Hi all,
I'm finishing up a Stratocaster build and need a little help with the wiring.
Hoping to end up with an HSS strat (1 volume, 2 tone knobs) which I can coil split the Humbucker using a push-pull pot (on the 2nd tone knob) so that my 2nd position sound can be either humbucker + middle or coil split humbucker + middle.
I have a 5 way switch, 2 regular pots (b250k) and 1 push-pull pots (b500k). I will also order some 0.022uf / 0.047uf capacitors as advised.
Pickups will be:
- Neck - Fender Pure Vintage 59 single coil
- Middle - Fender '54 custom shop single coil
- Bridge - Seymour Duncan JB humucker
I have no wiring experience so if anyone could help me with advise on how I should connect all of these I would be extremely grateful! (I've tried to label each connection point below to make it easier to explain).
Pics:
Comments
As for "when am I ready?" You'll never be ready. It works in reverse, you become ready by doing it. - pmbomb
First, if your pots are all B (linear) they won't work properly as tone controls. This might not be a problem if you don't use them as 'normal' tones but just want to have the rolled-right-down sound or 'hand wah'. (Or don't use them at all but want the guitar to look right .)
In the diagram, the tone caps are the wrong way round - the .022 should be for the humbucker and the .047 for the single coils. (NB, the correct values are .022uF and .047uF, not 0.22uF and 0.47uF.)
Ideally, you also need a 470K resistor to simulate a 250K volume pot when the single coils are selected. You can wire this so it works correctly when the bridge pickup is split as well. To do this, connect the resistor between terminal 5 in your pic and ground. Connect terminal 4 to the volume pot hot (terminal 3), and terminal 6 to the neck/middle tone pot hot (terminal 2).
Does that make sense?
"Take these three items, some WD-40, a vise grip, and a roll of duct tape. Any man worth his salt can fix almost any problem with this stuff alone." - Walt Kowalski
"Only two things are infinite - the universe, and human stupidity. And I'm not sure about the universe." - Albert Einstein
The one exception might be that you can't get the split bridge/middle setting to be hum-cancelling with the coil you prefer to be active, but that's probably not a major issue given that at least three of the other sounds cannot be either.
"Take these three items, some WD-40, a vise grip, and a roll of duct tape. Any man worth his salt can fix almost any problem with this stuff alone." - Walt Kowalski
"Only two things are infinite - the universe, and human stupidity. And I'm not sure about the universe." - Albert Einstein
Re the B (linear) pots, I really wasn't sure which to get and chose these as thought they would provide a more gradual sweep but I can order some A if those are the standard?
I'm a little lost of the final part about the 470k resistor. Would this still be needed if I otherwise switch my volume pot from 250k to 500k?
It's only necessary with a 500K volume pot - because the single coils will sound quite shrill with 500K alone. The problem with using a 250K volume is that it may make the full JB sound a bit muddy. The 470K resistor gives a simulated 250K volume when in parallel with the 500K pot.
(470K is the nearest standard value to 500K - there are complicated reasons for this apparently odd number! - the difference isn't audible.)
"Take these three items, some WD-40, a vise grip, and a roll of duct tape. Any man worth his salt can fix almost any problem with this stuff alone." - Walt Kowalski
"Only two things are infinite - the universe, and human stupidity. And I'm not sure about the universe." - Albert Einstein
Would you also recommend using 0.022uf caps, 0.047uf caps or a combination?
no switches. Just solder red and white together then onto tone put input with output to earth. Allows you tone on all three pickups and various degrees of coil tap to get best mix with middle pickup.
While I agree with koneguitarist that simple works well enough, I do find that using the ‘correct’ values does sound subtly but noticeably better.
"Take these three items, some WD-40, a vise grip, and a roll of duct tape. Any man worth his salt can fix almost any problem with this stuff alone." - Walt Kowalski
"Only two things are infinite - the universe, and human stupidity. And I'm not sure about the universe." - Albert Einstein
"Take these three items, some WD-40, a vise grip, and a roll of duct tape. Any man worth his salt can fix almost any problem with this stuff alone." - Walt Kowalski
"Only two things are infinite - the universe, and human stupidity. And I'm not sure about the universe." - Albert Einstein
Just trying to figure this out! When you say 'terminal 5', are you talking about on the push-pull (F)?
E.g:
F5 > 470k resistor > Ground
F4 > D-3
F6 > E2
Also, will this wiring allow me to use the coil-split Humbucker with the middle pickup in the 2nd position?
Thanks
Connect terminal 10 to the volume pot hot (terminal 1) or the 5-way switch (terminal 5 is probably the most convenient).
Connect terminal 8 to the neck/middle tone pot hot (terminal 2) or the 5-way switch (terminal 1).
The purpose is so that the resistor is engaged in all switch positions when the humbucker is split, but only in the single coil positions when it isn't. Hopefully that makes sense .
Yes.
You will find it makes less difference to the sound than you may expect - that's normal. It's because the middle pickup is much lower impedance than the full humbucker so it will dominate the mix and you'll still get more of a 'single coil' sound. It will be different, just not drastically.
"Take these three items, some WD-40, a vise grip, and a roll of duct tape. Any man worth his salt can fix almost any problem with this stuff alone." - Walt Kowalski
"Only two things are infinite - the universe, and human stupidity. And I'm not sure about the universe." - Albert Einstein
Think this should be what you're describing? Have I also got all the right values for the pots and capacitors in the right place?
For convenience, you may want to connect the ground end of the resistor to a closer grounded point than the volume pot, which is fine. Even the ground tab on the pull-switch (7) will work, or the pot body.
Still don’t cut the pickup wires short yet in case you get an unexpected phase issue!
"Take these three items, some WD-40, a vise grip, and a roll of duct tape. Any man worth his salt can fix almost any problem with this stuff alone." - Walt Kowalski
"Only two things are infinite - the universe, and human stupidity. And I'm not sure about the universe." - Albert Einstein