diggidy

well this is the diagram I used, http://www.seymourduncan.com/support/wirin...=1h_2s_1v_2t_5w , as for the type of solder wire they used I don't know. My dad is in England on business for a week so I won't be able to ask him. He should have a multimeter, but i'll have to ask him when he gets back. so the problem is most likely a problem with the diagram or a bad solder point? Also my switch looks different than in the diagram, and really only seems that there is 5 solder points. Is that the same in the picture or do I have to do something else (get a new switch or something)

OK, so I got the pickup and the pick guard, and soldered everything like the diagram says but I have a problem. The 2 original pickups that I kept on the guitar (the singles) work fine, but the humbucker is acting wierd. First of all, I can BARELY hear the humbucker, to the point where when the singles are on it hurts my ears, and then I can't even hear the humbucker at all. I tried moving the pickup closer, and that didn't help at all. I guess I could move it even closer, but it's already closer to the string than the Single coils are. My dad took it took work and did it because he had a good soldering iron there, so I didn't see him actually solder it, but what could cause just the humbucker to be so quiet, but everything else fine. (if I put my amp up high enough I can hear it). Also there is A LOT of hum with the humbucker, the same if not more than the SC's. Is this something wrong with the pickup? If my dad used too big of a capacitor (theoretically) could that be why the humbucker is so quiet? thanks

Ok, i'm ordering the pickup tomorrow. thanks for everything. Is that pretty much how the wiring in my guitar looks like right now except for the humbucker. Do I already have the .022 capacitor? One more question about pickup positioning. I always thought that the bridge pickup is the one with the deeper tone, and the neck was the one with a "higher sound", but on my guitar the neck position has the warmest tone, and the bridge has a VERY high almost screeching sound. Could the wiring be backwards? (the fender 5 way switch goes like this right? when the switch is pointing all the way to the neck, the neck is on, and then the bridge the bridge?) I just always thought the tones were the other way around, but maybe i'm just wrong. Again thanks a lot

I'm not really concerned with custom wiring and stuff, I just wanted to add the humbucker to the bridge. Do you think that something like this would be fine, or do you think I should put in a push/pull for coil cutting, or have an auto-split. I understand what you're saying here, but because I don't have any experience with this, I think I need a full schematic. I understand the difference between coil splitting and series/parallel, but still don't fully understand the wiring part. Like I said, i'm really not concerned with having 21 different tonal options, as I really only play one or 2 on the guitar I have now. I really just want a deeper tone. I go back to school on the 2nd, and was hoping to get this done by then. Thanks

ok, I was just making sure about everything. I think i'm going to buy the pearly gates humbucker, and this wiring kit so I am able to do this . I'll probably stay with the 250k pots, since that's what is already in my guitar, and there isn't really any advantage to getting anything different. Do you think I should upgrade the capacitor or just leave the one they come with. Sorry for asking so many questions, and if i'm asking the same thing multiple times. I'm just trying to understand this electronics stuff. Is your suggestion for combining those 2 scematics the same as the one Todd suggesed but just the push-pull on the tone instead of volume? Also, Todd said that a Push/Pull may be too big to fit, is there anyway I can see if it would before ordering it? Thanks again If I don't really like how the sound from the single coils I will think about getting something different for those.

that's really interesting. When a humbucker is split, does either side sound different from one another? Like on the diagram for the humbucker, does red vs. blue sound any different. If I have this correct, the dial-a-tap shorts out the blue part of the humbucker, and you can have different levels of the coil splitting? or something like that

Ok, so between pearly gates and alcino 2, what one would you guess would give me a better blues and classic rock tone. I think i'm leaning towards the pearly gates, and possibly adding some texas specials in the middle and neck. also, http://www.wdmusic.com/fender_strat_reg_q_ssh_27676_prd1.htm , will that pickguard work for my guitar. It is a Mexican made strat, and the description only says it fits American strats and vintage strats. If any of you have bought a pick guard for a Mexican strat the you turned into a HSS, could you lead me to where you bought yours. for this schematic, http://www.seymourduncan.com/support/wirin..._2s_1v_2t_5w_pp , what is the push pull for. Is it to switch between split and parralell (I think thats what it would be) What config for the pickups would you recommend for my setup? Thanks you've all been a big help.

sounds pretty good right? Sounds a little bit heavy, but it would probably be better on a cleaner channel? I think that is the way im going to go, unless there is anything wrong with that setup?

Why does the resistance matter? I'm just looking for ideas that I can go try out, but if I can't really find any of them to try out I may have to settle for internet reviews. Is there any other humbuckers you would recommend for a HSS strat that is used for blues and classic rock stuff?

I think I found the "right" one. What do you guys think about the Dimarzio Air Zone. he best way to describe the Air Zone™ is to say it’s a vintage version of The Tone Zone®. It's got the same low string-pull as our other Airbuckers™ for singing sustain, plus it has the big bass response and cool harmonics of The Tone Zone®, with extra sensitivity and control. It's a great match for very hot amps, allowing the player to take full advantage of massive preamp gain without turning the sound to mud or fuzzy noise. It’s also a great neck pickup for jazz players who need to get the hollow-body archtop sound from a solid body, and it offers exceptionally good split and series-parallel capability. Recommended For: Bridge position primarily (see Tech Talk for neck position application) in solid body and semihollow body guitars. Tech Talk: Ultra-fat PAF® sound with more output. The dynamic range from soft to hard picking is very wide, and the combination of dual-resonance coils with the Airbucker magnetic field allows sustained notes to hang on to harmonic overtones longer, instead of becoming muddy as they fade. Will also work as a very warm, full neck pickup for jazz sound, and combine with Tone Zone®, Super Distortion® and Super 3™ in bridge position. it says it works good with those, but will it work good with other strat pickups also? It talks a lot about high gain amps and stuff, but will it be able to pull of a great blues/classic rock sound? Is this a little bit too "heavy metal" for me? output is 323 and DC resistance is 17.49. can you explain what that means, and how it would work with the other 2 pickups I'm keeping for now. Oh yeah, where do you think I should buy a HSS pickguard. I dont want to spend a ton of money on just the pickguard. and the pickup is 70$ thanks

my dad is an optical/mechanical engineer, so he makes microscope and the stuff you see on shows like CSI. the company he works for specializes in spectroscopy, so he has a lot of machines that are precise down to the .0001 of an inch. I'm pretty sure he can handle the guitar, he's been doing this stuff for many years. Also, if he has trouble he has many colleagues, and also works with many different machine shops he could get some help with. (none of the machines have oil all over them, well maybe the drill presses, but not the CNC) size neck is it designed for? thanks

Ok, so you think it would be better if I got a hum in the bridge (because i'm getting a new pickguard anyway). Do you think I should get 2 texas special in middle and neck or what? Any recommendations for the humbucker. I won't have much time tomorrow, but i'm going to try and reread for of melvin hiscocks book so I can understand electronics and things. Could you send me some wiring scematics you think I should use, and what types of things I should do for combinging them (coil splitting, parallel, 7-switch). I don't know much about electronics stuff, so I hope you can point me in the right direction so I get it right, and also learn something along the way. thanks a lot.

dude that's so cool, you're member number 9999. haha anyway I gotta go to my guitar lesson right now, so i'll post when I get back

thanks a lot

also, what would you say to putting a hum in the bridge position? any recommendation if I go with that?

so your saying that, even with the texas special pickups, I can still get a good overdrive tone with them. And yeah think that would be a great idea.

Ok, sense im building my first LP to be a zakk wylde camo, and I will be putting solid paint over it I don't need a "nice" looking piece of wood. I just need one that is easy to be shaped into the carved top, but not take away from any of the sound. I also don't need another full body blank, but don't know what kind, or how big of a piece of wood I need. and where should I buy it? thanks

I'm thinking id like a classic strat sound, with a bit of power, and maybe some clarity. If I could, I'd want to mix these 3 sounds, if possible. , , those two combined would be very nice I think, kind of like SRV. lastly, maybe a little more of a vintage blues sound. That should be good. Also, do you think I should get new pots and switches and stuff while i'm at it, and if so what ones? I'm not sure if I have 250k or 500k right now. Oh yeah, any advice on how to find a luthier/tech. I searched google a little and couldn't find anything. Are they sparse or do I think need to look a little hard? hah thanks a lot for the advice you've already given me

ok, I get what your saying. Do you know anything about the Lace sensor hot gold's, they look pretty nice but I can't get all the info I need in order to buy. you said I should make the strat more of a blues and classic rock guitar, so would you recommend anything else that hasn't been mentioned. lastly, where would you recommend getting a bone nut, and should I have a tech does it (my nut right now is getting pretty worn)

all the videos I can find on youtube are SRV, I can't find one showing the gain sounds.

Ok, I'll try to get away from the metal a bit then. How do you know how well different pickups will work together? what would you say about a hot stack in the bridge, JB in the neck, and a 59 in the middle. How do you know where to place the pickup? and what is coil splitting and parallel. is there like a basic pickup post somewhere where I can read up on it. I have build your own electric guitar by melvyn hiscock, it may be in there? anyway would the setup i posted work? if not whats wrong with it?

the texas special pups seem to be really good for blues as such, but quite bad for heavier kinds of music. Is there maybe a combo of pups you could recommend. I'm looking for a versatile set of pickups, so I can count and this guitar for alot of the blue, classic rock, and heavy metal kind of stuff.

You said you can get good SRV sound of them, but can you still get a good heavy metal tone out of them. I know they will cover the blues and classic rock stuff, but how do they do when you start getting a little "heavier". I don't know much about pickups, does the most variety of your tone come from your amp, or the pickup? thanks a lot

OK thanks for all the replies. I am looking to spend probably around 175$ for pups. I am about to start my first build (zakk wylde camo LP) so I don't want to spend a ton of money a the moment. I'll post some sounds that I like. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x6LotiAcF1w Zakk Wylde- Farewell ballad (I know they're EMGs but I really like the sound) I also like no more tears sound http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YDBIbJKjAZQ SRV- Texas Flood I like Jimmy Page's sound(s); stairway to heaven, black dog, etc. Classic Angus sound, Highway to hell, back in black slash, november rain, sweet child o mine, paradise city I play a variety of sounds/songs, from blues to classic rock to heavy metal (only the older heavy metal, none of that slipknot crap or anything). Because the guitar I am starting to build will have EMGs, I think I should stay closer to the blue and classic side, but still want to be able to get a "heavy tone". I understand these sounds are across the board, but I want the "average" of all these tones I guess. I also understand that a lot, if not most of the sound is the amp, do you think the Traynor 50 blue amp will be able to cover the sounds I'm looking for. thanks

could you possibly give me a link to the pickups you would recommend. Also, should I put the same pickups in all three spots, or get different pickups for different positions? thanks