Strat wiring mods, assistance please

munckee

Before buying some new pickups I thought I'd have a go at 50's wiring and changing the 2nd tone to the bridge.  Haven't opened it up yet so assuming its wired as it originally was what wires do I need to add/remove/move?

Assistance as usual gratefully received!

ICBM

Like this:



And also connect the unused terminal between the red and green wires to the next one with the black wire the other side of the red wire (tone on both middle and bridge) or simply move the black wire to the unused terminal (tone on bridge only).

munckee

Thanks @ICBM ;  opened it up and realised it had a rubbish switch which doesn't match the diagram, I think I will wait and change the switch and wiring when i change pickups.

Lebarque

I've tried 50's wiring in a strat and it just didn't sound right to me. I much prefer a treble bypass cap and resistor.

ICBM

Lebarque said:

I've tried 50's wiring in a strat and it just didn't sound right to me. I much prefer a treble bypass cap and resistor.

Same here.

It's also worth remembering that real 50s Strats were wired the normal way, with the tone controls on the pickup side of the volume control... and they sound quite good.

Funkfingers

munckee said:

opened it up and realised it had a rubbish switch ...

Makes me wonder how "rubbish" the other control components might be? On what make/model are you working?

munckee said:

... which doesn't match the diagram

ICBM has (very wisely) posted a schematic diagram for a CRL switch.

It is simple enough to translate the diagram for the eight-contacts-in-a-line PCB switches but the cheap ones do not stay reliable for very long. 

ICBM said:

It's also worth remembering that real 50s Strats were wired the normal way, with the tone controls on the pickup side of the volume control... and they sound quite good.

Master of understatement. 

munckee

Funkfingers said:

munckee said:

opened it up and realised it had a rubbish switch ...

Makes me wonder how "rubbish" the other control components might be? On what make/model are you working?

munckee said:

... which doesn't match the diagram

ICBM has (very wisely) posted a schematic diagram for a CRL switch.

It is simple enough to translate the diagram for the eight-contacts-in-a-line PCB switches but the cheap ones do not stay reliable for very long. 

ICBM said:

It's also worth remembering that real 50s Strats were wired the normal way, with the tone controls on the pickup side of the volume control... and they sound quite good.

Master of understatement. 

Its an 86 MIJ Fender, the previous owner changed the pots but appears to have left everything else stock.  I think I will gut it later this year and get all new electrics and pick ups.