[cmc64]

Now to bore you all with yet another ramble.....

I've done my homework - absorbed an immense amount of info from this site (and thanks to everyone who has chimed in along the way - you guys are great!!) and I just about have the $$ needed to mod my Strat. My amp has come quite a ways (and while it will be replaced at some point with either a Mesa Mark x head -> 2x12 E-120 cab or an SMS -> McIntosh -> E-120 cab) at this point in the process I want to fix up the axe. So I think I know what I am going to do but if anyone has any suggestions or clarifications I am all ears.

2005 Fender Lite-Ash Strat to start. I have a few but that one is by far my favorite so it's headed to the O.R. The tone range I am chasing is Fall 1977 -> Spring 1980. Now I realize that covers some ground but I think I have come up with a solution that will get me more or less in that range and keep me happy. I am going to follow the basic Wolf wiring setup but along with the OBEL and the Alembic Blaster I am going to add in Wald's UGB with a toggle switch so I can use one, the other or go passive if so desired (I spoke with a guitar builder who floats around here and he has done this so it should not be an issue). Put in a gain pot for the Blaster for easier adjustment on-the-fly and that's that.

Finally, the pickups. DiMarzio, of course, starting with the SDS-1 in the neck position. But the humbuckers for the middle and bridge - I am stuck on this one. Dual Sounds or Super 2's? I know JG switched from one to the other in '81 or '82 and I was under the impression that DiMarzio replaced the Dual Sounds with the Super 2 (but could easily be wrong) but since they seem to have them available.... So I am hung up on that one.

I know this has been covered but just so I don't have to hunt through pages and pages (I know, lazy, lazy....) when I put in my coil-tap switches do I want the north or south pickup in each humbucker to be hot? I just don't remember.

Thanks for listening/reading and have at it boys. :thumbs up:

[Scarlet]

Hi

The Dual Sound and Super 2 are two different pickups with different dc resistance, tonal qualities etc (Super 2 is brighter).
Maybe you are getting confused between Super Distortion & Dual Sound: A Dual Sound is the same pickup as a Super Distortion, but with the option to coil tap it.
For the coil taps I believe you want the active coil to be the one nearest the neck of the guitar on each pickup.
Good luck with your mods

[cmc64]

Hi

The Dual Sound and Super 2 are two different pickups with different dc resistance, tonal qualities etc (Super 2 is brighter).
Maybe you are getting confused between Super Distortion & Dual Sound: A Dual Sound is the same pickup as a Super Distortion, but with the option to coil tap it.
For the coil taps I believe you want the active coil to be the one nearest the neck of the guitar on each pickup.
Good luck with your mods

Aha! That's what I was missing. I knew there was something but I couldn't quite place it. Thanks so much!!

[Coldshotblues]

Let us know how it comes out! I just did the same with all the info I absorbed from everybody here as well. I went for the alligator sound with my build and it came out great I love it!

[cmc64]

Let us know how it comes out! I just did the same with all the info I absorbed from everybody here as well. I went for the alligator sound with my build and it came out great I love it!

I'll bet it sounds fantastic! Did you set it up with the Blaster/UGB/passive option or just go with one of the two? And which pickups did you use? Thanks!!!

[tigerstrat]

fwiw, "Super Distortions" are 4-wire splittable pups, the exact same pup as "Dual Sounds", but iirc, the latter is sold with a mini-toggle.

[jeffm725]

fwiw, "Super Distortions" are 4-wire splittable pups, the exact same pup as "Dual Sounds", but iirc, the latter is sold with a mini-toggle.

You are right, and them throwing a toggle in is really the ONLY distinction these days. The confusion comes because originally the first Super Distortions were 2 Conductor pickups. They came out with Dual sounds as a 4 wire version of the SD. Then they decided to pretty much offer all their Humbuckers as 4 wire including the original SD.So the current SD's and Dual sounds are redundant. as I understand it

[cmc64]

fwiw, "Super Distortions" are 4-wire splittable pups, the exact same pup as "Dual Sounds", but iirc, the latter is sold with a mini-toggle.

You are right, and them throwing a toggle in is really the ONLY distinction these days. The confusion comes because originally the first Super Distortions were 2 Conductor pickups. They came out with Dual sounds as a 4 wire version of the SD. Then they decided to pretty much offer all their Humbuckers as 4 wire including the original SD.So the current SD's and Dual sounds are redundant. as I understand it

Well, in that case, as I seem to be after the tonal range of Fall 1977 -> Spring 1980 which were Dual Sounds (but I do want the coil tap option) - should I go with the 4-wire Dual Sound (or SD's) instead of the Super 2's?

[Smolder]

fwiw, "Super Distortions" are 4-wire splittable pups, the exact same pup as "Dual Sounds", but iirc, the latter is sold with a mini-toggle.

You are right, and them throwing a toggle in is really the ONLY distinction these days. The confusion comes because originally the first Super Distortions were 2 Conductor pickups. They came out with Dual sounds as a 4 wire version of the SD. Then they decided to pretty much offer all their Humbuckers as 4 wire including the original SD.So the current SD's and Dual sounds are redundant. as I understand it

Well, in that case, as I seem to be after the tonal range of Fall 1977 -> Spring 1980 which were Dual Sounds (but I do want the coil tap option) - should I go with the 4-wire Dual Sound (or SD's) instead of the Super 2's?

they are BOTH four wire unless you buy older pickups.

[jeffm725]

short answer, if you want 77-80 and want to use dimarzios....get the Dual sounds, unless you find that 4 conductor SD's are much less expensive than the dual sounds (which isnt the case at retail level), just get the dual sounds.