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strat-style wiring for the electrically challenged . . . a little help?

Posted by Kevin Sprague (Knotlenny) on December 11, 2010 at 7:49pm in Building Secrets, Tips, Advice, Discussion

Dear Abby,

 . . . so I wires up my stogiecaster (hybrid cigar box guitar with strat components), and I get this annoying problem . . . .  

I took special care to shield the inside of the cavity and used the "star grounding" technique.  Every thing is great - EXCEPT:  I can only get a signal when the three way pickup selector switch is IN BETWEEN one of the three selector positions.

Anybody got any idea what the heck I did wrong?

Signed,

Mr. In-Between

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Replies

  • David L. December 12, 2010 at 2:36pm

     

    I have wired a few strats and found 2 main types of 5 way switches - one as per Seymour Duncan http://www.seymourduncan.com/support/wiring-diagrams/schematics.php...

    and one as per Artecsound wiring diagram on page 10 http://www.artecsound.com/wiring/wiring_book01.pdf 

    I have also come across some others in a box of spares I bought which I couldn't work out what was going on.

    Have you got a photo of the wired switch you can post?

  • Kevin Sprague (Knotlenny) December 12, 2010 at 2:07pm

    I'm pretty sure the switch is good, because I already changed that.

  • Outhouse Instruments December 11, 2010 at 10:04pm

    Bad switch?

     

    AFKAM

  • Don Thompson December 11, 2010 at 10:01pm

    I used a diagram like my link for wiring mine. I'm sure there are many out there on the net. I don't remember a jumper but I can look at mine. So if you tap on a pickup with small piece of steel can you tell which pickup it is? I'm sure others here have much experience with the five way than I but I'll do what I can.

    Don

    this diagram looks closer to what I used......sorry it's been a few years.

    http://www.fender.com/support/diagrams/pdf_temp1/stratocaster/01000...

    Knotlenny said:

    I'm sorry, Don - you are indeed correct.  I meant to say 5- position, not 3.  I have to kinda ease the switch into a kinda halfway in between one of the  positions to get it to work.  I'm flummoxed.

    Don Thompson said:

    Ok, I'm confused, I have a goofy strat clone whatever I built and I used a five position switch. Neck, Neck and Middle, Middle,Middle and Bridge, Bridge. Sorry, I can't be of more help but it sounds like your connections are wrong to the switch if it is a five way. Maybe you need some jumper wires at the switch. That's my guess.

    http://www.electric-guitar-info.com/five-way-switch.html

    Don

     

  • Kevin Sprague (Knotlenny) December 11, 2010 at 9:49pm

    I'm sorry, Don - you are indeed correct.  I meant to say 5- position, not 3.  I have to kinda ease the switch into a kinda halfway in between one of the  positions to get it to work.  I'm flummoxed.

    Don Thompson said:

    Ok, I'm confused, I have a goofy strat clone whatever I built and I used a five position switch. Neck, Neck and Middle, Middle,Middle and Bridge, Bridge. Sorry, I can't be of more help but it sounds like your connections are wrong to the switch if it is a five way. Maybe you need some jumper wires at the switch. That's my guess.

    http://www.electric-guitar-info.com/five-way-switch.html

    Don

     

  • Don Thompson December 11, 2010 at 9:19pm

    Ok, I'm confused, I have a goofy strat clone whatever I built and I used a five position switch. Neck, Neck and Middle, Middle,Middle and Bridge, Bridge. Sorry, I can't be of more help but it sounds like your connections are wrong to the switch if it is a five way. Maybe you need some jumper wires at the switch. That's my guess.

    http://www.electric-guitar-info.com/five-way-switch.html

    Don

     

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