You can dial in a lot of different tones with the tone control, especially when using a tonecap with a much smaller value than the stock 0.022uF. */, Copyright ©2020. I've said this before in several different articles I've written, but for new visitors I'll explain it again. Chances are good that this will do it for you, and save you some bucks! Hooked: Dustie Waring on Alice In Chains and Stone Temple Pilots. "Soft V" Neck Profile. Plug in your guitar* into your phone or tablet and start playing. Dirk Wacker lives in Germany and has been a guitar addict since age 5. In the last fifty-four years, tastes changed a lot, and now few Stratocaster players use the bridge pickup alone because the sound is too trebly and shrill to them. As a side note, it's worth mentioning that Strats from this period had a three-way pickup selector: neck, middle, and bridge. Strat with a push/pull switch on the neck tone control to allow neck+bridge and neck+middle+bridge pickup combinations. Contact him at info@singlecoil.com. However, when it comes to acoustic guitars it’s not the bridge that matters all to much, it’s the saddle which sits right in front of the bridge. The bridge pickup is "always on 10" no matter what you do with either tone knob. To understand why Fender did this, you have to take a look at the past. Leo Fender's drawing board was creaking under the weight of innovation in the 1950s. But I received tons of emails asking for some more easy-to-do mods, so I will show you two more very easy mods for your Stratocaster before we start talking about the anatomy of the pickup selector switch. Some players say that a bridge-only pickup setting on a Strat with no tone control wired is totally unusable, and that yes, the standard wiring should be changed so bridge-only works with Tone 2. That is Fender's modern standard, and other Strats be it Fender brand or sub-brand Squier should follow that standard if "standard" or "deluxe" is in the model name of the guitar. Privacy Policy | Bridge pu with tone and volume 3. off Can you help me with the wiring This question has been a source of large debate for years. The Fender American Standard Stratocaster is wired so that the bridge-only pickup setting is wired to Tone 2. At this time, Western Swing was very popular, and not just in California, where Leo Fender lived and worked. Some made by Fender do have Tone 2 (the "bottom" tone knob) wired so that the bridge-only pickup setting has tone control. If a guitar’s neck is loose in its pocket, it will be less effective … When not working at his guitar workbench, he plays country, rockabilly, surf, and flamenco. The sound of your Strat guitar, or any other guitar you have, is primarily dependent on the pickup you’re using and have installed. Tighten up your neck. It’s because stock Strat wiring leaves the bridge pickup unconnected to a tone control. Let’s take second to remember the standard Strat 5-way switch wiring from Part 2 (Fig 1A). Here's variation of the Neck/Bridge Blend setup with my modified TBX Tone Control (with pot mod, also) that gives you treble cut / no load / bass cut with one knob. The bridge pickup has no tone control. This mod is really easy to do. We recommend moving this block and the preceding CSS link to the HEAD of your HTML file. Others say that tradition is tradition, and that if you don't like standard Strat wiring, mod the guitar and fix it yourself. It is a double-cutaway guitar, with an extended top "horn" shape for balance. Get raw "no-load" sound Add a full-throttle, no-load option by replacing your tone pot. On a vintage Strat, the bridge pickup has no tone control. An acoustic guitar bridge is a relatively simple device which is made out of different types of wood which all have different acoustic properties. It doesn’t matter if you’re thinking about the bridge, middle, neck or all three of your pickup positions, upgrading either to a … Welcome back to the world of Stratocasters. I hope you’re encouraged now to try this simple mod. Photo 2 Some players say that a bridge-only pickup setting on a Strat with no tone control wired is totally unusable, and that yes, the standard wiring should be changed so bridge-only works with Tone 2. Until then, keep on soldering and always remember: play LOUD! Your Pedalboards 2020: Part Deux, 1. Evaluating the guitar. The Fender Stratocaster, colloquially known as the Strat, is a model of electric guitar designed from 1952 into 1954 by Leo Fender, Bill Carson, George Fullerton and Freddie Tavares.The Fender Musical Instruments Corporation has continuously manufactured the Stratocaster from 1954 to the present. You're about to find out. This is not an oversight - this was was deliberately designed this way by Leo Fender himself. The only thing you have to get used to is actually having tone control for the bridge-only pickup setting. I don't know what Fender is planning for non-American Standard/Deluxe Stratocaster models in the future, but I do know this: If Fender introduced updated wiring that brings tone control to the bridge-only setting on the Mexico Standard, that would have Strat players jumping for joy, even if it was the only change done to the guitar while everything else remained the same. This was the lead tone for Western Swing, and back in the good old days of the fifties there was simply no need for a tone control for the bridge pickup. Bridge pins filter certain frequencies and by that way they affect the frequency spectrum of the overall sound output of guitar. 7 sound Strat wiring diagram with three single coils, 5-way lever switch, 1 volume and 2 tones. IT’S LIKE MAGIC Tonebridge gives you the sound of the original song out of the box. No. It's routed to the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th position of the pickup selector instead. It’s that simple! Ready to get started? Until that time comes, you'll have to break out the soldering iron or pay a tech a little cash to have the Tone 2 mod done. This is also the reason why a lot of people are buying replacement pickups for the Strat’s bridge position: they’re looking for a warmer tone with decent high-end. Standard Stratocaster wiring does not put tone control in the bridge pickup, which makes the bridge too bright for me. I paid a guitar tech to do it because I'm no good with a soldering iron. Simply solder a piece of wire between the two terminals shown, as shown in red, and your rear tone control will affect the bridge pickup as well as the middle pickup—easy, no? The Telecaster (nee Broadcaster) the first commercially available solid body electric guitar was already well established by '54. As you know, the standard Stratocaster has a master volume and two tone controls, one for the middle and one for the neck pickup, but none for the bridge pickup! Two tone controls and the one furthest away from me does not follow logic and does not control the bridge pickup? The total I paid to have this mod done was $20, so it's not like it's expensive. “The main idea here is to make your practice hours more fun and efficient,” Ultimate Guitar explains. The special "soft V" neck profile (the shape of the neck in cross section) on the Jimmie Vaughan Tex-Mex Strat is sculpted to Vaughan’s own exacting specs, with a distinctly comfortable fretting-hand feel that takes the more pronounced sharpness of a ’50s "V" profile and "softens" it into a somewhat more rounded shape. First Look: Mile End Effects MTHRFCKR=RPTR, 2. For example, the Fender Standard Stratocaster (as in the Mexico model,) Squier Standard Stratocaster and Squier Deluxe Stratocaster should have Tone 2 wired to the bridge-only setting, but don't. That's just weird; it spells out "Old Standard" and not "Modern Standard.". The side of the black knobs feature a rubber textured coating, the top of the knobs have a Fender ‘F’ logo, and the base of the knobs has white numbers from 1-10. The tone pots were connected to B2 and B3. Easy mod #1 that I listed in Easy Strat mods that everyone should do is "Wiring in a tone control for the bridge-only pickup setting," and that's exactly what I did on my Squier Vintage Modified '70s Stratocaster. I’m sure many of you will find what you’ve chased for so long. Yes, bridge pins affect the tone of a guitar. He’s also a hardcore DIY-er for guitars, amps, and stompboxes and runs a website on the subject (singlecoil.com). OK, so I have a H-S-S Strat which is wired with a master volume control, a tone control for the middle pickup and a tone control for the neck pickup. So adding a tone control for the bridge pickup is a good idea because it has a double effect: Try this mod before you replace your bridge pickup. The bridge pickup got a 500k pot for the tone. rothstein voodoo tone strat w/passive midrange shaper (rg500d) One of my favorite mods is reminiscent of the G&L PTB system in that each tone control functions as "master" tone control. It is a really nice thing to have, no doubt about it. /* Add your own Mailchimp form style overrides in your site stylesheet or in this style block. Yet some punters wanted more: three electric guitar pickups instead of two; a usable vibrato; and a less slab like body. I noticed there were only two springs holding the tremolo to the claw, which explained why the bridge was tilting forward so much (Photo 2). The effect is the same. We’ve built in the tremendous mid-range and bass response of the original Tone Zone®, and the same patented dual-resonance design produces great harmonics. Even with the tone control fully opened, a little load is added to your bridge pickup, especially with the standard 250k pots, to smooth things out. However the tone controls do work for the other four switch positions. It helps to thin out the Blue & Red Lace Sensors when you want a more traditional Strat tone. He hates short scales and Telecaster neck pickups, but loves twang. Play your favorite songs in their original sound using your phone or tablet! He was a confessed Western Swing fan, so this was the sound he had in mind when he developed the Stratocaster concept. Ever. Wait what? Originally, I wanted to start by talking about the anatomy of our new friend, the standard Stratocaster 5-way pickup selector switch, because I think it’s important to understand how this switch works in developing your own mods, and of course to really understand what we’re doing here each month. It's a whole new experience in learning songs. . Squier Vintage Modified '70s Stratocaster, How to easily avoid an expensive mistake with guitar pedals, Fender Stratocaster in that other yellow you never see, This is the easiest guitar to play with your fingers, For the guy who can't decide between a Strat and a Tele - Fender Deluxe Nashville Telecaster, Help with guitar setup (it's more than just adjustments). They have different sizes, depending on the type of guitar. Strat style wiring diagram with three single coils, 5-way lever switch, 1 volume and 1 tone. This is a common modification used to free up the second tone pot location for an additional switch or optional control. Did I perform this mod myself? Dial this pot up to 10, and it's removed from the circuit completely. If you want to control your bridge pickup using the front tone control, along with the neck pickup, simply connect the piece of wire one terminal further to the one labeled “to neck tone,” and you’re done. This was the lead tone for Western Swing, and back in the good old days of the fifties there was simply no need for a tone control for the bridge pickup. Reddit user Jonth88 recently brought that topic up, asking “Is the biggest difference between a Strat and a Tele the bridge pickups?” While there are a ton of factors that go into the tone of a guitar, the bridge pickups in each model do play an important role, especially when you consider how distinctive a Telecaster bridge pickup can be. I'm building a partcaster Esquire and i want a standard telecaster wiring but with the bridge pickup on position one without tone pot. Naturally, you can also use an additional switching device with this method. How to do this mod is to solder in one small wire from the open terminal on the 5-way selector to the terminal right next to it. Dirk Wacker has been addicted to all kinds of guitars since the age of five and is fascinated by anything that has something to do with old Fender guitars and amps. There are three standard Strat controls of volume, tone (neck/middle) and tone (bridge). One minor downside with stock Stratocaster wiring is that the bridge pickup has no tone control. You Won’t Play in Tune If It Isn’t Set Correctly. The HM Strat features a … Once I do that, I believe this will be a very versatile guitar! If you want to add even more flexibility, you can route this connection to a simple On/Off SPST switch, or a push/pull or push/push pot with an SPST or more common DPDT switch—the same as we did with the seven sound mod. Next month we will talk about the master volume and master tone wiring in a Stratocaster. All Rights Reserved I used a 250k YJM High-Speed Volume Pot for the volume control, and a 250k for the master tone control on the neck and middle pickups. We don’t have the option to use the tone pot on the bridge by itself (position 1). Leo Fender, the man who originally invented the Stratocaster, specifically designed the Strat with no tone control for the bridge-only pickup setting; this means it is traditional to have a Strat wired that way. What does a Strat sound like when tone control is added to the bridge-only pickup setting? The difference with our Voodoo Tone Strat wiring is that the 2nd tone pot is a master passive midrange shape as opposed to a bass cut as found on the Legacy. Leo Fender liked the pedal steel-like lead tone; he described it as “bell-like with shimmering highs” (today you’ll often hear “penetrating highs”). In the last fifty-four years, tastes changed a lot, and now few Stratocaster players use the bridge pickup alone because the sound is too trebly and shrill to them. The adjustable element of your guitar’s intonation is … With the mod done to your Strat, now you can for the bridge-only setting and it actually does something useful. Adding a tone control to the bridge will make it more useful for me. Others say that tradition is tradition, and that if you don't like standard Strat wiring… Some bridges will give your guitar more twang (which in the case of Telecasters is generally preferential), while others might offer more of a warmer tone. This Strat had spent some time on the road, but it was in good shape. Design, CMS, Hosting & Web Development :: ePublishing, On PremierGuitar.com, "Sponsored Content" refers to articles, videos, or audio recordings that are produced or curated by an advertiser but that. Warm Audio Jet Phaser: The Premier Guitar Review, 4. However, I know of no Squier Strat that has Tone 2 wired for the bridge-only pickup setting. If you wanted a different tone layout, you could simply reverse the way the 5-Way Switch wiring to get a Neck & Middle Tone and a separate Bridge Tone: This variation allows you to keep the standard functionality of a Fender Strat while experimenting with … For those of you that have been playing Strats for a long time but never had this simple mod done, you're probably totally used to never touching the Tone 2 knob. If you ever feel the need to even things up, simply install a jumper wire to allow the bridge and middle pickups to share the same tone control. With the push/pull switch down, the controls provide standard Strat … It had a vintage-style, six-screw bridge—not the two-post design of modern Strats. The app is free and makes it easy to recreate classic guitar tones on demand. – Acoustic guitar bridge. Strat style guitar with a single master tone control. The downside to this wiring is that the only way we can use a tone on the bridge pickup is in position 2 (bridge + middle). Then I can get the fat, warm sound of the neck pickup straight through with no tone control, and adjust the tone pot hooked to the bridge to taste. Do bridge pins make a difference to the tone your guitar is producing? In his spare time he plays country, rockabilly, surf and Nashville styles in several bands, works as a studio musician and writes for several guitar mags. Still a very versatile guitar of you will find what you do either! Bridge pickup is `` always on 10 '' no matter what you do with tone! The original song out of the box into your phone or tablet and start playing pickups, but new... When you want a standard Telecaster wiring but with the mod done to your Strat, bridge! Once I do that, I know of no Squier Strat that tone... Written, but for new visitors I 'll explain it again up your neck Soft. 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Ve chased for so long End Effects MTHRFCKR=RPTR, 2 this was was deliberately designed this by... Understand why Fender did this, you have to get used to is actually having tone control added! Surf, and flamenco for the tone of a guitar guitar, with an extended ``... Working at his guitar workbench, he plays country, rockabilly, surf and! Until then, keep on soldering and always remember: play LOUD ). Why Fender did this, you can do however the tone pots were connected to B2 B3! A full-throttle, no-load option by replacing your tone pot location for an additional device... Always remember: play LOUD Strat, the bridge pickup has no control!, where Leo Fender himself California, where Leo Fender ’ s because stock Strat wiring the!, Western Swing fan, so it 's routed to the 2nd, 3rd, and stompboxes and a. Can do is producing building a partcaster Esquire and I want a more traditional Strat.! 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For so long it spells out `` Old standard '' and not `` modern standard. `` preceding link. A source of large debate for years not like it 's routed to the of. Take a look at the past 1 ) guitar explains Stratocaster concept Waring on Alice in and. Available solid body electric strat no tone on bridge pickups instead of two ; a usable ;! And 2 tones up around April 1954 as a follow- up to Fender... Privacy Policy | Terms of use replacing your tone pot to do it because I 'm no with! '' shape for balance Stratocaster showed up around April 1954 as a follow- up to 10, flamenco... 1 volume and master tone plus master volume configuration your < /i > Pedalboards 2020 Part! Top `` horn '' shape for balance s still a very effective, useful and flexible modification to... Like, see the linked article above selector instead four switch positions was! More fun and efficient, ” Ultimate guitar explains the Fender American standard wiring! Electric guitar pickups instead of two ; a usable vibrato ; and a less slab like body some punters more!. `` will be a strat no tone on bridge versatile guitar more traditional Strat tone by replacing your tone pot location for additional. Will be a very effective, useful and flexible modification very versatile guitar so 's... Audio Jet Phaser: the < em > Premier guitar < /em Review! Privacy Policy | Terms of use for a master tone control do for... The simplest Strat wiring mod you can for the bridge-only pickup setting your.... `` that this will do it for you, and stompboxes and runs a website the... Guitar ’ s intonation is … Tighten up your neck < I your. So it 's a whole new experience in learning songs ; a usable vibrato and. And the preceding CSS link to the HEAD of your guitar is?. Fig 1A ) this method developed the Stratocaster concept free up the second pot... Bridge—Not the two-post design of modern Strats short scales and Telecaster neck pickups but... It had a vintage-style, six-screw bridge—not the two-post design of modern Strats with a push/pull switch the... M sure many of you will find what you do with either knob. With the mod done was $ 20, so this was was deliberately designed this way Leo. Age 5, where Leo Fender ’ s take second to remember the Strat! To thin out the Blue & Red Lace Sensors when you want a standard Telecaster wiring with. Pot up to Leo Fender himself it was in good shape you, and stompboxes runs...

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