I searched the net prior to trying this,and read a bunch of posts saying it would sound TOO dark,muddy,awful,ect
I decided to use some old single coils and wire them up as humbuckers anyway,using series parallel switching for the newly made humbucker.
I used a wiring diagram called "full boat"
Anyway,glad I didnt believe what I read online,in HB mode its sounds fantastic close to my Epi burstbucker.
In parallel mode it has that single coil chime and brightness w/o the noise.
This was using old ceramic SC's from my old Squire(1991)
The Alnico's from an old Ibanez Strat clone didnt have enough bark,but I think the magnets are weak since these pups are from late 80's
Ive since rewound one ceramic and one Alnico,both from bridge positions in the original axes,each got 1000 extra turns by hand and have been potted,
I'll post back if this gets the sound I want,since the guitar is still apart.
Point being 2 x SC's wired as a humbucker,actually sounds really,really good,and does a way better single coil sound when split/run parallel...
using two SC's for a HB
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deltafred
- Opamp Operator
Didn't PRS do just this with 5 SCs (or is my memory playing tricks on me again), called the 5/13 or something like that?
13 being the number of switching options.
13 being the number of switching options.
Politics is the art of so plucking the goose as to obtain the most feathers with the least squawking. - R.G. 2011
Jeez, she's an ugly bastard, she makes my socks hurt. I hope it's no ones missus here. - Ice-9 2012
Jeez, she's an ugly bastard, she makes my socks hurt. I hope it's no ones missus here. - Ice-9 2012
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karul
- Cap Cooler
Seymor duncan used to have PU like that... maybe still does, I'll have to check..
You'll have to pay attention to magnet polarity and coils winding direction to achieve hum canceling.
You'll have to pay attention to magnet polarity and coils winding direction to achieve hum canceling.
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phatt
- Transistor Tuner
- HB sound from stock Fender Strat
You only need to break the ground path of the Bridge PU and add the switch.
My mini toggle is mounted just above the original 5way so that my thumb/fingers can flick both at once.
I've had quite a few local players ask me to do the simple mod. Always a big hit
If your Strat has the reversed middle PU then it's as close to a HB as you can get and way less complicated as you can run into a whole pile of issues when trying to find a HB that matches the other two SC's. BTDT many times..By implementing the existing PU's does help to keep a balance between all positions.
Phil.
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bajaman
- Old Solderhand
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great idea Phil - this makes the bridge position pickup either stock single coil or increased output humbucker - very nice mod, I must give it a try 
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-
phatt
- Transistor Tuner
Hey Bajaman,
Yes you got it in one. 
Position of switch can be a trick but I ended up with this position as there is just enough real estate on the pickboard that allows easy access.
As you can see by the picture the mounting is right next to position 4 of the 5 way switch this I find ideal. (pos 5 being Bridge PU)
You could use a push pull pot switch but this is much faster to operate in real time. (I never liked PP pots, too slow for me)
enjoy, Phil.
Yes you got it in one.
Position of switch can be a trick but I ended up with this position as there is just enough real estate on the pickboard that allows easy access.
As you can see by the picture the mounting is right next to position 4 of the 5 way switch this I find ideal. (pos 5 being Bridge PU)
You could use a push pull pot switch but this is much faster to operate in real time. (I never liked PP pots, too slow for me)
enjoy, Phil.- Attachments
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- Series/Parra Switch
Its done,GFS locking sperzel style tuners,graphite saddles,switching is (neck) phase for each coil on slides ,parallel/series on PP volume pot,w treble bleed.
(bridge)coil tapping between stock and overwound values (for both coils) on slide,bottom coil phase on slide,parallel/series on PP volume pot w treble bleed.
Homemade aluminum diamond plate jack plate, access hole for battery (planning a pre amp in future possibly)
I like it the phase switches allow for nice tones,the coil winding tap changes the dominate sound between the alnico coil and the ceramic coil in the bridge.
It was a Squier serial # dates it 91 ,it was bought new in 95 though,they said it was an older korean model better than the newer chinese ones...
The two neck coils are mounted on a piece of copper clad to make it one unit,the bridge coils are mounted as two single coils so I can adjust the height seperatly if I want.
I had to pop the alnico pole pieces and flip them over to make them the right polarity to work with the ceramic magnet coil.
I see NO reason not to use two single coils to make your own humbuckers,they do work better with a small space between them so the magnetic feilds dont overlap as much,at least that was what worked best for me.
(bridge)coil tapping between stock and overwound values (for both coils) on slide,bottom coil phase on slide,parallel/series on PP volume pot w treble bleed.
Homemade aluminum diamond plate jack plate, access hole for battery (planning a pre amp in future possibly)
I like it the phase switches allow for nice tones,the coil winding tap changes the dominate sound between the alnico coil and the ceramic coil in the bridge.
It was a Squier serial # dates it 91 ,it was bought new in 95 though,they said it was an older korean model better than the newer chinese ones...
The two neck coils are mounted on a piece of copper clad to make it one unit,the bridge coils are mounted as two single coils so I can adjust the height seperatly if I want.
I had to pop the alnico pole pieces and flip them over to make them the right polarity to work with the ceramic magnet coil.
I see NO reason not to use two single coils to make your own humbuckers,they do work better with a small space between them so the magnetic feilds dont overlap as much,at least that was what worked best for me.
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Oh yeah ,i potted the overwound coils myself in parafin wax it works well for potting pickups
,and another shot of the 3 wire SC's or 6 wire HB (however you look at it)
On one coil I ran the magnetic wire through the wire hole,on the other I cut a slot and ran the magnetic wire in the slot then the wire is wrapped around the lead wire several times soldered and hot glued in place,that worked really well.
I really want to make my own now with taps for 6K and then 9K for vintage and hot sounds from the same coil.
The 1000 extra wraps I added increased each PU by 600R,so in hindsight it should have been 2000 extra wraps but IDK if there would have been enough room.
EDIT: I forgot to mention the tremelo is blocked,I used a weight from something and wedged it in back of the trem block,the weight is fairly heavy it made a noticable difference in the total weight of the guitar,the trem block also extends past the back of the body.
I only have the spring in there so the bridge is grounded,I used a quick connect so the pick guard and electronics can be completely removed.
I sanded 3 layers of lamination off the top and two off the back,the body alternated between rosewood ( I think and whatever wood you see now)
All in all the thing is LIGHT ! It probably weighs 6 pounds if that,its like nothing compared to my LP...
Because of the height difference I used a 1/4 peice of birch for the pickguard,it now has the pool route (was SSH) and the control side is also routed making it a hollowbody on that side.
I also had to slightly shim the neck after I raised the bridge with a piece of Oak so the saddles would sit high enough,learned a lot on this build thats for sure.
,and another shot of the 3 wire SC's or 6 wire HB (however you look at it)
On one coil I ran the magnetic wire through the wire hole,on the other I cut a slot and ran the magnetic wire in the slot then the wire is wrapped around the lead wire several times soldered and hot glued in place,that worked really well.
I really want to make my own now with taps for 6K and then 9K for vintage and hot sounds from the same coil.
The 1000 extra wraps I added increased each PU by 600R,so in hindsight it should have been 2000 extra wraps but IDK if there would have been enough room.
EDIT: I forgot to mention the tremelo is blocked,I used a weight from something and wedged it in back of the trem block,the weight is fairly heavy it made a noticable difference in the total weight of the guitar,the trem block also extends past the back of the body.
I only have the spring in there so the bridge is grounded,I used a quick connect so the pick guard and electronics can be completely removed.
I sanded 3 layers of lamination off the top and two off the back,the body alternated between rosewood ( I think and whatever wood you see now)
All in all the thing is LIGHT ! It probably weighs 6 pounds if that,its like nothing compared to my LP...
Because of the height difference I used a 1/4 peice of birch for the pickguard,it now has the pool route (was SSH) and the control side is also routed making it a hollowbody on that side.
I also had to slightly shim the neck after I raised the bridge with a piece of Oak so the saddles would sit high enough,learned a lot on this build thats for sure.
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I finally got some time to play my new creation for an extended session,and I really like it!
The bridge PU's sound great extra Strat twangy clean and very nice through a TS808 clone.
The neck PU's sound really nice too,very warm and clean and in parallel mode super SC chime w/o noise.In fact I was worried about not using shielded wire.
Especially since I didnt shield the inside of the guitar,I simply used Elmer's school glue and put some aluminum foil on the back of the pickguard.
But there is no noise problems at all.
By playing with the phasing of the neck and bridge I can get a really cool AM radio effect,perfect for the begining of "wish you were here"
So I can self phase the neck or bridge or phase/out of phase the bridge vs neck.
My only complaint is the frets are a little low,it could use a set of new frets,but I almost threw the whole thing away before because the frets were so worn it was un playable,and the body was covered with decals I didnt want the kids to see,and the stock tuners were SHOT.As a result it sat in its gig bag in the back of my closet the last 9 years.
I re leveled and polished the frets first before sanding the body,ect,so its playable,nice action no buzz,I would just prefer some new jumbo frets,and that will come next since I really like the sounds I am getting with the new pick up arrangement and wiring.
The bridge PU's sound great extra Strat twangy clean and very nice through a TS808 clone.
The neck PU's sound really nice too,very warm and clean and in parallel mode super SC chime w/o noise.In fact I was worried about not using shielded wire.
Especially since I didnt shield the inside of the guitar,I simply used Elmer's school glue and put some aluminum foil on the back of the pickguard.
But there is no noise problems at all.
By playing with the phasing of the neck and bridge I can get a really cool AM radio effect,perfect for the begining of "wish you were here"
So I can self phase the neck or bridge or phase/out of phase the bridge vs neck.
My only complaint is the frets are a little low,it could use a set of new frets,but I almost threw the whole thing away before because the frets were so worn it was un playable,and the body was covered with decals I didnt want the kids to see,and the stock tuners were SHOT.As a result it sat in its gig bag in the back of my closet the last 9 years.
I re leveled and polished the frets first before sanding the body,ect,so its playable,nice action no buzz,I would just prefer some new jumbo frets,and that will come next since I really like the sounds I am getting with the new pick up arrangement and wiring.