PDA

View Full Version : Tone Pot Wiring



stoneattic
August 14th, 2008, 11:29 AM
I went ahead and ordered a new trem and figured while I had the strings off I'd like to make a wiring change. I'd like the middle knob to control tone for both bridge and neck pups and the bottom knob to control just the middle pup. My logic here is that since the neck and bridge are never on at the same time they could share a pot .

Has anyone done this particular wiring set up before? I've been looking around and have found lots of alternate wiring, but so far not this setup.

marnold
August 14th, 2008, 12:12 PM
It is my understanding that American Standard Strats have the middle and bridge pups sharing a tone control. You can see the wiring diagram here (http://www.fender.com/support/diagrams/pdf_temp1/stratocaster/0107400_02C/SD0107400_02CPg2.pdf). Check out the "top" part of the switch as it appears in that diagram. Basically, it just connects the lugs for the middle and bridge pickups together. It would be the same situation for you, just connect the lugs for the neck and bridge pickups together. Piece o' cake.

Bloozcat
August 14th, 2008, 12:17 PM
I went ahead and ordered a new trem and figured while I had the strings off I'd like to make a wiring change. I'd like the middle knob to control tone for both bridge and neck pups and the bottom knob to control just the middle pup. My logic here is that since the neck and bridge are never on at the same time they could share a pot .

Has anyone done this particular wiring set up before? I've been looking around and have found lots of alternate wiring, but so far not this setup.

Look at the diagram listed below:
http://www.guitarnuts.com/wiring/simplebtone.gif
Note the solder lugs on the lower, or tone, side of the switch. The first one on the left is for the neck pickup, the one next to it on the right is for the middle, and the one to the right of the middle where the red cap in the picture is attached, is the bridge tone lug. It's just a matter of moving the other end of the wire to the tone pot that you wish to use for the pickup that that particular lug is responsible for. Once you've done that, then all you have to do is to "bridge" from the neck tone lug on the switch, to the bridge tone lug on the switch. You create this "bridge" by simply soldering a piece of wire from one lug to the other.

To my way of thinking, I'd use the bottom tone control for the bridge and neck, and the middle knob (tone) for the middle. Since I rarely use the tone control on the neck pickup, I rather have the lower tone control mainly for the bridge pickup, and the middle knob (tone pot) for the middle pickup. It just seems more logical an order to me, but you need to do it as it suits you.

Personally, I just dispense with the tone control on the middle pickup all together and use the lower tone control for the bridge and the other one for the neck. I really like the sound of the middle pickup without any tone pot attached, so it works for me. I never had much use for the middle pickup except in conjunction with the bridge or neck pickups, but now I use the middle all the time.

ShortBuSX
August 14th, 2008, 05:23 PM
Personally, I just dispense with the tone control on the middle pickup all together and use the lower tone control for the bridge and the other one for the neck. I really like the sound of the middle pickup without any tone pot attached, so it works for me. I never had much use for the middle pickup except in conjunction with the bride or neck pickups, but now I use the middle all the time.

StoneAttic, I was contemplating the same thing only 2 weeks ago, these guys convenced me to do the above mentioned...and it works great!
If you notice your middle tone now, I think youll find it almost dimed anyways...just move the tones wire to the empty lug ad then slightly lower the pup height on the middle pup.
Works so great Im gonna do this to my other Strat next string change.

stoneattic
August 15th, 2008, 07:28 PM
Thanks guys. Good suggestions but I think I'm going to do my original plan. For some reason having one pup not having a tone control just seems wrong. :)

I just wanted to be sure there would be no problems with the pups loading each other or any thing weird like that before I did it.

Bloozcat, I thought for a while as to which tone knob I wanted doing what and I'm still not sure. I'm leaning towards the middle on doing the neck and bridge since it's quicker to reach and they are the pups I use most.

stoneattic
August 21st, 2008, 07:24 PM
This is my current wiring: http://www.fender.com/support/diagrams/pdf_temp1/stratocaster/0134600_02D/SD0134600_02DPg2.pdf

So if I follow, I just need to jump from the empty lug to the lug that the middle pot is connected to (same side at the lower right)? Should I change/add/subtract any caps? Change values?

Thanks!

ShortBuSX
August 21st, 2008, 08:41 PM
Nope, just the jumper...that pic with the cap shown, its not necisarry, just use a jumper.
But Id still urge you to do the Jimmy Vaughan, simplify it...the middle sounds great without a tone pot.

stoneattic
August 25th, 2008, 11:26 AM
I added the jumper to put the bridge pup on the first tone knob and I'm quite happy. The bridge pup is finally useful to me. :)

You guys got me thinking about the no tone control middle pup so I'm thinking about going to no-load pots. Any thoughts/experience?