Hastings' Wiring Mods
Here are some reader-submitted modification sent in by Hastings. Hastings hangs out over in the forums (I don't recall what user name he's using) so if you have any questions about these you should contact him there. Just put "Hey Hastings" or something in the subject and he'll probably see it.
Keep in mind that I haven't tried these but I gave the schematics a quick once over and didn't notice anything that looked like a "typo." Also keep in mind that these require a "real" Strat two-pole switch. Some inexpensive knockoffs use switches that appear to have two poles but the poles are actually internally connected - those switches will not work here.
Here is a description of the modifications in Hastings' own words...
Hi John, These are in traditional schematic form (which I at any rate find much easier to read!), but I could probably draw them up in "picture" form, if people find it easier. The first of these is a stock parts mod for wiring a Strat in series (add a couple of phase switches and you've got the same functionality as Brian May's Red Special wiring). The Second is a stock parts mod that gives my three favourite non-standard sounds (and my favourite single coil) and gives some idea of the range of possible sounds in a Strat, separate volumes for bridge and neck allow blending for the paralell position. (incidentally this can also be switched to more or less standard Strat switching using a push-pull pot but I didn't show this to stick with the stock parts aesthetic). The Third is a fader for the mid pickup which fades it in in paralell or, when the pot is pulled up, in series (it will fade in pretty quickly in series, prob in the 0-4 zone). I'm planning on incorporating something similar in the next evolution of my Strat, probably a three way tele-switch on the neck and bridge pickups with the fader bringing in the mid in series in the bridge and mixed positions, and in paralell in the neck position (no push/pull for maximum simplicity). Hope you find these interesting, I've got a whole load of mods I've designed and/or tried, but most are pretty tailored to my tastes (and the earlier ones were hideously complex and totally unpredictable!). Hastings Series-wired Strat: Favourite Sounds: Mid fader for series/paralell:
And here are the diagrams he sent...
4/9/2004 - Hastings has sent a new modification (actually, he sent it about a month ago but this is the first chance I've had to post it). He calls it his "killer mod" and for lack of a better name that's what we'll call it here. This mod uses only standard Strat switches and such. Here's what he has to say about it.
The idea is that since the Middle pickup alone (position 3) is the least popular position on the Strat it would be good to replace it with something more useful. Neck and Bridge together and in series is a very useful sound, as you know, it gives a thick, wide sound with higher output (which also helps drive the preamp into a bit of distortion). So the mod broadens out the tonal possibilities of the Strat a lot, allowing it to hold it's own against more classic rock guitars like Gibsons, but without compromising it's basic Stratiness. Best of all, it uses the existing stock Strat components (excepting capacitors which cost nothing and are easily found), and doesn't involve any complicated controls or switching conventions, just the five way selector, master volume, neck tone and bridge tone. The pot and cap values are just suggestions, I actually didn't use tone pots at all (I like 'em bright and sparky). A useful idea while implementing it is to swap the middle and bridge pickups around (assuming they're the same) so the the Neck and Bridge in series sound is hum-cancelling, the consequence of this is that Middle and Bridge in paralell (my second least favourite Strat sound) won't be hum-cancelling any more. No excuse for not shielding the guitar though. The mod is also a useful springboard for further refinements and developments. Hope you like it, let me know what you think.
