Tone Tips from the Road

EDUCATION CENTER PETERSTROUD TONE TIPS FROM THE ROAD tone sucker when you rolled down the most likely need to replace the 3-posi- volume control. tion toggle switch; the original switch Rewiring Magic is different in order to accommodate Over the years I’ve ended up rewiring This is a very common problem that the stock three pickup wiring. But it’s the electronics of many of my guitars. I most try to correct by placing a small worth the trouble and you can easily thought this might make a good topic value (pF) filter capacitor across the get the switch from Gibson. With the to share three of my favorite rewirings. volume pot. But that remedy usually middle pickup on its own volume, you Of course, changing out pick-ups is the screws with the taper of the volume can get any pickup combination, dras- biggest way to customize your sound, control and adds false amounts of top- tically expanding the tonal range of but there are a few significant tricks end as you drop to lower levels. The your three pickup Gibbo. you can do with the wiring itself. The ‘50s Gibson wiring is much more true additional freedom and creativity you sounding and useable. have in shaping your tone makes these 3.“The Chromacaster” – My latest mods priceless. wiring thrill is my Tonequest Strat with the Deaf Eddie’s “Chromacaster” But before you start whacking on your switch. This 6-way rotary switch allows guitar’s inards, be sure you’re adept for almost every imaginable pickup with a soldering iron and understand combination. Not only one or two or what you’re doing. Otherwise, take three pickups together (parallel), but your guitar to a proper technician tell series and out-of-phase combinations. them what you’re looking for. I’m sure There’s no need to understand the I burned up quite a few cap’s and technical aspects; tonally, just think pot’s in my early days of learning how Brian May, whose favorite tones on his to solder components. homemade guitar included out-of- phase combinations. You drop this switch on your Strat in place of one of 1.‘50s Gibson wiring – I noticed the tone controls. The addition of this that all of my ‘50s and early ‘60s “Chromacaster” switch created an Gibsons never lost tone or high-end entirely new guitar out of my Strat. It when I rolled off the volume, especial- 2.Gibson Firebird VII – Three pick- works in conjunction with the original ly the P-90 guitars, which actually get up Gibsons always came wired to the 5-way switch, so you can always a chimey, glassy tone as the volume 3-position toggle switch: bridge, default back to a typical Strat wiring or rolls off. Eventually, I discovered that bridge/middle, neck. On early-model just find a couple of your fave settings. the wiring was different from later-year three pickup Les Pauls and SGs, the Check out the website for the Gibsons and most every other guitar. middle pickup even came wound in “Chromacaster” switch and other It’s down to the relationship of the reverse phase; in other words, pretty switch variations at deaf-eddie.net. tone potentiometer (“pot”) and capaci- limited tonally for a three pick-up guitar. tor to the volume pot, and which posts Until next time, happy soldering and the hot leads are connected to. I have I simply converted the tone knob for RAWK ON! included this wiring diagram, and now the front neck pickup to be the vol- use it for most every guitar I own, ume control for the middle pickup. except for my Strats and stock Teles. The neck pickup has its volume con- Peter Stroud plays with Sheryl Crow and However, I did use it with incredible trol with no tone (I rarely use the tone is co-founder of 65amps results on my mid-‘70s Tele Custom knob on a front p-up anyway) and the (4-knob config with humbucker pickup rear has volume and tone. Pretty www.sherylcrow.com in the front), which was a complete straightforward, except that you will www.65amps.com 16 MUSICIANS HOTLINE DECEMBER 2006.

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