shake_n_stomp
Joined: Jan 09, 2014
Posts: 621
Vancouver BC
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Posted on Apr 21 2015 06:06 PM
With the addition of a toggle switch,
...one can engage Bridge+Neck pickups (1st position of std 5-way blade selector),
...and Br+Mid+Neck pickups in blade selector 2.
In the context of surf tones, anyone ever own a Strat that had this toggle switch? Were the tones particularly useful for surf?
There are enough photos, diagrams, and videos out there about the 'how/what' but not very good reference videos about the sounds.
Thanks
— Lorne
The Surf Shakers: https://www.facebook.com/TheSurfShakers
Vancouver BC Canada
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Stormtiger
Joined: Dec 12, 2006
Posts: 2687
Ventura, CA
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Posted on Apr 21 2015 06:41 PM
I have the Fralin blender mod to get B + N and yes, it's very useful to me. It gets a Strat closer to a Jaguar. In the early 70s I had a Strat with 2 mini toggles to turn on all pickups or any pair, I used the Neck + Bridge setting for all the Beach Boys covers. No one played Jaguars then. It's also closer to a Tele with both pickups on. It's nice to have the option.
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shake_n_stomp
Joined: Jan 09, 2014
Posts: 621
Vancouver BC
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Posted on Apr 21 2015 07:12 PM
Stormtiger wrote:
...It gets a Strat closer to a Jaguar...
...It's also closer to a Tele with both pickups on...
Hey, that's great. Thanks, Stormtiger. I have read few other places on los interwebz that the combination Br+Neck gives a Tele-like sound and it stands to reason the 2-single coil Jag, as well.
I realize that the mod is not difficult, especially since I assembled 2 complete Strat pickguards, but I would regret putting in the time to get the toggle, drill the hole, and solder it if it wasn't worth the trouble.
I've gone a bit overboard in the past couple of yrs with gear purchases and buying a Jag or a JM is not realistic for me now...although that Johnny Marr Jag sure looks great.
— Lorne
The Surf Shakers: https://www.facebook.com/TheSurfShakers
Vancouver BC Canada
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remora1
Joined: Jan 04, 2008
Posts: 1278
San Pedro, CA
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Posted on Apr 21 2015 07:18 PM
Our other guitarist just installed this in his Strat and he loves it -
Deluxe David Gilmour Wiring Harness 4 Fender Stratocaster Fits Strat
It was an easy mod and it adds the mini toggle. He been using B+N on a lot of our songs and it sounds great.
— Bill S._______
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shake_n_stomp
Joined: Jan 09, 2014
Posts: 621
Vancouver BC
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Posted on Apr 21 2015 07:24 PM
remora1 wrote:
Our other guitarist just installed this in his Strat and he loves it -
Deluxe David Gilmour Wiring Harness 4 Fender Stratocaster Fits Strat
It was an easy mod and it adds the mini toggle. He been using B+N on a lot of our songs and it sounds great.
That's cool...some enterprising mind pre-fabricating a wiring harness like that... that product is not used in the actual Black Strat nor the Fender Custom Shop models but that idea is cool.
— Lorne
The Surf Shakers: https://www.facebook.com/TheSurfShakers
Vancouver BC Canada
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shake_n_stomp
Joined: Jan 09, 2014
Posts: 621
Vancouver BC
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Posted on Jul 28 2015 03:28 PM
Update: this past weekend I drilled a 13/64" hole near Tone1 and Tone2 on both my Strats, installed the mini toggles, did the rather quick solder work and I am very, very happy with the Br+N combo on both. A tone comparison to Lively Ones' Surf Rider showed a pleasing approximation. Glad I did this.
For any surf nut out there that - by choice or by financial constraints - plays Strats, I wholly recommend this mod. Really, the only thing you are "ruining" is the pickguard ($40 for a Fender-branded aftermarket pickguard).
BTW, the Br+M+N is a nice option but is not a game changer.
— Lorne
The Surf Shakers: https://www.facebook.com/TheSurfShakers
Vancouver BC Canada
Last edited: Jul 28, 2015 16:20:38
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revmike
Joined: Feb 26, 2006
Posts: 3856
North Atlantic
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Posted on Jul 28 2015 03:50 PM
After hearing Evan from the Boss Martians at Surfer Joe in July, I am going ahead with this mod too. He sounded great on a Strat.
Rev
— Canadian Surf
http://www.urbansurfkings.com/
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CrashHardtop
Joined: Jun 14, 2012
Posts: 152
Meridian, Idaho
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Posted on Jul 28 2015 03:54 PM
And if you don't want to drill your pickguard I believe a push-pull or push-push pot will allow you to accomplish the same thing.
— More cowbell?? Nah...More Reverb!!
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crumble
Joined: Sep 09, 2008
Posts: 3158
Guildford England
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Posted on Jul 28 2015 04:38 PM
CrashHardtop wrote:
And if you don't want to drill your pickguard I believe a push-pull or push-push pot will allow you to accomplish the same thing.
The Fender S-1 switch?
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narciso
Joined: Mar 29, 2010
Posts: 324
Spain
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Posted on Jul 28 2015 05:25 PM
I have one stracocaster american standard I moded with a push/pull knob and I find a lack of grit when I use the neck and bridge option. Not power neither presence. The same lack of grit happens with a burns pro marquee which has the option of the neck and bridge pickups. They aré very far from the sound I can get from a tele, jaguar, yamaha sgv or whatever guitar with only two pickups with both on.
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CrashHardtop
Joined: Jun 14, 2012
Posts: 152
Meridian, Idaho
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Posted on Jul 28 2015 06:00 PM
I'm not familiar with the S-1 switch but it's probably the same thing. You can get CTS pots from Stew Mac (other suppliers too, I rekon).
http://www.stewmac.com/Pickups_and_Electronics/Components_and_Parts/Potentiometers/CTS_Push-pull_Pots_SPST.html
— More cowbell?? Nah...More Reverb!!
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crumble
Joined: Sep 09, 2008
Posts: 3158
Guildford England
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Posted on Jul 28 2015 06:45 PM
I also wired a Strat type guitar with two Japanese Jaguar pickups with disappointing results in middle position. With my Jazzmaster the sound was gloriously boosted in middle position, but one of those pickups are reverse wound, Japanese Jag pickups are not and Stratocaster Bridge/neck aren't either. Or perhaps I wired them badly.
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shake_n_stomp
Joined: Jan 09, 2014
Posts: 621
Vancouver BC
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Posted on Jul 29 2015 07:31 AM
narciso wrote:
I have one stracocaster american standard I moded with a push/pull knob and I find a lack of grit when I use the neck and bridge option. Not power neither presence. The same lack of grit happens with a burns pro marquee which has the option of the neck and bridge pickups. They aré very far from the sound I can get from a tele, jaguar, yamaha sgv or whatever guitar with only two pickups with both on.
That is strange. I was just playing a Jag last week and my Bridge+Neck combo sounds nice by comparison - as I said earlier, a nice surfy approximation. I will definitely be using this for upcoming surf gigs.
The only thing I notice is when I flip over the switch for it to be Bridge-only, there is a small volume increase - but this is fairly subtle and it likely has less to do with output volume and more about the brassy high frequencies from just running the Bridge pickup on its own.
— Lorne
The Surf Shakers: https://www.facebook.com/TheSurfShakers
Vancouver BC Canada
Last edited: Jul 29, 2015 07:32:13
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SanchoPansen
Joined: Jan 04, 2011
Posts: 1588
Berlin L-Berg
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Posted on Jul 29 2015 08:01 AM
Perfect timing. I am about to install a set of Pure Vintage '65 PUs in one of the Strats I recently bought and I was thinking about this mod. After reading your posts, I decided to skip the B+M position (no. 2 on a 5-way switch) and go for the B+N in that position instead, as I found the 2nd position quite useless so far. Quite excited to check it out.
— The Hicadoolas
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shake_n_stomp
Joined: Jan 09, 2014
Posts: 621
Vancouver BC
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Posted on Jul 29 2015 08:29 AM
SanchoPansen wrote:
Perfect timing. I am about to install a set of Pure Vintage '65 PUs in one of the Strats I recently bought and I was thinking about this mod. After reading your posts, I decided to skip the B+M position (no. 2 on a 5-way switch) and go for the B+N in that position instead, as I found the 2nd position quite useless so far. Quite excited to check it out.
I don't think I would want play a Strat that is missing the #2 (B+M) position, LOL. Sure, not a Surf tone but a signature Strat tone.
Might I suggest that if you ever decide to sell that Strat that you rewire B+M back into #2, otherwise your Strat may not be as marketable to be missing that Mark Knopfler/Dire Straits tone option
— Lorne
The Surf Shakers: https://www.facebook.com/TheSurfShakers
Vancouver BC Canada
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psychonaut
Joined: Dec 08, 2007
Posts: 1305
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Posted on Jul 29 2015 08:56 AM
By far I think the best solution for a strat is a blender pot.
It is an easily reversible mod that takes no time at all to do and is totally invisible.
It allows for every possible pickup combination.
It replaces the middle pickup tone control, so no drilling, cutting or hacking necessary.
When in position 1 (bridge) turning the blender pot will mix in any amount of neck pickup desired. When set to position 4 (neck pickup), turning the pot will mix in any amount of bridge pickup - giving you an incredible amount of tonal control.
In position 2, turning the blender pot mixes in the neck pickup with the bridge and middle, giving you all three pickups. Position 4 gives you neck,middle, and you can blend in any amount of bridge.
The neck pickup tone knob becomes universal affecting all three pickups, which solves the common strat complaint of no tone control for the bridge pickup.
All in all, I think a blender pot is an inexpensive, easy, and genius solution to strat switching.
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Last edited: Jul 29, 2015 08:59:46
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SanchoPansen
Joined: Jan 04, 2011
Posts: 1588
Berlin L-Berg
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Posted on Jul 29 2015 09:15 AM
As I only play Surf right now, skipping the 2nd position is not too bad IMO. Sure, when playing different styles, #2 is always good to have. After trying out a couple of Strats through my rig, I found #2 terrible with reverb, so I decided to skip it in favor of B+N.
It's easy to remove, so don't worry, I will have it changed back to stock in case I will sell it.
Off topic: Along my craving for Strats, I came across this: Can you guess the year?
— The Hicadoolas
Last edited: Jul 29, 2015 09:18:42
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simoncoil
Joined: Sep 28, 2012
Posts: 926
Berlin, Germany
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Posted on Jul 29 2015 09:57 AM
SanchoPansen wrote:
Perfect timing. I am about to install a set of Pure Vintage '65 PUs in one of the Strats I recently bought and I was thinking about this mod. After reading your posts, I decided to skip the B+M position (no. 2 on a 5-way switch) and go for the B+N in that position instead, as I found the 2nd position quite useless so far. Quite excited to check it out.
Is this even possible with a standard 5-way-switch?
The sunburst Strat looks killer! Did you buy it?
In addition to the options already mentioned: Dave Wronsky once told me that the Strat he used on the first Slacktone album was wired with a 5-way switch from a James Burton Tele. This way the middle PU is only used n combination with others (unless you pull a poti) and you have bridgr and neck PU on the middle position of the switch. BTW the sounds on that album sound very much like a Jag, also because the guitar was loaded with flatwounds...
— Los Apollos - cinematic surf music trio (Berlin)
"Postcards from the Scrapyard" Vol. 1, 2 & 3 NOW available on various platforms!
"Chaos at the Lobster Lounge" available as LP and download on Surf Cookie Records!
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shake_n_stomp
Joined: Jan 09, 2014
Posts: 621
Vancouver BC
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Posted on Jul 29 2015 10:27 AM
What is throwing me off a bit is the pickguard...it is a single-ply 8-hole, so that means either RI Strat with roadwear/ an original 57 or 58/ or some variation with an aftermarket single-ply. The pickguard does not appear to be aged, aside from the browning of the screw holes.
SanchoPansen wrote:
Off topic: Along my craving for Strats, I came across this: Can you guess the year?
— Lorne
The Surf Shakers: https://www.facebook.com/TheSurfShakers
Vancouver BC Canada
Last edited: Jul 29, 2015 10:31:35
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SanchoPansen
Joined: Jan 04, 2011
Posts: 1588
Berlin L-Berg
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Posted on Jul 29 2015 11:38 AM
Well, according to my tech it is possible to put B+N on the 2nd position. We'll see when I get it back.
As the Strat on the pic is a '55 all original I did not buy it (don't have 20k to spend on a guitar). But it was very generous that I had the opportunity to play it for a couple of days. While it is possibly the best guitar I've ever layed my hands on, it is also the most expensive. Is it worth the money? I don't know...
— The Hicadoolas
Last edited: Jul 29, 2015 11:40:42
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