Usable tone in the #2 Position in Strat??

loudriver23

loudriver23

New member
I have a strat with a JB Jr in the bridge, and 2 Fender Custom Texas Hots for the Neck and Mid.
I am diggin the neck and neck/mid positions, and even the JB Jr is growing on me in the bridge position. But that Bridge/Mid postion........
It just sounds weird to me.
Would it sound better if I split the JB Jr?
Does anyone have any suggestions on helping this #2 position out?

When I say better, I mean more Strat like. Or is that notch position just something I have to sacrifice for a hotter bridge pup?
Thanks in advance
 
Re: Usable tone in the #2 Position in Strat??

I had a Dimarzio Fast Track 2 (similer to a jb jr) and when it was split the 2nd position had a pretty good quack to it.But I think full size humbuckers sound better split.I tried a super distortion in there and it was really cool sounding split.
 
Re: Usable tone in the #2 Position in Strat??

Agree. I have the quite dark Dimarzio Breed in the bridge of my Strat, but split, and with the help of a TBX-pot to make it brighter, it really shines in position 2.
 
Re: Usable tone in the #2 Position in Strat??

Splitting it will make it better. Of course, you could also go with the Texas Hot Custom in the bride and get a hot bridge sound and great quack in the middle position.
 
Re: Usable tone in the #2 Position in Strat??

I can see that splitting the JBJr will give me a more Strat like sound in the Br/Mid Position.
What would that do for the middle postition? This is another postion I have very little luck with.
 
Re: Usable tone in the #2 Position in Strat??

Maybe you have the JBjr out of phase with the fenders.I know when I hooked one up with fender sc's I had that problem at first too.I think the green and bare go to the switch and the black to ground.Just an idea....
 
Re: Usable tone in the #2 Position in Strat??

Bare is always ground. The green and black you can switch around.

As far as affecting the mid pickup's tone; it won"t.

What exactly are you missing from the mid position?
 
Re: Usable tone in the #2 Position in Strat??

Maybe I'm not missing anything.
I 've only used Neck and Neck/Mid.... Bridge for leads.
I've never found anything usable in the #3 Postion.
What pickups are supposed to be on then? All 3, just middle?
 
Re: Usable tone in the #2 Position in Strat??

Benjy_26 said:
Bare is always ground. The green and black you can switch around.

As far as affecting the mid pickup's tone; it won"t.

What exactly are you missing from the mid position?
Click to expand...

Good catch on the bare wire Benjy, my bad. I thought he was talking about one of the notched positions,#2. I assumed he meant bridge /mid because he stated he liked the neck/mid already.
 
Re: Usable tone in the #2 Position in Strat??

I have the same set up. JB junior that I can split by using a tone control to 'spin a split', and a Texas special in the mid and neck.

I also have the same problem, #2 and #4 are not usable sounds but #1, #3 and #5 all sound great.

Worst of all is #2 (both texas specials). The sound is thin, weak and metallic. #4 is slightly fuller but is thin, characterless and has no quack at all (even with the JB split). Someone suggested that I may have something out of phase, but I'm sure that my wiring is OK. All pickups by themselves yield fantastic sounds (although the mid Texas special is a little dissapointing) but when mixed, NOT good.
 
Re: Usable tone in the #2 Position in Strat??

loudriver23 said:
Maybe I'm not missing anything.
I 've only used Neck and Neck/Mid.... Bridge for leads.
I've never found anything usable in the #3 Postion.
What pickups are supposed to be on then? All 3, just middle?
Click to expand...

Just the middle in position 3. I've got a fat strat with a usable middle (pos 3) pickup. A lot of people go by the conventional wisdom that, with a humbucker in the bridge, you should go with a PAF humbucker in the neck and your strat sound should be in the middle position. I put in a DiMarzio "Chopper" mini humbucker in the middle position which gives me the strat quack in pos 3 and also mixes well in pos 2 with my high output bridge humbucker. It matches well because it is higher output than a conventional single coil. I've got JB jr in the neck. Unless you do further pickup mods, you will be kinda stuck with the way you are using your pickup selections now.
 
Re: Usable tone in the #2 Position in Strat??

kjrocks said:
Good catch on the bare wire Benjy, my bad. I thought he was talking about one of the notched positions,#2. I assumed he meant bridge /mid because he stated he liked the neck/mid already.
Click to expand...

Exactly,
I love the Neck/Mid position.
My bridge/Mid and #3 Postions I can't seem to get anything usable from there.

I think this is where my GAS comes from. Sometimes I think a Strat should be a strat, and I should get another Guitar to do the Humbucker Stuff. I'm starting to thing that the Everything guitar is as elusive as Sasquatch. (BTW Any chance I get to use the word Sasquatch I'm ALL OVER IT)
I'm sure there are many forumites that can get what they want from a fat strat, or a Mini HB. I'm rapidly thinking I may not be one of them
I'm seriously leaning towards popping either a Twangbanger or an SSL-3 in there, and buy some kind of 2 HB guitar for the heavier stuff.

There's still the possibility/probability that i'm overlooking something too.
I think the biggest problem is...... I don't do my own wiring. I take it to a reputable Tech. He does great work, so I'm really thinking my disliking my tone, is in my head and not a Problem per say with my Strat, with the splitting issue possibly.
I have tried to wire both this Strat and my Tele..... both with equally horrible results.... No damage thank goodness..... but I'm realizing I need much more practice, and I can't have my main axes out of commission to mess them up like that.
Maybe I should get another strat so I can feel comfy tearing my existing one up????
Hmmmmmm "LORD I AM SO TIRED...... HOW LONG CAN THIS GO ON?????"
I just need to sell my truck and by at least 10 new guitars...

Thanks for putting up with my rant!!!!
You guys/gals truly ROCK!!!!
 
Re: Usable tone in the #2 Position in Strat??

There is no Everything Guitar but any guitar can be made much more versatile than most players think, especially for live playing where the tone never has to be THAT exact.

Are the Texas Custom Hots in the neck and middle are the bridge models? If so, I would recommend Spin-A-Split over a regular switch-split because the JB Jr. would be 8k while the other two would be almost 10k each. Even if the Texas Hots are just the +/-6.5k variety, I would prefer Spin-A-Split because it's just that much more versatile -- though the regular switch would probably give you that quack you're looking for.

As for the middle position, I got a Superswitch from Stew Mac and wired it so position #3 would be neck and bridge. (I have no use for the middle-only sound.)
 
Re: Usable tone in the #2 Position in Strat??

Zhangliqun said:
Are the Texas Custom Hots in the neck and middle are the bridge models? (I have no use for the middle-only sound.)
Click to expand...

Nope this was a set from Fender.. I think it read Fender Custom Texas Hots.
I'm not even sure what the DC readings are. Truly i'm not much of a techie, I just know what I like and don't like.
As for the Spin a Split to get a better mid postition, I think I do like the sound of that. Getting both Neck and Bridge combo sound.
I'll have to see what my tech will charge for something like that.
Although there is this evergrowing part of me that just wants my strat to sound like a nice strat should again and finally.
I might just throw a set of APS-1's in there with a twangbanger, wire it up stock and just deal.
 
Re: Usable tone in the #2 Position in Strat??

I felt the same way recently too. I had a lil hum in the bridge for years but always wanted a little more. I eventualy put a Custom in the bridge and liked it even more.Than I had the "Strat should be a Strat" feeling and put some Antiquities in it and love it. I have a couple other guitars with hums and now both Strats have both Antiquities.
 
Re: Usable tone in the #2 Position in Strat??

Best way to get a Strat sound is with a Strat set up as a Strat should be. Same with a Les Paul. IMHO, PRS is the closest I have heard to a high grade "all around" guitar, but ultimately, it sounds like a PRS, just like the old (read USA made, expensive) BC Rich Guitars from the 70's sounded like BC Rich's. So my advice to you is to do like a lot of us do..........spend WAY too much money on too many guitars and lock yourself in your cave and worship them..........Sonic Nirvana is only a mouse click away if you rob a few liquor stores and get a certified PayPal account :laugh2:
 
Re: Usable tone in the #2 Position in Strat??

kjrocks said:
I felt the same way recently too. I had a lil hum in the bridge for years but always wanted a little more. I eventualy put a Custom in the bridge and liked it even more.Than I had the "Strat should be a Strat" feeling and put some Antiquities in it and love it. I have a couple other guitars with hums and now both Strats have both Antiquities.
Click to expand...

HECK YES!!!!

====================================

NOW THAT'S WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT (mimics Kip's voice)
 
Re: Usable tone in the #2 Position in Strat??

loudriver23 said:
Exactly,
I think this is where my GAS comes from. Sometimes I think a Strat should be a strat, and I should get another Guitar to do the Humbucker Stuff. I'm starting to thing that the Everything guitar is as elusive as Sasquatch.
Click to expand...
It comes down to compromise. How willing are you to compromise on a "strat sound", a "Paul sound", etc? I'm not a purist, so my "everything guitar" does all right for me; I don't need a perfect "strat sound" so much as a "good position 2 single coil sound". My guitar does that well (though I went through a bunch of pickups to get there). Strat heads will likely say I'm "not even close" and Joe sixpack won't give a whit about the differences.

Another thing - which blows your skirt up more, one body/neck combination that fits you like a glove, or different feels for variety? There's no right answer, but it helps to explain those who have a dozen electrics.

...for those of you who have a FEW dozen electrics, there IS no explanation... ;-)
 
Re: Usable tone in the #2 Position in Strat??

loudriver23 said:
Nope this was a set from Fender.. I think it read Fender Custom Texas Hots.
Click to expand...

Those are Texas Specials then. I don't think Fender has anything called Texas Hots, might get in trouble with Duncan.

loudriver23 said:
I might just throw a set of APS-1's in there with a twangbanger, wire it up stock and just deal.
Click to expand...

Not exactly the worst idea I ever heard...
 
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