Wacky Newbie idea

[alanfc]

how about this,

could I put in a true single coil in the bridge of my Strat, next to my SC sized humbucker, and have a switch that could give me one or the other, or both?

All controlled by the same volume knob? I would like to keep the humbucker closest to the bridge, and put the single coil the left of that..
I would rout and cut body/pickguard as necessary.
What do you think?
thanks

 

[RockStarNick]

Re: Wacky Newbie idea

I'd imagine this would work.

Fender did this with the Lace Sensors for a while. They had a Red Lace, and a Gold Lace, and called it a "Dually". The red lace, in and of itself, sounded like a high output humbucker; the gold sounded like a strat. And both fit in the space of one standard humbucker.

You could probably manage to squeeze a real Duncan jr. sized HB and a real single coil in the HB sized opening, and do some mini-switch wiring.

Instead of wiring the bridge pickup right to the switch, wire your two bridge units to a 3 way mini toggle, THEN to your standard 5 way strat selector. from there, go to your normal tone and volume controls.

I imagine you could do this with some crazy rotary switching and push pullst too, but they don't make a 3 way push pull. only a 2 way one.

Definately a cool idea that I, myself, have pondered. It would allow you to have a true Single COil sound, instead of a split HB.

 

[RockStarNick]

Re: Wacky Newbie idea

actually, what you really need is a 7 way switch! hahha.

Positions 1-5 normal strat, 6 would be your bridge single coil and your bridge humbucker combined, and then 7 would be just the bridge humbucker.

Someone invent that please.

 

[itbepopples]

Re: Wacky Newbie idea

Just ask artie. Enough said.

 

[zionstrat]

Re: Wacky Newbie idea

Only thing I would be worried about would be the crossing of the magnetic fields but who knows what it would do good or bad- Could worth the experiment but I would try it on a cheap body first-

 

[alanfc]

Re: Wacky Newbie idea

COOL
thanks

 

[WhoFan]

Re: Wacky Newbie idea

I have had this same idea for a while.... But with a slight twist... I basicly wanted to move the middle postition strat pickup rout on a custom pickguard as close to the standard angled bridge rout..... So i would have a strat PU in the standard bridge postition, a hot strat size humbucker next to it and a neck postition singlecoil....

Someone else suggested i just use a standard strat layout but add the SC sized humbucker infront of the bridge postition SC and wire it to a mini switch and straight to the jack.... when i want a lead/mid boost just flick the switch.... Keep the switch off for normall strat use

 

[Evan Skopp]

Re: Wacky Newbie idea

That's basically what Pawar Guitars are doing. You can get a lot of tones, that's for sure.

 

[alanfc]

Re: Wacky Newbie idea

thank you,
I'm more & more interested in doing this now !

I can do this with little cost since I already have the TX Special bridge PUP on hand (it was replaced by my current JB Jr)

one thing- I don't want a push-pull switch....I just want a toggle. I was thinking of putting it in place of that middle tone knob I never use. Maybe a big one like a LesPaul size. Don't care about resale, I'm never getting rid of this guitar.

Anyway the switch would just affect Position 1. So I envision: One flick for the JB Jr. Humbucker alone, one flick for the TX Special alone. And the Volume knob would control all. Whatever's on when I'm in position 1. Likewise I could have 2 potential position 2 sounds, Humbucker + middle, or Single coil + middle.

One other thing, putting the single coil two steps away from the bridge, keeping the HB where it is now- will this result in a muddy SC sound?
Or if I shift the HB forward and have the SC closest to the bridge, will my HB become muddier? I use the HB 80% of the time and know it very well now, it its current position. I lean toward keeping it there. Unless the SC two steps away will sound like total mud.... or maybe that distance will give it some warmth and ease some of the ping/twang?

Pickup changes are sweat and celebration/relief for me when they work.
Is this a job better for a real tech?

thank you:bowdown: