Guitar Tricks
By Dan Torres
A "Series" switch added to a strat for a "lead guitar boost"
with no batteries or any other jazz needed.
Ok, this trick uses a standard Strat 3 or 5 way switch, and you don't
have to make any changes to the rest of the wiring (Volume, tone etc.)
This will work with any of the Torres Wiring harnesses,
BLUESKASTER, BLUESKASTER DELUXE, VINTAGEKASTER, BLENDKASTER
etc.
The theory of series wiring is that the ground wire of one pickup has
to be connected to the hot wire of the other pickup. they become a
"compound pickup." One ground and one hot for both.
The ground of the bridge pickup is on the toggle
switch. in one position (down towards the bottom of the drawing) it is
grounded - stock, working like normal.
The middle pickup has its hot wire on the toggle switch. In the same
position (down) it is connected to the strat switch - again, standard.
With the toggle in the other position, the ground of the bridge pickup
is "lifted" - no longer connected to ground. It is connected to the hot
of the middle pickup, which is disconnected from the strat toggle
switch. The jumper across the top of the dpdt toggle makes the
connection.
The neck pickup is wired exactly the same as standard.
When in series the pickups impedance (resistance) adds together and the
output is VERY high. If the middle pickup is a RWRP (reverse wound,
reverse polarity) you will have a humbucking pickup with a greater
distance between the two coils than a Gibson pickup. This will have
less phase cancellation than a Gibson, a wider frequency response and
an entirely new tone. Give it a try!