Question On Strat Wiring...

[obblitt]

Is position 2 and 4 series or parallel in stock strat wiring? Which one is thicker, parallel right?

[psw]

Parallel pickups in a strat and most typical guitars with both pickups on...a humbuckers coils are in series. Series can often be trickier and require a bit more switching power sometimes to avoid dead spots as the wiring needs to be arranged so that pickups daisy chain into one another so when one is cut out, it often leaves the selected one unconnected.

Series wiring adds the pickups together giving a bit more power (but nothing like twice as loud or anything) and often a bassy sound.

Positions 2 and 4 are often referred to as "out of phase"...this is kind of true, they are wired in phase but this effect is caused by the phase differences created by sampling the string vibration at different points on the string and cancellation and reinforcment effects. Interestingly, reversing the phase of the middle pickup can give a coll HB like sound or reverse of the effect but unfortunately usually results in the loss of the noise canceling effect of the rwrp middle pickup...

pete

[dugg]

Putting single coil strat pickups in series definitely makes them sound much fatter. Because you're adding the resistance of each pickup together, the output is louder and fatter. It also gives some of the creamy compressed quality you hear in humbucking pickups. Wiring pickups in parallel halves their impedence, which gives a lower output and brighter tone.