Wiring...strat with 3 volume knobs?

[hatecrew]

Hi all.

I've unearthed my first guitar - an '03 mex strat and i've cleaned it and stripped all it's parts.

Now I've been thinking about the pickups and wiring and all that. And I was wondering if it were possible to screw the tone knobs and the 5-way selector switch - and wire each pickup to a separate volume knob, which means 3 single-coil pickup to 3 distinct volume knobs. It would be interesting to "blend" the different pickups, a la the jazz bass (where 2 pickups are controlled by 2 different volume knobs).

Now, the question, how would I go about with the wiring? Each single coil pickup has 2 wires, right? One to the volume pot and the other to the selector switch. If I were to remove the selector switch, and control the "tone" by the volume/output of each pickup, where would I solder the wire (that was originally soldered to the switch) to?

And, will I have to solder all three volume pots to both the output jack and the tremolo?

Thanks for the time, and your comments will be greatly appreciated.

 

[wck]

I'm no expert but I'm pretty sure that the 3 volume knobs still have to be grounded. Instead of doing wiring em all together like when there is only 1 volume, you can just do it separately.

The wiring diagram would look similar to a J-bass one but instead of 2 pups, you would have 3. Another way is to wire them to individual switches, kinda like Brian May but that'll take more work and maybe even some extra routing.

 

[PatheinRaindropMoe]

its really easy to wire a pickup directly straight to a pot and use it for volume control. The basic of a volume control is a divider circuit which balance between signal to amp for amplification or signal to ground for reducing volume

To use just 3 pots soldered directly as volume, its just a matter of having all 3 pickups' positive/signal/hot wire solder to individual pot input, then the output from individual pot go to the output jack. All ground/- wire from pickup will as its name, be grounded and eventually connect electrically to the ground point of the output jack,

As for blending all 3 pickups with just 3 pots and with volume control, you will need concentric potentiometer(dual pot in one with individual controls).

Oh yeah, forgot to mentioned, for volume, most usually use audio taper pot. For blending, it will be best to use linear pot. If using audio taper for blending, the effect of the blending will be kinda lacking for perhaps first half to 70% rotation of the pot and more sudden increase of the blending towards the last 30% of the pot rotation

Hehe, actually it be more interesting, imho, to keep the selector switch, but change it to a 5 way super switch, utilise push pull pot and concentric pot for usual volume and tone purpose, plus tons for extra features. You can get more variations, without losing any of the original strat wiring config

http://www.bestguitarparts.com/guitar-part/68/500K_Concentric_Potentiometer.htm

 

[valentinik_15]

This is a simple setup. Ur pickups for 2 wires. (Hot=White, Ground=Black) I don't know i you will understand what I'm gonna say next. All your grounds will be soldered to a common point, usually the top of one of the volume pots. From there, 1 ground wire will go to the input jack "sleeve" and the other to the bridge. Next for the Hots (signal carrier). Neck PU goes to Vol1 center lug, Mid PU goes to Vol2 center lug and so on... Vol1, Vol2 & Vol3 lug 1 will go to the input jack "tip" The PU selector switch goes into the dustbin and now you're done. Note that only 2 out of 3 lugs on each pot will be used. If your volume works in the reverse sense ie Counter Clockwise for Loud, then switch from using lug 1 to lug 3. Lug 2 will always be used.

Hope this helps. I'm no Pro guitar tech but I've done my fair share of repairs for my own gear.

 

[PatheinRaindropMoe]

To reduce the confusion, what valentinik meant by the input jack is actually the output jack of the geetar.

That place where we plug our cable into, on the geetar, is actually carrying the signal out from geetar, to the input jack of the amp.

 

[hatecrew]

Thanks, guys, for your input. Really appreciate it.

PatheinRaindropMoe: Wow, thanks for sharing your knowledge. I was initially thinking of "blend" as akin to "panning" the pickups, so to speak. Controlling the output of each pickup, which will affect the tone as well. Thanks for informing me of the 70% issue with the audio taper pots. The linear blend knob option is also interesting. Have to read up on that.

wck: Now I'm thinking about the feasibility of wiring it like a Jazz Bass...With two pickups, covering the middle (or neck, using the RWRP middle), being controlled by 2 volume knobs and a master tone... Saw the diagram in the SD website and it's very easy

valentinik_15: Thanks for your input as well! Don't worry, I totally get what you're trying to convey. Might try out your wiring and experience the outcome first before venturing into PatheinRaindropMoe's ideas.

Edit: Just realised something. If I use only the volume knob for controls, it will result in a treble bleed if I roll off the volume for any of the pickups. Well, I guess there are solutions to that with certain caps. Ahhh, I'm confusing myself!

 

[wck]

No prob. If you really wana go all out with the J bass config you can do like what pathein says. Install 2 humbuckers and make use of push/pull for coil split and in/ out of phase positions haha. Just being random and abit crazy here.

You could get a treble bleed mod, simply soldering the correct resistor and cap to the lugs of the pot.

 

[PatheinRaindropMoe]

heh, the treble bleed cap mod can even be switchable as well, either with a push pull pot or dedicated 2pdt toggle. The push pull portion of a push pull pot is a 2pdt switch infact.

 

[wck]

Pathein, you seem to like everything to be switchable eh haha

 

[PatheinRaindropMoe]

hehe, always good to have choices to choose from.

 

[hatecrew]

i'd like to know where you guys get your parts from (wires, caps, etc). the past few years i've been scavenging spare parts i can find :X

 

[wck]

hehe, always good to have choices to choose from.

Haha thats true. Although too much choices isn't the best thing always.

Hatecrew: You can find those stuff at Sim Lim.

 

[PatheinRaindropMoe]

For parts, sim lim tower, 3rd floor.

Most shops there sell electronic components there. Just need to walk around and hunt for the parts. Aunties there dont know about geetar components, so dont have to ask them if got any geetar related question. Just shops hop to find things thats needed. Some shops got useful stuff which can be used for geetar as well, hidden away in some corner, so just spend some time going round there to look see.

Anyway, if needing components for practising soldering and stuff, things like jumper wire, cap, resistor, jacks, pot can use cheapo kind from sim lim square. Once ready to finalize wiring in geetar, the potentiometer, jacks, wires can change to those that can be gotten from geetar shops. Cheapo pots and jacks from sim lim tower are just for fun tinkering only, the quality is hit and miss. Not to mention, most potentiometer from there are all linear kinda, only certain shop has audio taper type, but aint the right size for geetar.

Oh yeah, get a cheap multi meter as well. Having one to test for continuity helps a lot in trying to troubleshoot when things doesnt go right.

 

[PatheinRaindropMoe]

hehe, i love choices coz i like to know what i can do and not limited by what i do not know and thus having to settle for what others can tell me.

 

[3hree6ixty]

yeah. went to sim lim tower and got random parts. ended up installing strum-sensitive LEDS in my guitar...