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What PU does SPARKLE?

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5/7/1999 9:13 AM
Xavier Cho	What PU does SPARKLE? Hi, I have a Strat copy and want to replace the PUs. for a crystallin clear clean tone and country sparkle, what PU do you suggest? I heard Fralin do the job, but I'm not sure I can afford. (and nearly impossible to find in my country) suggestions? regards, Xavier

5/7/1999 10:40 AM

The most "sparkle" (if we are equating the term with the same subjective tones) comes from the traditional Tele or Les Paul combination of bridge + neck. The standard Strat 3-way and 5-way switches will not do this.

You MAY, however, simulate this by inserting a SPST toddle switch in between the hot lead of the middle PU and the existing pickup switch. When you flick this, the middle position of your 5-way will have all 3 pickups, as per usual, but the middle one just won't make it very far. This willproduce traditional Tele tones...well, at least as much as you can with that body, those pickups, and that bridge.

If you are REALLY fussy, you can get a megaswitch from Stewart-McDonald or some other source, which will allow you to have N+B as your middle position.

Either of the options cited here are a damn sight cheaper than buying new pickups, and no more difficult to install.

5/7/1999 2:28 PM

I just wired a guy's strat to allow N+B pickups, using the regular selector switch plus a SPST toggle switch (that was alredy mounted in his pickguard).

The 5-way switch is wired as stock. The SPST switch has leads that jumper the bridge pickup connection lug on the selector switch to the wiper contact (output to the volume control). Whenever the toggle is closed, the bridge pu is connected.

In position 1, the bridge only is selected already so it doesn't matter. Same in #2 (B+Mid). Position #3 (Mid) will become B+M, same as #2. Position #4 will become all three at once (B+M+N). Neck only position #5 will become the Neck + Bridge in parallel of the typical telecaster.

For the unaltered look, a more expensive pot with pull-activated switch can be substituted for one of the stock pots, in lieu of the separately mounted toggle switch.

5/10/1999 5:41 AM

I thought my Strat sounded a bit dull after playing the Tele so I’ve rewired the Strat to get the N+B combination. The centre pot is a master tone. The bottom tone is a home made delta pot which I had wired as a bridge PU tone control. I’ve now wired it as a PU blend control for the neck and bridge but it’s still effectively a bridge PU tone control because it only works when the bridge PU is selected. The track is cut at the "10" end of the pot. It works like this -

With the pot on 10 and the bridge PU selected you get the stock bridge PU only sound (because of the track cut). Rotate the pot ccw and the neck PU is gradually blended into the bridge. Fully ccw gives neck and bridge in parallel. Flip the selector to B+M and you now have all three PUPs in parallel. Turn the pot to 10 and you have the stock B+M sound. Turning the pot down to "8" blends in just enough neck to remove the ice-pick effect from the bridge only sound.

Dave

5/10/1999 2:00 PM
Doc	That's pretty slick! Is the "0" end of the delta tone pot connected to the neck hot wire?

5/11/1999 7:35 AM

quote:
"Is the "0" end of the delta tone pot connected to the neck hot wire?"

Yes and the wiper goes to the hot wire of the bridge PU via the tone select side of the selector switch so it only connects when the B or B+M PUs are selected. The "10" terminal of the pot isn’t connected. It’s just a variable resistor between the N and B PU hot wires.

Dave

5/10/1999 8:44 PM

to Dave:

    I believe that the special "mix" pot that Lindy Fralin sells has the cut on the CCW end... I think it might be smoother like that, but then again I'd probably always find myself turning it up to 10!

to Doc:

    Unless your customer really likes the strat bridge pickup more than the neck pup, I'd suggest wiring up the switch so that the neck pickup is blended in with the other combinations (rather than the bridge pickup as you suggested). Although I used to be a real fanatic of bridge pickups, I've finally seen the light and now prefer the neck pickup most of the time. So you would always have your normal N and N&M positions, plus the neck pickup blended with the M and/or B pickups when the switch was activated.

    So Doc, have you ever tried wiring up my Sup'rStrat harness? In addition to the linkages you mention you also get the thicker (muddier?) series combination between N&B and also a very interesting linkage with the N&B in series, but with the series link in parallel with the M pickup: it has plenty of quack, but with more bottom end. It sort of reminds me Hubert Sumlin's guitar work with Howlin' Wolf in the early 60's... You can wire it up with a regular 5 way strat selector switch and a DPDT switch on a pot or on a mini-toggle (if the hole is already there).

    Here's a link to the drawing:

http://www.techaccessinc.com/blueguitar/sprstr_2.gif

Steve Ahola

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