Help with Strat mod wiring

DJSmoothMoney

So I have a strat type guitar and have planned out a control set up that I want to try out. I am really interested in carrying out the mod myself and learning how to do so but I need some help due to a less conventional approach I have. 

I plan to convert one of my tone knobs into a master tone for all three pickups in my guitar and blocking off the tremolo. But the main change I plan on making to to remove the 5-way switch from the circuit and replace it with a 5-way rotary switch. Due to this I am unable to find any wiring diagrams that match my requirements and as I am new to this I can not create one myself and so I am looking for some help. I believe I can use this 5-way switch ( http://www.stewmac.com/Pickups_and_Electronics/Components_and_Parts/Switches/Rotary_Switches.html ) but would love someone to confirm this for me.

I have an image of my plan bellow that should help explain what I am after. In short, here is the info that would help me out:

~How do I go about blocking off a regular strat type tremolo?

~Is this ( http://www.stewmac.com/Pickups_and_Electronics/Components_and_Parts/Switches/Rotary_Switches.html ) 5-position rotary switch what I need for my pickup selector?

~How would I wire the strat with 3 pickups, 1 volume, 1 master tone, 1 5-position rotary switch?

Image ( http://imgur.com/IrPV3J6 )

ICBM

What pickup combinations are you trying to achieve? Or are you wanting to do it so you can physically move the switch away from the stock position?

If it's different combinations you want, it's actually much easier to use a 5-way 'Superswitch' which is a direct replacement for the stock lever switch. These actually *are* 4-pole, 5-way rotary switches! Just mounted sideways and with a lever to turn them instead of a knob.

If you want to move the physical position of the switch then that Stew-Mac one will work.

DJSmoothMoney

ICBM said:

What pickup combinations are you trying to achieve? Or are you wanting to do it so you can physically move the switch away from the stock position?

If it's different combinations you want, it's actually much easier to use a 5-way 'Superswitch' which is a direct replacement for the stock lever switch. These actually *are* 4-pole, 5-way rotary switches! Just mounted sideways and with a lever to turn them instead of a knob.

If you want to move the physical position of the switch then that Stew-Mac one will work.

I was aiming for the standard strat combinations for pickups. My main goal is to completely eliminate the current switch from the circuit and convert it into a knob that will be in the position of one of the current tone knobs. This is because I struggle with accidentally hitting the switch on my guitar and since I don't actually switch pickups in a hurry often (I mostly play on either my neck or bridge pickup for a full song) I won't have a issue with it being slightly harder to access.

I also plan on making the remaining tone knob into a master tone as I would prefer to have the option to roll off the tone on my bridge pickup aswell as the other two. Although I am unlikely to change this mid song and so I plan on keeping this master tone as the furthest away knob.

Thanks for the fast reply.

wackojacko

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/7440801/Guitar%20Wiring/Strat5-WayRotary.jpg

This link should be a diagram for what you're looking for. The second tone control is swapped with a 5 way rotary switch, middle tone control acts as master tone. Standard 5 way strat wiring.

Never tested myself but have been using this guys diagrams for some time. 

main website is - https://sites.google.com/site/phostenixwiringdiagrams/strats

DJSmoothMoney

wackojacko said:

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/7440801/Guitar%20Wiring/Strat5-WayRotary.jpg

This link should be a diagram for what you're looking for. The second tone control is swapped with a 5 way rotary switch, middle tone control acts as master tone. Standard 5 way strat wiring.

Never tested myself but have been using this guys diagrams for some time. 

main website is - https://sites.google.com/site/phostenixwiringdiagrams/strats

Wow. That seems to be exactly what I am after from what I can tell. I didn't think anyone else was as weird as me, as I couldn't find anything like this myself.

To clarify the capacitor on the tone control can just be the same one that is already on my tone control right? Or would I have to/should I buy something different?

ICBM

DJSmoothMoney said:

To clarify the capacitor on the tone control can just be the same one that is already on my tone control right? Or would I have to/should I buy something different?

The same one. The value may not be the same as that shown, a vintage-spec Strat uses either .1uF or .05/.047uF.

wackojacko

thats what searching for "strat wiring mods" in the early hours yields  As @ICBM says - use the same cap you currently have. The diagram is just generic. 

DJSmoothMoney

Alright good, I just wasn't if it would make a difference being a master tone knob instead of being used for just one pickup. Thanks, @ICBM & @wackojacko .

Also, does anyone know anything about blocking off a tremolo? I heard it was just a case of fitting a wooden block between the back of the bridge and the wood of the guitar. I literally never have my trem arm in and would rather just have it disabled (preferably in a reversible way if that is possible).

ICBM

DJSmoothMoney said:

Also, does anyone know anything about blocking off a tremolo? I heard it was just a case of fitting a wooden block between the back of the bridge and the wood of the guitar. I literally never have my trem arm in and would rather just have it disabled (preferably in a reversible way if that is possible).

You don't actually even need to do that - if you simply set the bridge so it's exactly flat on the top of the guitar and do up the springs tightly enough to keep it there - up to five if you have spares - you don't really need the block. If you want to add it as well at that point you just need to measure the gap and make a block of wood to fit.