How Do Capacitors Work For Single Coils And H'Buckers?

[rednefceleb]

I've got a bright R. Cray lead pup to tame. The cap is a .022 mfd. I'm considering a push-pull pot or Varitone Rotary. I want to keep the Strat lead sound. A few good online sources with diagrams would help a lot. I enjoy doing electronic work but need to step up a little. Thanks...

 

[ReWind James]

Could you clarify a bit, please?

We're talking about a Strat with a typical Strat single coil in the bridge that you want to tame the treble of, right? ...but I'm guessing you don't want to alter the treble of the other two pickups and that's the catch?

I'm not sure how the Varitone or push/pull fits into this.

 

[garybaldy]

For me the bridge pickup on a strat on its' own has always been a problem. But when combined with the middle the sound is wonderful. Messing with the bridge pup destroys that combination. My simplistic mind tells me the bridge pup needs to be a different pup on its' own but the stock untamed one in combination with the middle. Is that possible? Maybe something like an SD P-Rails?

 

[ReWind James]

Oh, I think I'm seeing what you are after now. A P-Rails won't actually sound like a traditional Strat pickup, though. Might be a cool sound, but an entirely different animal.

You COULD integrate some extra resistance in series or some capacitance in parallel to make it warmer sounding, but only in the "bridge alone" position, leaving the "bridge/middle" position unchanged, if you use one of the "Super Switches" that has the extra wafer.

https://www.stewmac.com/How-To/Onli...nd_Electronics_and_Wiring/Super_SwitchI1.html

Or just find a bridge pickup that's a fatter and warmer sound. It'll still sound thin and quacky when combined with the middle in a Strat. That's just the nature of Strat pickups/wiring.

Of course, there's always the option to just have a tone control wired up to the bridge pickup and roll that tone back when you are on the "bridge alone" position. That's a free mod.

 

[rednefceleb]

Could you clarify a bit, please?

We're talking about a Strat with a typical Strat single coil in the bridge that you want to tame the treble of, right? ...but I'm guessing you don't want to alter the treble of the other two pickups and that's the catch?

I'm not sure how the Varitone or push/pull fits into this.

Yeah, thanks. Yes, it's an S/S/S/ situation with a pickup that I'm not happy with. It's becoming easy to see to drop in a different pup. Do you have a PAF pickup website?

 

[rednefceleb]

For me the bridge pickup on a strat on its' own has always been a problem. But when combined with the middle the sound is wonderful. Messing with the bridge pup destroys that combination. My simplistic mind tells me the bridge pup needs to be a different pup on its' own but the stock untamed one in combination with the middle. Is that possible? Maybe something like an SD P-Rails?

Yeah, the mid and lead pups are a great sound in this set. It gets that Robert Cray solo sound. It seems that he lives pretty much in pos. 2 or 4. These are my favorite Strat spots. You mentioned the S. Duncan 'rails'. I'm thinklin' that this month I buy a Duncan rails to check one out. <If> it would get that position 4 <mid & lead pup> sound, so much the better. There's an '80's Jap/Fender Strat <red> on Reverb that's loaded with Duncan H'buckers for under $500. I'll be eating 'Top Ramen> all month if I stretch out to buy it. It's a model 357-V just like mine. I hope that your group is doin' well. I remember your group photos. Rock On....

 

[edro]

I'd try an overwound bridge. Might take the highs down and fatten up the rest. It'll still squawk in 2&4...

With humbuckers, I prefer low output, PAF flavor.

Teles and Skrats, hot.

Tele bridge, overwound as hell...

 

[rednefceleb]

Oh, I think I'm seeing what you are after now. A P-Rails won't actually sound like a traditional Strat pickup, though. Might be a cool sound, but an entirely different animal.

You COULD integrate some extra resistance in series or some capacitance in parallel to make it warmer sounding, but only in the "bridge alone" position, leaving the "bridge/middle" position unchanged, if you use one of the "Super Switches" that has the extra wafer.

https://www.stewmac.com/How-To/Onli...nd_Electronics_and_Wiring/Super_SwitchI1.html

Or just find a bridge pickup that's a fatter and warmer sound. It'll still sound thin and quacky when combined with the middle in a Strat. That's just the nature of Strat pickups/wiring.

Of course, there's always the option to just have a tone control wired up to the bridge pickup and roll that tone back when you are on the "bridge alone" position. That's a free mod.

Good Advice. I might just get one of my pedals in the chain, and hit it when I go to position 5. A pre adjusted pedal. I do have a S. Duncan pup booster <supposed to be 25 db, but I'm not sure of that>. Am still working on my pedal chain priorities. My 'go to amp' is my Peavey Classic 30 watt 1x12 and today I've brought out my Bugera 5 watt class A 8". I 'll run my delay thru that. Got to buy a compressor. It would tighten up that Bugera. Make that <2> compressors. Can you mix Lace Sensors with passive single coils? The Red or <Dual Red> would fill the bill. Lotsa help here....way better than Google.

 

[rednefceleb]

Good Advice. I might just get one of my pedals in the chain, and hit it when I go to position 5. A pre adjusted pedal. I do have a S. Duncan pup booster <supposed to be 25 db, but I'm not sure of that>. Am still working on my pedal chain priorities. My 'go to amp' is my Peavey Classic 30 watt 1x12 and today I've brought out my Bugera 5 watt class A 8". I 'll run my delay thru that. Got to buy a compressor. It would tighten up that Bugera. Make that <2> compressors. Can you mix Lace Sensors with passive single coils? The Red or <Dual Red> would fill the bill. Lotsa help here....way better than Google.

 

[rednefceleb]

I'd try an overwound bridge. Might take the highs down and fatten up the rest. It'll still squawk in 2&4...

With humbuckers, I prefer low output, PAF flavor.

Teles and Skrats, hot.

Tele bridge, overwound as hell...

Your comment reminds of the guitars that Sonny Landrith plays. A Strat Hard Tail with 2 singles and a Tele tailpiece/pickup making it happen. When he plays slide <which is a lot> man those highs come out since he's basically playin' a Telecaster. It would be fun to build one. Mr. Joe.

 

[garybaldy]

Yeah, the mid and lead pups are a great sound in this set. It gets that Robert Cray solo sound. It seems that he lives pretty much in pos. 2 or 4. These are my favorite Strat spots. You mentioned the S. Duncan 'rails'. I'm thinklin' that this month I buy a Duncan rails to check one out. <If> it would get that position 4 <mid & lead pup> sound, so much the better. There's an '80's Jap/Fender Strat <red> on Reverb that's loaded with Duncan H'buckers for under $500. I'll be eating 'Top Ramen> all month if I stretch out to buy it. It's a model 357-V just like mine. I hope that your group is doin' well. I remember your group photos. Rock On....

I meant 'like' a P rails only in as much as it seems to be two distinct pickups in one. What I had in mind probably doesn't exist (yet!).
Thanks for your comment about my band. We seem to be getting cancellations quicker than new gigs at the moment. It's ticking along OK tho thanks.

 

[charlie chitlins]

Did you try wiring the bridge pickup to the tone control?

 

[rednefceleb]

I meant 'like' a P rails only in as much as it seems to be two distinct pickups in one. What I had in mind probably doesn't exist (yet!).
Thanks for your comment about my band. We seem to be getting cancellations quicker than new gigs at the moment. It's ticking along OK tho thanks.

GaryBaldy...I recall when I was playing 'casuals' and didn't have a 'sit-down gig' if I wrote down the date and $ amount on my calendar it would get cancelled. If I just kept it in my head or whatever, the gig always came thru...<twilight zone> "when the bullet hits the bone". If I had a group that was gigging today, I would for sure play 'Golden EarRing' songs. Their recordings were absolutely fine! There's no shame in playing covers mixed with your own songs. AeroSmith-'S.T.P.' Red Hot Chili Peppers and so many others. One of my real favorites is Gary Clark Jr. Not to mention Derek Trucks and Susan Tedeshki <I can't - spell that> and you can't go wrong with Traffic and all of the Stevie Winwood...This makes me want to do a group one more time...Oh, P.Floyd & their family...etc. etc. Music is great! I actually forgot what we were talkin' about...nothing new there! Back to subject...I don't think a pickup exists that can be a mini-humbucker and then replicate a Strat S. Coil. I better call Seymour and ask him what's up??