WaimeaBay
Joined: Jul 05, 2006
Posts: 969
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Posted on Jan 14 2016 08:30 PM
I was wondering what people use for their pickup configuration on strictly Strat guitars for both lead and rhythm.
For whatever reason, I like the way the middle pickup sounds best for lead. Often, people who don't play surf scoff at the middle position. The bridge position sounds just to0 thin for me. On my AVRI strat I never even installed the 5-way selector. On my my American STD I still use the middle pickup for lead, and then the neck/middle fused for rhythm.
I am just wondering what you guys prefer.
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stratdancer
Joined: Dec 11, 2013
Posts: 2537
Akron, Ohio
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Posted on Jan 14 2016 08:40 PM
Bridge for more aggressive drive tones. Middle for more trad tone and neck/bridge blended for variations of brightness and borderline jag tones. Base plates on bridge pups help get more punch and low end grunt.
— The Kahuna Kings
https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Kahuna-Kings/459752090818447
https://thekahunakings.bandcamp.com/releases
Last edited: Jan 14, 2016 20:41:24
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palo
Joined: Apr 23, 2012
Posts: 421
fresno california u.s.a.
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Posted on Jan 14 2016 09:56 PM
For me it depends on the song for example's
sleepwalk = neck
surf rider = middle pickup.
early beatles john lennon = bridge&middle
alot of surf songs = bridge or middle.
if you wan't kind of an acoustic sound use the in between selectors.
slow songs usually neck like sixteen candles type songs.
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evL
Joined: Oct 13, 2015
Posts: 85
Crab Key
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Posted on Jan 14 2016 10:09 PM
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Last edited: Mar 11, 2016 10:16:11
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palo
Joined: Apr 23, 2012
Posts: 421
fresno california u.s.a.
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Posted on Jan 14 2016 10:33 PM
on apache i like to use the bridge so
whatever sounds good for your style and song is good.
lot of people are different so experiment with it.
even if the original artist uses a certain pickup
you can use a different one to suit you.
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stratdancer
Joined: Dec 11, 2013
Posts: 2537
Akron, Ohio
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Posted on Jan 15 2016 04:51 AM
evL wrote:
Ya Waimea, on my American Standard I find myself in the middle as well. I like the sound/tone. And if I'm not there, like you, it's neck/middle.
Curious to what you said Strat, neck/bridge,? That's a mod I'm thinking? That would be nice to check out...
The blender pot is a very easy wiring mod. I've done this to two of my main surf strats. You need either a no-load pot or just make one out of an existing pot by taking the pot apart and scratching out the end of the trace. There are videos of that on youtube. The blender gives a whole new dimension to the sounds a strat can make. Where I used to use the middle position I now use the blended position much of the time. The mod costs nothing and gives you jag/jazzmaster tones.
— The Kahuna Kings
https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Kahuna-Kings/459752090818447
https://thekahunakings.bandcamp.com/releases
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TommytheCat
Joined: Oct 24, 2015
Posts: 22
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Posted on Jan 15 2016 05:49 AM
I use a 62 AVRI with stock pickups, and replaced the 5 way with a 3 way. I also rewired the middle tone control to work both the middle and bridge pickups. Like Palo, for me it depends on what the tune demands as to what pick up gets used. The neck position probably gets used the least.
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Badger
Joined: Nov 16, 2013
Posts: 4537
Wisconsin
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Posted on Jan 15 2016 05:59 AM
I have an AVRI65, 3-way switch. (It came with the 5-way & before walking out I told the shop to swap the included 3-way in it that was in the case.)
Pretty much with stratdancer. The bridge is used for songs that clearly call for it; driving stuff, often some traditional stuff, as well as stuff that is picked closer to the neck with vibrato arm in hand (Shadows, Rautalanka stuff). It has its own tone control.
Some really mellow stuff gets the neck pickup, picked further back which works for stuff with tremelo turned on, particularly lower strings.
All that said, the middle is my most used pickup. It's the most melodical (or whatever) and I use it ALOT. It's also, for me, THE pickup for rhythm. Breathy & articulate. If it only had 1 pickup this would be where I'd have it.
So much of how they're used depends on sound-in-head --> adjust pickup selection and controls as needed.
— Wes
SoCal ex-pat with a snow shovel
DISCLAIMER: The above is opinion/suggestion only & should not be used for mission planning/navigation, tweaking of instruments, beverage selection, or wardrobe choices.
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slopoke
Joined: Dec 24, 2013
Posts: 145
Maribor
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Posted on Jan 15 2016 01:25 PM
I use the middle pickup most of the time with the tone wide open. I have a Harmonic Design STP (tele-style pickup) in the bridge and find that with the amp set for best tone with the neck and middle pickups, the STP is too shrill unless I dial back the tone to about 5 or 6.
I rewired the 5-position switch so that the neck and middle pickups share a tone (which is wide open all the time) and the bridge has its own tone for twangy leads down low on the E and A strings.
— https://striciizozadja.bandcamp.com/
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shake_n_stomp
Joined: Jan 09, 2014
Posts: 621
Vancouver BC
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Posted on Jan 15 2016 02:24 PM
The bridge+neck pickup configuration that I access using a mini-toggle I installed is a brilliant addition to the stock Strat sounds.
The articulation and brightness of the bridge p/u along with the woodier sounding rich sound of the neck pickup.
Being able to dial-off the ice-pick of the bridge by having a tone knob assigned to it is also very useful.
Prior to doing this bridge+neck mod, I too used the middle pickup a lot more. Now used very little.
— Lorne
The Surf Shakers: https://www.facebook.com/TheSurfShakers
Vancouver BC Canada
Last edited: Jan 15, 2016 14:25:27
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evL
Joined: Oct 13, 2015
Posts: 85
Crab Key
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Posted on Jan 15 2016 08:55 PM
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Last edited: Mar 11, 2016 10:17:50
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stratdancer
Joined: Dec 11, 2013
Posts: 2537
Akron, Ohio
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Posted on Jan 16 2016 05:22 AM
evL wrote:
Hey StratDancer thanks for that! Very kind of you. After I posted I went looking into my Strat Mods files thinking maybe I forgot I had it. Sure enough I didn't have that mod, now I do. Another thing to do after this damn pending shoulder surgery.
With Shake's opinion above of, "a brilliant addition to the stock Strat sounds", it seems to be a trick to try out. Goovey!
It's a "must have" mod for strat in my opinion. You loose nothing by doing it and basically incorporate another guitar into your existing strat. By using a blender pot instead of a switch you can mix so many levels of tone. I did this when I wanted to eliminate my jag from my lineup. Some of the music I had recorded was with a jag but I really only want to play stratocasters. The mod got me much closer to that "jag" top end brilliance and low end grunt. As someone mentioned, once I did this I found I used the blend more than the middle pup for more traditional surf tones. It's just got that extra little oomph to it!
— The Kahuna Kings
https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Kahuna-Kings/459752090818447
https://thekahunakings.bandcamp.com/releases
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remora1
Joined: Jan 04, 2008
Posts: 1278
San Pedro, CA
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Posted on Jan 16 2016 09:20 AM
For more on Strat bridge/neck switching mods, there's shake n stomp's fine thread HERE.
— Bill S._______
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IvanP
Joined: Feb 27, 2006
Posts: 10331
southern Michigan
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Posted on Jan 16 2016 06:07 PM
My two cents: I like the straight 3-way switch, and have no interest in installing that mod. Good enough for Leo, Hank, Dick, Jim and Theo, Ritchie B., good enough for me. (Not telling anyone NOT to do it, I'm sure it's a nice sound and increases the flexibility of the guitar. Just expressing my own preference.)
For the past 10 years or so I've probably used the middle pickup about 50% of the time, with the neck pickups about 30-40% and the bridge the least. But in the Cossacks I used the bridge probably 75%+ of the time, and never used the middle pickup. Today I enjoy all three pickups, and use my ears for what is suitable when. I agree with Wes that the neck pickup is really nice for the mellow stuff, but I've used it for really aggressive stuff a couple of times, too (Wreak Havoc, The Saracen).
Never could get on with the combined-pickup settings, they just don't sound right to me when I use them. Other people get amazing sounds from them, but not me.
— Ivan
Lords of Atlantis on Facebook
The Madeira Official Website
The Madeira on Facebook
The Blair-Pongracic Band on Facebook
The Space Cossacks on Facebook
The Madeira Channel on YouTube
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stratdancer
Joined: Dec 11, 2013
Posts: 2537
Akron, Ohio
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Posted on Jan 16 2016 06:25 PM
I agree on the out of phase 2nd and 4th positions when it comes to surf. Great Knopfler sounds and Steve Miller for sure but not so much in surf. I use my blender where the neck gets about 2/3rds and the bridge obviously 1/3rd. It's like taking the middle position and making it a little brighter and meatier. Anyone with 6 or 7 strats like use should have at least one wired with a blender!!!
— The Kahuna Kings
https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Kahuna-Kings/459752090818447
https://thekahunakings.bandcamp.com/releases
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IvanP
Joined: Feb 27, 2006
Posts: 10331
southern Michigan
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Posted on Jan 16 2016 09:44 PM
stratdancer wrote:
I agree on the out of phase 2nd and 4th positions when it comes to surf. Great Knopfler sounds and Steve Miller for sure but not so much in surf.
David, actually Jim Messina's sound was completely the middle/neck setting, which was also apparently used live by DD back then though he hadn't recorded with it until the '70s (I think? Though maybe he did on Banzai Washout?). Since then he's used it quite a lot - that's the big extra switch on his pickguard under the pickups, it immediately selects the middle/neck combination. So, it has been used to great effect in surf music - but I just can't seem to do it! It doesn't sound right when I try. That's all I was saying.
I use my blender where the neck gets about 2/3rds and the bridge obviously 1/3rd. It's like taking the middle position and making it a little brighter and meatier.
Hmm, my middle pickups already sound plenty bright and meaty! 
Anyone with 6 or 7 strats like use should have at least one wired with a blender!!!
Nah, I'm a traditionalist.
— Ivan
Lords of Atlantis on Facebook
The Madeira Official Website
The Madeira on Facebook
The Blair-Pongracic Band on Facebook
The Space Cossacks on Facebook
The Madeira Channel on YouTube
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stratdancer
Joined: Dec 11, 2013
Posts: 2537
Akron, Ohio
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Posted on Jan 17 2016 05:05 AM
IvanP wrote:
stratdancer wrote:
I agree on the out of phase 2nd and 4th positions when it comes to surf. Great Knopfler sounds and Steve Miller for sure but not so much in surf.
David, actually Jim Messina's sound was completely the middle/neck setting, which was also apparently used live by DD back then though he hadn't recorded with it until the '70s (I think? Though maybe he did on Banzai Washout?). Since then he's used it quite a lot - that's the big extra switch on his pickguard under the pickups, it immediately selects the middle/neck combination. So, it has been used to great effect in surf music - but I just can't seem to do it! It doesn't sound right when I try. That's all I was saying.
I use my blender where the neck gets about 2/3rds and the bridge obviously 1/3rd. It's like taking the middle position and making it a little brighter and meatier.
Hmm, my middle pickups already sound plenty bright and meaty!
Anyone with 6 or 7 strats like use should have at least one wired with a blender!!!
Nah, I'm a traditionalist.
I had reservations about making any comments but at the time I was enjoying some fermented grape :-D. I'm a little embarrassed that I made the suggestion. Next I'll be trying to explain economics to you 
— The Kahuna Kings
https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Kahuna-Kings/459752090818447
https://thekahunakings.bandcamp.com/releases
Last edited: Jan 17, 2016 05:06:33
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IvanP
Joined: Feb 27, 2006
Posts: 10331
southern Michigan
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Posted on Jan 17 2016 08:39 AM
stratdancer wrote:
I had reservations about making any comments but at the time I was enjoying some fermented grape :-D. I'm a little embarrassed that I made the suggestion. Next I'll be trying to explain economics to you
You should definitely not be embarrassed about making suggestions to me, but you SHOULD be embarrassed for violating your Strats by trying to make them sound like a Jag!! 
— Ivan
Lords of Atlantis on Facebook
The Madeira Official Website
The Madeira on Facebook
The Blair-Pongracic Band on Facebook
The Space Cossacks on Facebook
The Madeira Channel on YouTube
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DannySnyder
Joined: Mar 02, 2006
Posts: 11076
Berkeley, CA
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Posted on Jan 17 2016 09:24 AM
Well, I love my neck + bridge mod on my strat, I'm using it 75% of the time.
— Danny Snyder
"With great reverb comes great responsibility" - Uncle Leo
I am now playing trumpet with Prince Buster tribute band 'Balzac'
Playing keys and guitar with Combo Tezeta
Formerly a guitarist in The TomorrowMen and Meshugga Beach Party
Latest surf project - Now That's What I Call SURF
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plexi69
Joined: Oct 25, 2014
Posts: 66
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Posted on Jan 17 2016 03:35 PM
Can anyone tell me where to find the Dick Dale wiring schematic that Fender actually uses in their custom shop DD models? I have found several schematics, none were Fender factory and each was different. Thanks.
— HEY THERE, HI THERE, HO THERE !!!!
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