Pick-up wiring question - Strat Eric Clapton edition

[mdesbiens]

I just purchased replacement pick-ups for my Startocaster, Eric Clapton edition.
SCH-1n Cool Rails (neck)
SVR-1n Vintage Rails (middle)
SCH-1b Cool Rails (bridge)
I looked at many wiring diagrams on this site and tried 2 of them. The bridge pick-up volume is correct. The middle, that should be boosted, does not have the expected result (low volume). The neck one seems to have a lower volume than it should, but better than the middle one.
What wiring diagram should I use to get the right results with the middle and neck pick-ups?
Thanks,
Michel

[scottish]

not to be a real ******....but you should have drawn out the way it was wired before you changed it, lol. i think you would have more luck digging up the original fender diagram and then finding out what color on the SD pups corresponds to what on the stock fender pups or lace sensors depending on what year you have.

i dont really know how the clapton circuit is wired up so i cant help you out there. i know there isnt a SD diagram provided specifically for the clapton boost circuit though

[mdesbiens]

I wrote down the original circuitry. The original Lance Sensor have 3 wires and the SD have 4 wires. Based on the documentation the Vintage wiring seems to be different from the Cool Rails (neck and bridge).

[prophetofthor]

its always nice to have the original/factory wiring to look at, but not crucial. you should be able to use a good diagram.

here is another diagram to ponder

http://www.guitarelectronics.com/product/WDUSSS5L1202

and i think fender has one up on their site.

never fails to dumb it down (no offense to anyone, because i'm the village idiot in my book).

basically what you are doing is sending positive wires from the 3 pickups into the switch. then the ground goes to ,,,, a ground. thats it. and of course as always, red+white together, black to the switch (+) and green to the ground (-). also make sure you put the bare or wrapping to the ground as well. more pickup and less noise the better.

unless you got ambitious and decided to to go crazy with single coil cuts and series/parallel switches, should be just like a standard stat. curious how that sounds when you're done. i would of gone with the classic stack +'s or some weak output hum free strat set. adding mid range to cool rails might be overboard.

good luck

[prophetofthor]

oh yea!

lace has 3 wires because one the wires is a phase reverse. the sensors have a dummy coil, but are not true humbuckers. some weirdos on this planet like a single coil outa phase so i think that is why lace did that. so you could use a switch or something and not make the dummy coil go wacko.

so clear that outa the brain. lace 3 wire doesnt matter.

what matters is the green and the black seymour duncan wires.

[mdesbiens]

Thanks for your input. I have a better understanding of the wiring.

In my actual configuration, I used the information that came with the Vintage pick-up that is not very clear. The proposed wiring is different from the cool rails.

I will try the new configuration this week-end and let you know about the result and the sound that comes up.

I'm trying to get a sound closed to the Joe Walsh solo in Steamroller blues by James Taylor on the guitar festival CD and the audio test for the pick-ups os the SD site. I may be on the wrong track, but I'm trying. The bridge cool rails is already working well. I also have to fing the right amp setup.

[prophetofthor]

one more thing . . .. .

i could be wrong, but,

i believe the vintage rails suggest what is called a "vintage wiring" which is fancy code for parallel wiring.

traditional humbuckers use series wiring for a thick sound.

series vs parallel ::

i think of series like a mac truck. the truck is pulling the tractor and the tractor is pushing the truck. basic physics so the truck can haul a lot of weight. power! like a good ole les paul. the truck and trailer are "in series" and tied together.

parallel is like ups trucks side by side. can carry some, but not as much as the mac truck. more delicate. its gonna carry the lighter stuff.

i had a set of vintage rails along time ago. it was ice pick treble to me. with the clapton tbx you can have extra treble if you need it. i would recommend the vintage rails in series. its made to sound "delicate" in series and will not drop a lot in volume vs a cool rail.

[mdesbiens]

Thanks for the advice and pointing me in the right direction. I read more about the subject and your suggestion to install the Vintage in series should be the best choice for the type of results I expect.

After trying the new configuration, I will come back with the results.

[mdesbiens]

I changed the configuration of the SVR-1 from parallel to serial connexion. There is more punch to the sound, but the volume is about the same, less than the bridge. The bridge and neck Cool Rails were already serial.

The Cool Rails bridge is great

The next time, I will try to exchange the middle SVR-1n with the SCH-1n. I think the Vintage is the right pick-up to install on that special circuitry of teh Strat EC.