Where to locate a Strat's neck pup (and some wiring help needed)....

some_dude

Raging BB Gunologist
I'm converting a fat Strat into a double fat.....should the neck hum be centered over where the original single coil was, or should the top coil go in the same position as the original?

Also, while I'm at it.....any wiring genious' out there?

I'd like the stock 5 way to be neck when up, bridge when down, and both in the other three positions.....
 
Last edited:
Re: Where to locate a Strat's neck pup (and some wiring help needed)....

screamingdaisy said:
I'm converting a fat Strat into a double fat.....should the neck hum be centered over where the original single coil was, or should the top coil go in the same position as the original?

Center it.

screamingdaisy said:
Also, while I'm at it.....any wiring genious' out there?

I'd like the stock 5 way to be neck when up, bridge when down, and both in the other three positions.....

What about the middle pickup?
 
Re: Where to locate a Strat's neck pup (and some wiring help needed)....

I'd put it so the screw polepieces are centered under where the 24th fret would be if it had a 24th fret. Same place where the second octave harmonics are. Lew
 
Re: Where to locate a Strat's neck pup (and some wiring help needed)....

Zhangliqun said:
What about the middle pickup?

What middle pickup?

strat_inlay2.JPG
 
Re: Where to locate a Strat's neck pup (and some wiring help needed)....

Lewguitar said:
I'd put it so the screw polepieces are centered under where the 24th fret would be if it had a 24th fret. Same place where the second octave harmonics are. Lew


The 24th fret would normally be right over the pole pieces of the single coil, wouldn't it?
 
Re: Where to locate a Strat's neck pup (and some wiring help needed)....

screamingdaisy said:
I'd like the stock 5 way to be neck when up, bridge when down, and both in the other three positions.....

scream01.jpg


;)

Artie

btw - If you decide to change that to a 3-way later on, the wiring is exactly the same.
 
Re: Where to locate a Strat's neck pup (and some wiring help needed)....

screamingdaisy said:
The 24th fret would normally be right over the pole pieces of the single coil, wouldn't it?

I believe so. Makes open chords sound nice! Lew
 
Re: Where to locate a Strat's neck pup (and some wiring help needed)....

My personal (and quite subjective) opinion is to always locate all neck pickups as close to the neck as possible, when you are in control. Sonically, my preference would be pressed up against the end of the fretboard.

I don't want to start anything controversial, but where a specific harmonic is located is irrelevant once you begin fretting. When you're on the first fret, the two octave harmonic has already moved 1/4", and so on all the way up the neck. I prefer to think of the neck pickup tone/location based on how far it is from the bridge.
 
Re: Where to locate a Strat's neck pup (and some wiring help needed)....

frankfalbo said:
My personal (and quite subjective) opinion is to always locate all neck pickups as close to the neck as possible, when you are in control. Sonically, my preference would be pressed up against the end of the fretboard.

I don't want to start anything controversial, but where a specific harmonic is located is irrelevant once you begin fretting. When you're on the first fret, the two octave harmonic has already moved 1/4", and so on all the way up the neck. I prefer to think of the neck pickup tone/location based on how far it is from the bridge.

No controvery...but if you're a player who likes the sound of open strings as much as I do, then having the poles right under the second octave harmonic really enhances the tone of the open strings...especially the low E and A strings.

Alot of playing techniques use those open notes as a drone...Little Wing, Purple Haze and zillions of others come to mind.

Any first position chords will sound "better" if you're using the neck pickup and it's polepieces are centered under the "24th fret".

I think it's pretty important...I wouldn't mount it any other way.



Lew
 
Re: Where to locate a Strat's neck pup (and some wiring help needed)....

screamingdaisy said:
Thanks. I'm no good at figuring that sh*t out myself. :)

Don't feel bad. You can probably play songs on your guitar. I'm still working on that. :yell:
 
Re: Where to locate a Strat's neck pup (and some wiring help needed)....

Zhangliqun said:
Never mind what middle pickup -- what NECK pickup?

That'll be fixed in a couple of hours. ;)

As it is, the Strat's lying on the floor with a hammer, chisel, and little bits of wood and pickguard all over....looks like a guitar murder scene. :eek13:
 
Re: Where to locate a Strat's neck pup (and some wiring help needed)....

screamingdaisy said:
As it is, the Strat's lying on the floor with a hammer, chisel, and little bits of wood and pickguard all over....

The horror.... the horror....
 
Re: Where to locate a Strat's neck pup (and some wiring help needed)....

Guitar's finished, sounds great, and that wiring works perfect. The neck pup wound up slightly crooked....but it'll do until I get around to getting a new pickguard for it.
 
Back
Top