 50s wiring effectively achieve a blend pot, but just using 2 volume pots?
 
Re: 'Ultimate' mad professor wiring?

The issue with the typical passive volume/tone is that there will always be a variable load on the pickup. With the modern wiring on your 96, as you turn the volume down the load increases, making the tone darker the further down you go.
50's wiring helps with this, as the volume no longer leads to such a dramatic tone darkening. But now the tone control has a volume effect when both of them are away from 10.
Both of these schemes still cut all volume in the middle as 1 pickup volume is lowered to near 0.

Independent wiring will allow the tonal blending in the middle to whatever amount you want, the down side (according to what I've read) is that you get more loaded (and darker) pickups even on 10. I've only ever tried it once and whilst I can't remember the precise tones, I know it didn't last long.
For most people, you want to add in at least a fair bit of 1 pickup to the mix in the middle. I think by the time the whole volume cuts out in the middle you are tonally pretty much already at the place where it sounds like only the 1 pickup contributing anyhow.
 
Re: 'Ultimate' mad professor wiring?

Good advice, thanks! I will stick with the modern wiring for now


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Re: 'Ultimate' mad professor wiring?

Would it be possible to replace the tone pots with spin-a-split pots, use one as master volume, and the final one to blend between pickups?


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Re: 'Ultimate' mad professor wiring?

Here's what I'd say:

2 × dedicated volumes
1 × Master TBX Tone Control with the high/low pass mod
1 × Master Spin-a-Split

You should also wire a phase switch in the control cavity, so that way you can see if you prefer an in phase or out of phase middle position, most people don't like to go back and forth all that much.
 
Re: 'Ultimate' mad professor wiring?

Interesting... Yet another option! Thanks for the tip.

How would a master SAS work? Both pups at the same time? Also would two volumes essentially replace the need for blend control?


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Re: 'Ultimate' mad professor wiring?

That tbx sounds perfect, so glad you mentioned it. I use an eq to roll off bass so this would be great to get rid of one pedal.


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Re: 'Ultimate' mad professor wiring?

I really enjoy helping players including myself experiment...every guitar, chain and style is different.

Although everyone has preferred mods, the only way you know for sure is to try them and its interesting to see how many less popular mods turn into the secret sauce...


+1Spin a split
Parallel instead of split retains humbuckimg.
Both provide thinner articulate tones.

Bass roll off is one of my favorites for thick guitars... Roll the bass off to reduce drive for rhythem, roll it up for leads.

Series + out of phase is a wonderful cut through the mud timbre on thick guitars.

HOOP is a nice kind of quacky tone for singles and series gives singles a lot more umph...

Pairing coils from different pickups for PRS like tones can be wonderful... Especially the tele neck+bridge tone, however, it requires a lot of work to find pups that do this well and still provide good regular tones and can be too much work unless u are foing the work yourself...

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Re: 'Ultimate' mad professor wiring?

AlexR said:
The issue with the typical passive volume/tone is that there will always be a variable load on the pickup. With the modern wiring on your 96, as you turn the volume down the load increases, making the tone darker the further down you go.
50's wiring helps with this, as the volume no longer leads to such a dramatic tone darkening. But now the tone control has a volume effect when both of them are away from 10.
Both of these schemes still cut all volume in the middle as 1 pickup volume is lowered to near 0.

Independent wiring will allow the tonal blending in the middle to whatever amount you want, the down side (according to what I've read) is that you get more loaded (and darker) pickups even on 10. I've only ever tried it once and whilst I can't remember the precise tones, I know it didn't last long.
For most people, you want to add in at least a fair bit of 1 pickup to the mix in the middle. I think by the time the whole volume cuts out in the middle you are tonally pretty much already at the place where it sounds like only the 1 pickup contributing anyhow.
Click to expand...

The extra load of individual volumes can easily be balanced out by doubling the pot value.

It does mess up the volume taper with audio pots. I fixed that by adding 120k resistor between input and output lugs.
 
Re: 'Ultimate' mad professor wiring?

zionstrat said:
I really enjoy helping players including myself experiment...every guitar, chain and style is different.

Although everyone has preferred mods, the only way you know for sure is to try them and its interesting to see how many less popular mods turn into the secret sauce...


+1Spin a split
Parallel instead of split retains humbuckimg.
Both provide thinner articulate tones.

Bass roll off is one of my favorites for thick guitars... Roll the bass off to reduce drive for rhythem, roll it up for leads.

Series + out of phase is a wonderful cut through the mud timbre on thick guitars.

HOOP is a nice kind of quacky tone for singles and series gives singles a lot more umph...

Pairing coils from different pickups for PRS like tones can be wonderful... Especially the tele neck+bridge tone, however, it requires a lot of work to find pups that do this well and still provide good regular tones and can be too much work unless u are foing the work yourself...

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G920A using Tapatalk
Click to expand...

Thanks for the input! I have learned a lot in just two days on this forum and have really narrowed my options down.

Are you saying that parallel instead of split is INSTEAD of spin-a-split? I am interested in getting some tonal variety but don't want to go overboard.

I definitely agree with Christopher's recommendation of a master tbx pot, that would be perfect. Also agree that a phase switch in the cavity is a good idea.

As I understand, two volume pots in standard modern wiring will mix the pups in middle position without needing a blend knob.

So I guess the last question is about coil tapping. I'm not expecting a true strat sound, especially since I'm aiming at a seth lover set, but just something a bit different to the normal LP tone. Instead of a master SaS, is it as simple as just switching both pups to parallel rather than series? Could this be done with a 6 way switch, freeing a pot for a second tone control?

So many questions but I think I am getting close to a scheme that is flexible but not full of options I won't use.


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Re: 'Ultimate' mad professor wiring?

Rerun but shows clearly what AlaxR is talking about and how correct he is:

 
Re: 'Ultimate' mad professor wiring?

TeaAt5 said:
Thanks for the input! I have learned a lot in just two days on this forum and have really narrowed my options down.

Are you saying that parallel instead of split is INSTEAD of spin-a-split? I am interested in getting some tonal variety but don't want to go overboard.


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Click to expand...

Great question- Spinasplit and parallel are great paths to getting thinner, more articulate tones, but I wouldn't try to do both on the same pup-

Pros and cons
  • Parallel is fully hum-bucking, spinasplit loses noise reduction as you spin it
  • Spin a split is rather 'surgical' - you tend to dial in a rather unique special sound and leave it there- often make it switchable to go from full tone to the pre-dialed spin setting.
  • Parallel is more like a cutting a coil, but has a bit more complexity

I've probably done more parallel on big humbuckers and more spinasplits on strat sized dual blades (For example, Cool rails have incredible variety if you spinasplit it down- from a modern mid monster to a somewhat classic strat single tone).

Custom and Pearly Gates are particularly nice when you parallel- they go from thick to articulate very easily.
 
Re: 'Ultimate' mad professor wiring?

I think it isn't that many of the tones are weird...I dig weird, and I do a lot of soundscapey stuff, too. It is really that a lot of the ones are similar. I think it is worth it to go through the process of trying out tons of wiring options, but after that, I'd select a handful of tones and hard-wire them in so you can get any of them instantly with 1 move.
 
Re: 'Ultimate' mad professor wiring?

zionstrat said:
I've probably done more parallel on big humbuckers and more spinasplits on strat sized dual blades
Click to expand...

I started out wanting lots of options, but now I just want a few switchable sounds. I think just being able to switch to parallel mode sounds good. I would also put a little switch in the cavity to control phase, but not worry about switching it on the fly.

Mincer said:
I think it isn't that many of the tones are weird...It is really that a lot of the ones are similar. I think it is worth it to go through the process of trying out tons of wiring options, but after that, I'd select a handful of tones and hard-wire them in so you can get any of them instantly with 1 move.
Click to expand...

I am starting to come around to that wisdom. Since this is probably the last time I will buy pickups / rewire my axe, I wanted to get all the doodads, but now I think less options = more contentment. After all, the sounds are in the fingers, n'est pas? :)

Especially since I am going with Seths.... just being able to flick them into parallel will probably be fine. Could I achieve that with a 6-way switch, and have one TBX tone pot for each pickup?

Thanks again for all this input, gents. It is very enriching!
 
Re: 'Ultimate' mad professor wiring?

I don't see anything wrong with your first idea of post #7 or Chris's post. I don't know why people see the need to kibosh your creative wiring scheme when you say you don't use the tones.
 
'Ultimate' mad professor wiring?

I guess I have asked for lots of options, and I'm getting some good ideas and narrowing it down. I wasn't even aware of options like the tbx tone pot, which really appeals to me. Also, I am open to getting more use out of the tone pots as per that video.

At this stage my idea is to keep everything stock, but replace the tone pots with tbx pots, and somewhere add some switches (maybe push/pull volume pots) to independently pop each pickup into parallel. That should give me plenty of scope without being over the top.


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Re: 'Ultimate' mad professor wiring?

I'd use the triple shot but it costs almost as much as a pickup!!!


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