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Tim Stanley's Generic Rewiring FAQ
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Where to get more info
--------------------------------
To learn more about re-wiring - check out:
1) the Guitar Handbook by Ralph Denyer - there is a fine section on
fundamentals and all of the possibilities.
2) Check out a book that Warmouth and Stew-Mac sells called "Build
Your Own Electric Guitar" (can't remember the author, methinks it is
Foley, but it is *not* the one by Melvin Hiscock). There are quite a
few rewiring schematics in there - nearly all the traditional ones
(Strat, Tele, Gibson Les Paul/SG, etc) plus more.
3) The 2/93 Guitar Player magazine has an article summarizing 4 old
previously printed rewiring schemes.
4) Also, check out these old Guitar Player articles (sorry, I can't
remember the titles, all I have is this list and all I know is that
they were interesting enough that I wrote the dates down):
GP 3/81
8/84
8/85
3/86
5/86
11/86
2/87
8/87 (Dan Armstrong Super-Strat that you sent)
1/89 (Ultimate Strat Switch)
--------------------------------
Where to get parts
--------------------------------
The switches you need for the Dan Armstrong modification are available
from either Warmouth or Stewart-MacDonalds (one of the switches is not
not available at Radio-Snark).
Push-pull pots are available at Stew-Mac, too.
If you want to get a new pickguard - check out WD Music Products.
Lots-o-colors, custom no-problem, be prepared to do some final fitting
of edges using your own tools. Depending on color, custom, and size,
$20 --- $50+. WD is now at 4070 Mayflower Rd, Fort Myers FL 33916 ph#
813 337-7575.
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Overview of some articles
--------------------------------
The February '93 Guitar Player has some Strat rewiring schemes in the
article that starts on page 98. One of them requires no extra
hardware. Or, if you're willing to exchange the 5-way switch for 3
mini switches, the Dan Armstrong ``super strat'' scheme is pretty
flexible. It gives you:
- each pickup alone
- three parallel pairs
- three serial pairs
- three pickups in parallel
- three pickups in series
- three pickups in series/parallel
The mini switches go in the slot where the 5-way usually goes. You
have to drill three holes along the slot to make room for the switch
shafts.
I did the Dan Armstrong mod last August - it is pretty excellent. I
also used potentiometers with push-pull DPDT switches to also add
phasing capability. Very flexible and interesting, indeed. This mod
has 12 positions of its own, and with phasing, provides 24 different
combinations. My favorite is all three pickups in series, with the
bridge pickup out of phase - a very funky frequency response notch
seems to be generated.
I would say that the Dan Armstrong mod is trickier to get used to than
the simple/standard 5-position switch. To me, the extra sounds are
worth it; to a working axeman, he should think about it before he
switches ;-). But, it is not *that* hard to remember the 12 switch
positions - they *do* have a logical pattern. In fact, I am currently
in the process of wiring up my 3 old Squire strat pickups in this
configuration on a new black-pearloid pickguard just for kicks (hey, I
am an engineer, I can't help it...spending 4 hours with a soldering
iron in my basement is fun for me...).
IMHO - the Dan Armstrong mod is the coolest and most flexible (my
personal goal - YourMilageMayVary). Also, IMHO, if you are inside
your guitar hacking about, shield the cavity and the pickguard using
something, I recommend the 3 coats of shielding paint (also at
Stew-Mac).
--------------------------------
There's another stock-parts-only project in the February '87 issue of
GP, if you can get hold of a back issue. It uses one of the tone
controls to mix between the usual wiring and some series/phase reverse
combinations.
"Ultimate Strat Switch". Of course, there really isn't much new in
the basic switching of pickups, **but** it is an !!!interesting!!! way
to use a 6-pole 4-throw rotary switch to "configure" the pickups for a
certain pre-set of possibilities, and the regular 5-way switch is then
used as usual. What is interesting is that:
1. you don't have to add switches to your guitar (if you care about
that sort of thing).
2. if you like the 5-way switch because it is so damn easy to
understand and grab on to, you can keep it, but still get a new bunch
of other series/parallel/phased sounds.
3. one of the "configurations" of the rotary _is_ the original
configuration so you don't lose your Stratocaster among the switches.
Some of the 5-way positions are repeats - i.e., there are really only
two or three different swithing modes among the 5 positions. Also,
there is an error in the description. Most importantly, with a little
thought, you can figure out variations on the theme of the rotary
switch and perhaps get more flexibility or something more tuned to
your needs.
--------------------------------
"I added a new pickup and now my guitar doesn't work right.
<insert_pickup_vendor_here>'s products suck! What should I do?"
--------------------------------
One of the earliest things that engineers, builders, tinkerers learn
is this:
1) If you make improvements on something that works,
2) and the something ceases to function properly,
3) and you are %100 sure that your improvements were implemented correctly,
Then:
4) There is a %99.9 chance that you are %100 wrong about your improvements.
What this means when you encounter problems with a new pickup is this:
5) There is a %0.1 chance that there is something wrong with the
pickup you just added and a %99.9 change that something is wrong
with what you did.
The problem is that early in our experimental experience, we lack the
skills to determine for certain what is wrong. Get help from
experienced friends, learn the analytical methods needed to debug your
improvements. Leave time and room for mistakes and learn to diagnose
and fix them. Be precise, careful, and methodical. Take your time.
Did I mention, take your time?
G'luck,
T
===========================================================================
Digest of rewiring posts
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Newsgroups: rec.music.makers.guitar
From: dweber@lark.qualcomm.com (Dan Weber)
Subject: Re: Applause (Fender Strat Copy) Repairs
Organization: Qualcomm, Inc., San Diego, CA
Date: Wed, 9 Dec 1992 18:26:02 GMT
In article <1992Dec9.172736.10571@sis.uucp>, naccarat@sis.uucp (Rob Naccarato) writes:
|> The
|> signal will only get through the Tone when it is set to about 2 - 4.
|> So, I believe that I should purchase a new Tone control, but what do I
|> buy? At one of the music stores, I saw a couple of them with a label
|> that said "500 K" or "275 K" or something like that. What does this
|> mean and what should I do?
You may want to try some thing new, I recently replaced the middle
tone control with a midrange cut pot and rewired the remaining tone
control to be a master tone. This enables you to get some vintage
sounds. I got the kit from Torres Engineering for about $3.95 and
it takes about 10 minutes to install, and I'm no whiz kid either.
Write Torres or call for free catalog of kits and such.
Torres Engineering
110 Avila Road
San Mateo CA 94402
(415) 571-6887
for blues you can use,
Dano
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Newsgroups: rec.music.makers.guitar
From: lrm28@cas.org ()
Subject: Followup to pickup mod
Summary: What's an overcompensating cap?
Organization: Chemical Abstracts Service, Columbus, Ohio
Date: Wed, 10 Mar 1993 13:25:42 GMT
Some have mailed me the question,"What's this cap you're thinking
about adding?" Well, refer to page 153 of the Feb 93 Guitar Player.
ASCII graphics editor, activate:
From pickups:
|
|----|
| --- 1500pf (Mylar or polypropolene)
--- ---
|v| |
|o| |
|l|<----------- to jack
| |
---
|
|
|
-----
---
-
To quote the article:
This cap increases the proportion of high frequencies as you turn
down the volume control, giving a brighter sound for rhythm parts.
--
Luke Mayercin lrm28@cas.org "Why does ear wax taste like it does?"
Chemical Abstracts Service is not responsible for these comments.
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From: rogers@calamari.hi.com (Andrew Rogers)
Newsgroups: rec.music.makers.guitar
Subject: Re: Followup to pickup mod
Date: 10 Mar 1993 10:41:23 -0000
Organization: Hitachi Computer Products, OSSD division
NNTP-Posting-Host: calamari.hi.com
In article <1993Mar10.132542.764@cas.org> lrm28@cas.org () writes:
>Some have mailed me the question,"What's this cap you're thinking
>about adding?" Well, refer to page 153 of the Feb 93 Guitar Player.
>
> [circuit deleted]
This mod has been around since the early 70's; the first place I heard
about it was a _Guitar Player_ interview with J. Geils. I've added it to
most of my electrics since then; it really does prevent the sound from
becoming muddy at lower volume levels. (According to recent product
reviews and comparison tests in the guitar rags, this "bypass cap" is
standard on a lot of electrics these days.)
>This cap increases the proportion of high frequencies as you turn
>down the volume control, giving a brighter sound for rhythm parts.
I think 1500pf may be too large for most guitars, though; after
trial-and-error on many, many guitars, I found that 1pf per K of pot
resistance is just about right. So if your volume control is 250K, a
220pf cap would be appropriate.
If the cap is too large, it will allow not only the highs but a lot
of the midrange to filter through, effectively turning the volume pot
into a bass roll-off control over most of its range.
"Mylar or polypropylene"? Why, when I was your age, sonny boy, we
made our own condensors - none of these new-fangled "capacitors" -
out of tinfoil and wax paper! You young whippersnappers don't know
how easy you have it! :-)
>Luke Mayercin lrm28@cas.org "Why does ear wax taste like it does?"
Andrew Rogers
old fart at play
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From: mic@emx.cc.utexas.edu (Mic Kaczmarczik)
Newsgroups: alt.guitar
Subject: Re: Strat Capacitor Change
Date: 18 Mar 1993 17:44:47 -0600
Organization: UT Austin Computation Center, Unix Services
NNTP-Posting-Host: emx.cc.utexas.edu
In article <9303181452.AA13148@deepthought.cs.utexas.edu> ISTS024@UABDPO.DPO.UAB.EDU (Leonard Watkins) writes:
>I changed my Capacitor in my Strat from whatever it was (it was old and
>un-readable) to an .015 to get a warmer sound. It works great if your
>Strat or copy sounds a little too trebly or shrill change the capacitor
>it worked for me. You can always change back...I highly recommend it for
>blues players, nice tone....L.W.
I read about this particular value in a recent Guitar Player (the
article about the guy who has done guitar tech work for SRV, Clapton,
and Dylan), and tried it out on my Les Paul with P-90 soapbars. It
really does give a nice tone.
--mic--
--
Mic Kaczmarczik - Unix Services /
UT Austin Computation Center / Never try to outstubborn a cat.
remark@{ccwf,emx,bongo} 1-0251 \ -- Lazarus Long
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Newsgroups: alt.guitar,rec.music.makers.guitar
From: bill@verdix.com (William Spencer)
Subject: Re: Phase Wiring and Tele Pickups
Nntp-Posting-Host: voodoo.vslan.verdix.com
Organization: Verdix Corp
Date: Fri, 16 Apr 1993 19:34:16 GMT
skarp@leland.Stanford.EDU (George Marino Skarpelos) writes:
>I was wondering how I would put a 5 position switch on my
>stock tele as a replacement for the standard 3 position switch.
>The idea would be to have two out of phase configurations in the
>2 and 4 positions. Is this possible? Could someone post a simple
>scematic?
Normal 5 position switches have only 3 external connections. This particular
arrangement is not possible.
The possible configuration is position 2&4 = both pickups, 2 is inphase,
4 is outphase or vice versa. 1&5 are bridge pickup and 3 is neck, or vice
versa. You need a two pole type switch (most of them) i.e. DP5T.
Connection "0" is the common:
bridge + ------------*---------1 \
neck + --------------|---------2 >section 1
bridge - ------------|--*------3 |
out + -----|--|------0 /
| |
| -------1 \
| 2 >section 2
----------3 |
neck - ---- out ground --------0 /
Bill s
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From dab@elan.cc.bellcore.com Wed Mar 16 22:57:07 1994
Newsgroups: rec.music.makers.guitar
From: dab@elan.cc.bellcore.com (dave ballard)
Subject: strat volume mod
Nntp-Posting-Host: elan.cc.bellcore.com
Organization: Bellcore
Date: Wed, 9 Mar 1994 17:31:10 GMT
Hey now- I just put a mod in my strat that smooths out the volume control
so that it actually has some effect below 6 and also keeps the high end up
when the volume is turned down. It comes from an article on modifying pickup
wiring in the 1/89 Guitar World. The whole mod consists of soldering a
680 PF capacitor and a 1/4-150k ohm resistor in parallel across the "in" and
"out" on the volume pot. Works like a charm.
Anyone else done this? Why doesn't Fender do it to begin with?
-dab
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From icrmd@cc.uab.es Wed Mar 16 22:57:19 1994
Newsgroups: rec.music.makers.guitar
From: icrmd@cc.uab.es
Subject: Re: strat volume mod
Organization: Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona
Date: 10 Mar 94 12:29:09 +0100
In article <CMErBz.KLC@walter.bellcore.com>, dab@elan.cc.bellcore.com (dave ballard) writes:
>
> Hey now- I just put a mod in my strat that smooths out the volume control
> so that it actually has some effect below 6 and also keeps the high end up
> when the volume is turned down. It comes from an article on modifying pickup
> wiring in the 1/89 Guitar World. The whole mod consists of soldering a
> 680 PF capacitor and a 1/4-150k ohm resistor in parallel across the "in" and
> "out" on the volume pot. Works like a charm.
>
> Anyone else done this? Why doesn't Fender do it to begin with?
I did something similar, but I can't remember the values of
the capacitor I used and I don't think I bothered with the
resistor (I was aiming at the most dramatic change, cos I
was really fed up with the tone disappearing completely
below 9). The change is really useful, so most of the time
now I use the neck and mid pickups with the volume just
below half and get a really nice sound.
I read that PRS guitars have this arrangement as standard.
Anybody got any other easily done mods ?
The only other thing I did was put in a toggle switch
adding (or not) the neck pickup into the output, so I can
now have all three pickups on at once, or have neck and
bridge. The way I did it hasn't made a great deal of
difference but I'm sure it is possible to get some good
sounds out of this idea.
martin
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From: bwh@beach.cis.ufl.edu (Brian Hook)
Newsgroups: rec.music.makers.guitar
Subject: Schaller's/Stew-Mac's nifty 5-way pickup switch
Date: 01 Jun 1994 14:45:42 GMT
Organization: University of Florida, Dept of CIS
I just purchased that coolie Schaller/Stew-mac 5-way pickup selector switch
the other day. It was 14 or so bucks + shipping. I haven't had a chance
to install it yet (waiting for my Lawrence XL-500) but basically here's the
story:
This pickup gives you things like coil tapping and stuff without needing
mini-toggles. And, better yet, it givees you a tele sound in position 3,
vs. the traditionally wimpy/useless middle single coil. The positions are as
follows:
S/S/S H/S/S H/S/H
Bridge BSC BHB BHB
Bridge/Mid BSC + MSC BSC + MSC BSC + MSC
Mid BSC + NSC BSC + NSC BSC + NSC
Mid/Neck MSC + NSC MSC + NSC MSC + NSC
Neck NSC NSC NHB
This requires that any humbuckers are of the 4-conductor coil-tapping
style. I'm real interested to hear other people's opinions on this setup.
I'll post once my guitar gets back together (Fender Strat+, Bill Lawrence
XL-500, Fender Gold Lace Sensor, Fender Gold Lace Sensor).
I'm kind of worried that my guitar may not fit the mold for what Schaller
expects, because the Lace Sensors are typically not available RWRP and I
think the switch assumes this (all positions that are not one single coil
only are supposed to be humbucking, including the coil tapped modes).
Guess I'll find out soon enough.
Brian
PS No, I'm not affiliated, etc. etc.
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From rogers@sasuga.Hi.COM Wed Oct 12 15:40:02 1994
From: rogers@sasuga.Hi.COM (Andrew Rogers)
Newsgroups: rec.music.makers.guitar
Subject: Re: An EASY Guitar Mod
Date: 11 Oct 1994 14:24:32 -0400
Organization: Dead Skunk in the Information Superhighway
NNTP-Posting-Host: sasuga.hi.com
In article <CxIo1n.Frn@hpcvsnz.cv.hp.com> gwatts@cv.hp.com (gary watts) writes:
>: >Lastly, you can tie a very small cap across pot to allow the highs to
>: >pass when you turn down the pot. Experiment with different values but
>: >I like a .22pf with humbuckers.
>
>: 22pF I assume? .22pf is, err, kinda small!!
>
>Yes that (.) decimal just slipped in there...
I first read about the bypass cap modification in a Guitar Player interview
with J. Geils back in the early 70's; he recommended something like .01mf,
which is *way* too high (it let so many of the highs through that it almost
turned the pot into a *bass* rolloff control). The basic idea sounded
worthwhile, though, and after some experimenting I settled on ~1pf/Kohm:
220pf for 250K pots, 470pf for 500K pots, etc. (A lot will depend on the
impedance of your pickups and capacitance of the cable you use, but these
values have worked well for me.)
Andrew
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From till@netcom13.netcom.com Wed Oct 26 17:28:56 1994
Newsgroups: rec.music.makers.guitar
From: till@netcom13.netcom.com (Don Tillman)
Subject: Re: Any alternative pickup wiring schemes?
In-Reply-To: stubbs@kuhub.cc.ukans.edu's message of 25 Oct 94 11:09:15 CDT
Reply-To: don@till.com
Organization: NETCOM On-line services
Date: Wed, 26 Oct 1994 07:40:33 GMT
From: stubbs@kuhub.cc.ukans.edu
Date: 25 Oct 94 11:09:15 CDT
Organization: University of Kansas Academic Computing Services
I have noticed on guitars with two pickups that althought there
are two volume controls, when I turn one pickup down(part or all
the way) the other pickup goes down two.. I have looked at the
wiring and I guess it is because the volume shunts the signal
to ground and as they are connected in parallel they both get
grounded.
Yup.
I wonder if anyone has come up with a wiring scheme to allow
a blending of the two pickups (without resorting to active
electronics,e tc.)
Sure, reverse the pot connection so the wiper goes toward the pickup
and the clockwise side goes to the output. Rickenbackers and the
Fender Jazz bass have always done this to allow for a more
controllable pickup mix.
A downside of this approach is that at lower volume levels there's
more noise and more of the high end gets shunted off.
-- Don
J. Donald Tillman
Consultant; Software Engineering, Analog Electronics
Palo Alto, California 415 327-6234
Internet: don@till.com
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From mic@uts.cc.utexas.edu Sun May 22 16:50:03 1994
From: mic@uts.cc.utexas.edu
Newsgroups: rec.music.makers.builders
Subject: Re: Strat+ tone circuit?
Date: 20 May 1994 19:59:57 -0500
Organization: UT Austin Computation Center, Unix Services
NNTP-Posting-Host: curly.cc.utexas.edu
In article <2rguir$hk5@staff.cs.su.oz.au>,
James Uther <jimu@cs.su.oz.au> wrote:
>I was wondering if anyone knows the wiring for a strat+. The blurb says that
>it is a passive circuit that boosts as well as cuts frequencies (?). Anyway,
>I have fender-lace sensors on my home made chunk of noisy sculpture, and
>was hoping to add some worthwhile circuitry to it. Any help would be
>appreciated.
> thanks
> jim
The Strat Plus and Plus Deluxe models use a Fender TBX circuit for the
bridge/middle pickup tone control. I think the American Standard does
too. It's available for $25-$35 from Fender dealers, according to a
phone call I made a few weeks ago for another reason.
There's a circuit diagram for the TBX in A. Duchossoir's book _The
Fender Telecaster_. It uses a dual ganged pot with 250K audio/1M
linear resistances, an 82K resistor and a .22 MFD tone capacitor.
>From 0 to 5, it's a normal 250K treble rolloff circuit. From 6 to 10,
the 1M resistance keeps some of the highs normally lost by the 250K
circuit. I guess ``add'' means ``doesn't lose as many as usual''
here.
There was a posting here a few weeks ago about using higher
resistances in tone and volume controls to increase the volume and
highs you get from a pickup. The TBX is a clever way to apply this
principle in a single, relatively intuitive control.
I like having the TBX, but I find that if I want my Strat's 2-pickup
combinations to sound ``twangy'' to my ears, I have to stay in the 0
to 5 range. I guess 250K pots are a subtle part of the traditional
sound.
--mic--
--
Mic Kaczmarczik | ``Now, blues music is simple music. And simple
Unix Services |music is the hardest music in the world to play.''
UT Austin Computation Center | - Albert Collins, ``Ain't Nothing But The Blues''
From spangler@hpsdde.sdd.hp.com Thu Dec 8 12:52:13 1994
From: spangler@hpsdde.sdd.hp.com (Kevin Spangler)
Newsgroups: rec.music.makers.guitar
Subject: Re: Pickups for coil tapping
Date: 7 Dec 1994 12:27:55 -0800
Organization: Hewlett Packard, San Diego Division
Distribution: world
NNTP-Posting-Host: hpsdde.sdd.hp.com
>Does anybody have any good recommendations on some
>humbucking pickups that would sound good when tapped
>for a single coil configuration? I love a nice
>warm, mellow Gibson like tone, but I would also like
>to be able to switch to a more Strat-like tone when
>a song needs the extra clarity.
I've done it to a number of guitars that could safely and sanely be
drilled out for toggle switches. (Don't do it to that '59 Les Paul
under Grandpa's bed). I've not noticed that any particular model of
humbucker gives a particularly "better" single-coil sound than another,
but have noticed that those designed for more high-frequency output
(say, a Duncan JB) definitely sound brighter, while a more low-frequency
emphasized pickup (say a Duncan '59 or Dimarzio PAF) will have a slightly
warmer and less cutting tone. But it's been hard to predict the single-coil
sound by listening to the double-coil sound. ***Please note that you can
do this operation by replacing one of your volume/tone controls with a
push-pull pot; you don't need to drill toggle-switch holes unless you want
to do more elaborate set-ups like the one discussed below.**** :-)
If DiMarzio and/or Duncan are not online here, you can call them and ask
if they have any recommendations (of course there are lots of other pickup
manufacturers besides those two). One thing I would suggest is considering
a parallel-coil configuration. This will give you *very* close to the same
sound as going single-coil, but it is fully humbucking so you won't get nasty
noise and hum. Putting a humbucker in single-coil mode will give you hum!!
The parallel-coil sound is slightly higher output (two coils vs. one) and
slightly less trebly than single-coil, but IMHO it's worth it to avoid hum.
I buy three-way mini-toggle switches from Stewart MacDonald and wire them
so the three positions give me series-coil (normal humbucking mode)/
single-coil (non-humbucking)/parallel-coil (alternate humbucking mode).
The DiMarzio and Duncan pickups should come with diagrams that show you
how to wire this. This way you can have all the choices. I use two of these
switches - one dedicated to each of the two humbuckers in the typical
2-pickup guitar. This gives you three sound per pickup; when you start
combining the two pickups, you can get a lot of neat variety.
I've posted this in case anyone else was interested in the answer. If you
need more details just reply to me through e-mail.
- Kevin
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From: ez004557@rocky.ucdavis.edu (George Kaschner)
Newsgroups: alt.guitar
Subject: Re: 7 String Pickup Info Neede
Date: 21 Dec 1994 20:36:46 GMT
Organization: University of California, Davis
Rich Beerman (rbeer@starcore.cris.com) wrote:
: Is there any one out there with information on pickups for 7-string
: guitars?
Have you considered blade-type pickups (vs pickups with defined
polepieces)? If they are sufficiently wide for your string spacing,
there may be no need for custom units.
Regards,
George Kaschner
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From: till@netcom8.netcom.com (Don Tillman)
Subject: Re: Getting a "neck-pickup" sound out of a guitar withonly a br
In-Reply-To: jps@cup.portal.com's message of 1 Jan 1995 06:00:38 -0800
Organization: NETCOM On-line services
Date: Mon, 2 Jan 1995 03:05:14 GMT
From: jps@cup.portal.com (John P Sheehy)
Date: 1 Jan 1995 06:00:38 -0800
>Is such a thing possible? I have a sneaking suspicion that the reason I
>can't get certain types of distorted sound is that there is no neck
>pickup. Turning the tone knob down just cuts ALL high sound down, and
>isnt what I want. I want only harmoncics cut down. Is there a way to do
>it, or must I buy a guitar with a neck pickup to do that? I think that
>turning tone down cuts out all highs, and that using neck pickup cut s
>out harmonics. Am I right?
Pretty close. The neck pickup doesn't cut out harmonics, but rather, it
emphasize the fundamental, so harmonics are weaker as a percentage of
total volume.
Well no, actually.
You know how a string vibrates, right? Like a jump rope for the
fundamental frequency. For the second harmonic it looks like a figure
eight with jump rope action on each side and a non-vibrating node
point in the middle. For the third harmonic it looks like three jump
rope regions with two nodes between them. And so forth. And these
patterns all squeeze together when you play notes higher up the neck.
When one of the node points is centered over the pickup, that harmonic
won't come through. And when the vibrating region is centered over the
pickup, it'll come out in full force. For example, on a Strat the 4th
harmonic on the 5th fret on any open string creates a node right over
the neck pickup and can't be heard unless you switch to one of the
other pickups.
So the frequency response variations of a pickup due to it's placement
will be like a comb filter. It's even pretty easy to calculate:
Response = sin (pi * PickupDistanceFromBridge / VibratingStringLength)
It's the tuning of all these notches and peaks, all different for each
string, that gives us the warm sound of a neck pickup and that brash
sound in a bridge pickup.
(Folks with plotting facilities might want to do a log-log plot of the
response curve for fun. Then plot it for different pickup distances.
Then plot it for two pickups summed. Two pickups out of phase. Three
pickups. It's pretty cool, and gives you an interesting look at
what's going on. For extra credit do a 3-d plot. Ooh, aah.)
So there's nothing you can do to make a bridge pickup sound like a
neck pickup (other than playing up around the nineteenth fret where
the pickups are equal distances from the ends of the string!) The
best you could do would be to wack at it with a graphic equalizer
until you come upon something acceptably close.
-- Don
--
J. Donald Tillman
Consultant; Software Engineering, Analog Electronics
Palo Alto, California 415 327-6234
Internet: don@till.com
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: leiter@panix.com (Philip Dahl)
Newsgroups: rec.music.makers.guitar
Subject: Re: Pickup swapping tips?
Date: 18 Jan 1995 22:02:14 -0500
Organization: PANIX Public Access Internet and Unix, NYC
Lines: 12
Tim Victor (timv@well.sf.ca.us) wrote:
: Has anyone tried any sort of
: quick-disconnect system for pickups?
The quick-disconnects used for telephones come in a six-conductor
version; enough for four leads and the shield. Raido Shack has 'em. I
haven't put any in yet--I'm afraid of what it'll do to my wallet. Maybe
we can set up a standard and have a pickup exchange?
Phil Dahl
leiter@panix.com
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From phillip@flagstaff.princeton.edu Fri Jan 27 11:32:11 1995
Newsgroups: rec.music.makers.guitar,alt.guitar
Path: zip.eecs.umich.edu!newsxfer.itd.umich.edu!gatech!udel!princeton!flagstaff.princeton.edu!phillip
From: phillip@flagstaff.princeton.edu (Phillip Charles Saunders)
Subject: Re: NEW PICKUP WIRING!
Message-ID: <1995Jan27.042015.10712@Princeton.EDU>
Originator: news@hedgehog.Princeton.EDU
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References: <3g33mm$dl9@ra.lib.ucalgary.ca> <collins_jim-260195095212@130.252.1.131>
Date: Fri, 27 Jan 1995 04:20:15 GMT
Lines: 11
Xref: zip.eecs.umich.edu rec.music.makers.guitar:39720 alt.guitar:44724
I like the Feb 89 Guitar Player mod that allows you to mix the middle
pickup into the circuit to get humbucking configurations. It converts
the third tone control into a fader that mixes in the third pickup.
When this control is at 10, you get the stock tones. When its at zero,
you get humbucking configurations in the 1 and 5 position and true out
of phase sounds in the 2 and 4 positions. When the fader is in
intermediate positions, you get blended tones. A most superior
modification that uses all original parts.