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:
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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.
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