A Question for Set-Up Guys (Strat-style)

[R Anderson]

Oh Wise Ones -

 

I have 2 practically identical Fernandes Strat style guitars from the 80's. The first one is perhaps my favorite stratty-sounding guitar I have owned. When I received the second one it had a bad short in the 3-way switch. So off to a new tech for a switch replacement and a set-up.

 

The set-up feels great. Plays sweet. All the positions sound proper except for position 2 (bridge & Mid). This position sounds thinner and weaker than the other guitar.

 

My tech argues that all is right in the world. My ear tells me different.

 

The guitar in question plays well and is usable in position 2 but is definitely not the same character of sound as in the first.

 

Any ideas as to what could be happening here?

 

Thanks

R

[stormin1155]

When you run two pickups parallel (such as position 2 and 4 on a strat) the output is less than either of the pickups alone. Sorry I can't explain the science behind it, but that's the way it works, so your tech is right. As for the difference in position 2 between the guitars, I don't know. Perhaps something to do with the balance between them or the output of the pickups themselves. When two pickups are wired in series it produces a stronger signal than by themselves. This is a mod that some people do to their strats, but I highly doubt that Fernandes wired them like that stock.

[R Anderson]

Thanks Stormin!

 

A couple of additional questions (from someone whom knows nothing about this):

 

If the pickups (Brdg and Mid) were wired in series do you still get the stratty sound? I ask because the guitar I am attempting to duplicate definitely has a rich, stratty-pos 2, sound?

 

Is there any way that the new switch wiring could be creating an imbalance between the pickups with too much emphasis on the brdg (the current pos 2 sound is thin and has little bottom or depth in it)? However, the bridge by itself sounds great...

 

Thanks again to all for the expertise.

[headless]

 

Oh Wise Ones - I have 2 practically identical Fernandes Strat style guitars from the 80's. The first one is perhaps my favorite stratty-sounding guitar I have owned. When I received the second one it had a bad short in the 3-way switch....

 

 

 

You say it had "bad short in the 3-way switch"

 

If the "weak sounding" Fernandez had a three way switch (as opposed to a 5-way), then perhaps it also had the Strat's original NON reverse wound/reverse magnetic polarity (RW/RP) middle pickup.

 

This type of middle pickup, when the selector switch is placed in the "2" or "4" position causes the guitar to sound completely different than on one with the RW/RP middle pickup. The sound will be "thin and hollow".

 

 

Quote:

Make sure that you phase the pickups correctly. On old Strats, all three pickups are of the same polarity. On newer Strats (since the mid '80s) the middle pickup has reverse polarity from the other two. If both the 2 and 4 positions sound weak and thin, the polarity of the middle pickup is reversed. If only the 2 position (neck/middle) is weak and thin, the neck pickup is reversed. If only the 4 position is weak and thin, the bridge pickup is reversed.

 

From this page:

 

http://www.guitarnuts.com/wiring/stockstrat.php

 

It's pretty easy to know if you middle pickup's Magnetic Polarity is the opposite of you neck and bridge pickups--just get a magnet and see which pickups repel and which attack a given pole of your test magnet.

 

The winding test isn't much harder, but requires a volt/ohm meter with a needle display (not digital). But if your middle pickup's Magnetic Pole relationship is identical to your other two pickups, then you aren't going to get the sound you're looking for without the correct type middle pickup.

 

Covered here:

http://www.skguitar.com/SKGS/sk/repairtips.htm

 

Good luck, and let us know how it turned-out.

[Into Nation]

Might be worth looking at the pup heights between the two guitars and make sure they are the same. Probably not a first order effect, but worth checking.

[R Anderson]

Wow! Great input guys. And good catch, I did incorrectly call it a 3-way switch - it is a 5 way. Perhaps I am calling the positions backwards as well. I have been saying my problem is with position 2... The issue is with the brdg and mid pickup combined - whatever position that would be called...?

 

I will follow the suggested links and see what I can learn. Thank you!

R

[mnhhngbfs]

If the output when the two are on is really thin and nasally then your pickups are out of phase and the hot and ground on the bridge pickup need the be swapped around. It wouldn't be the middle pickup because from what you're saying the neck + middle combination sounds fine still.

 

Do you have pics?

I have the neck from a 1985 Fernandes Strat and it's easily the best strat neck I've ever played.

[headless]

 

... I did incorrectly call it a 3-way switch - it is a 5 way....

 

 

uh, nevermind.

[J-E-M]

Thanks Stormin! A couple of additional questions (from someone whom knows nothing about this): If the pickups (Brdg and Mid) were wired in series do you still get the stratty sound? I ask because the guitar I am attempting to duplicate definitely has a rich, stratty-pos 2, sound? Is there any way that the new switch wiring could be creating an imbalance between the pickups with too much emphasis on the brdg (the current pos 2 sound is thin and has little bottom or depth in it)? However, the bridge by itself sounds great... Thanks again to all for the expertise.

You'll still get that Strat quack with the two pickups wired in series, but there will be more bass and lower mid range presence; the highs will be subdued. lots of fat compared to an anorexic parallel connection.

[mnhhngbfs]

Honestly, you really don't get a lot of quack. It's a lot more like a humbucker. There is still some given the spacing of the pickups but it's no where near the same.