3-Way in Strat?

[Doug Ferguson]

I've been doing some mods to my '99 A.S. and one thing I've done is replace the 5-way switch with the old-fashioned 3-way. I very rarely used positions 2 & 4, and would often (and annoyingly) fall into them making on the fly position changes. Interestingly, pos 2 actually sounds louder with the 3-way. Still plenty quacky, but a tad beefier, too. Anyone else use a 3-way in their strat?

[thekillingjoke]

I tried a 3-way Strat once, but it didn't do anything for me. It turns out that position 2 is my favorite, next to position 1.

[braderrick]

In a couple of my vintage style strats I've assembled I use a three way switch to keep it like the originals. I then put a push/pull pot in the lower tone control that turns the middle pickup on. This way if I want the quack of the 2nd or 4th postion of a 5 way I can select either the bridge or the neck pickup with the switch and simply pull up the tone pot.

[purpletele]

I just put a 3 way in my tokai. So far I'm loving it. I'm not a big 2/4 guy anyway, plus, i have other strats for that already.

[Old Cane]

My '66 came with a 3-way as did all of them until recently (80s maybe?) I hate those 5-ways. I really do. They just don't sound the same. I play mostly on what would be the 4th position in a 5-way. I mean if you can't get that in-between sound with a 3-way I just don't think you deserve it. I was 13 when I got this guitar and just didn't know any better. Now i don't know any other way. That's how Jimi and Eric and Jeff did it. That's all I needed to be told.

[Doug Ferguson]

Originally Posted by Old Cane

That's how Jimi and Eric and Jeff did it. That's all I needed to be told.

Precisely my feelings. It's not that tough to achieve, either, and as I said, it somehow sounds better than wiring it for a 5-way switch. I didn't do it for that reason, but when I tried position 2, I was surprised at how good it actually sounded -- less thin. I've also dumped the no-load pot and run a .1uf cap. Less bright, esp. on the bridge, but creamy mids.

[Old Cane]

I've gone to paper and oil on telecasters and I really like that. I guess I'm stuck in the past. I use old cane fly rods too. I haven't tried the paper and oil on a strat but I will on the one I'm starting. I think it'll be .047 if I buy the kit. I just like the way they used to be. Isn't that what being a guitar player is all about?

[Doug Ferguson]

I'm considering oil and paper when I put the new P/U's in the strat, you know, just as a change of pace. If I like it, I may drop one in the tele.

[buddastrat]

Originally Posted by Doug Ferguson

Precisely my feelings. It's not that tough to achieve, either, and as I said, it somehow sounds better than wiring it for a 5-way switch. I didn't do it for that reason, but when I tried position 2, I was surprised at how good it actually sounded -- less thin. I've also dumped the no-load pot and run a .1uf cap. Less bright, esp. on the bridge, but creamy mids.

I've never heard that before, but what I notice is that pickup sets always sound less thin to me in the 2 and 4 when they have non RWRP middle pickups.

[red57strat]

Originally Posted by Doug Ferguson

Interestingly, pos 2 actually sounds louder with the 3-way. Still plenty quacky, but a tad beefier, too.

Unless you installed a much higher quality switch, wired it differently or did a better job installing it, the sound of position 2 and 4 are the same with a 3-way or 5-way switch.

They're electrically the same, the only real difference is that a 5-way switch has 2 extra notches added to it.

[Doug Ferguson]

Originally Posted by red57strat

Unless you installed a much higher quality switch, wired it differently or did a better job installing it, the sound of position 2 and 4 are the same with a 3-way or 5-way switch.

They're electrically the same, the only real difference is that a 5-way switch has 2 extra notches added to it.

True, true. It's an Oak Grigsby 3-way, which isn't much different quality-wise than the stock switch. But somehow it sounds fuller and a little louder. I was surprised by this, but my ears could be fooling me. It's been known to happen.

[red57strat]

Originally Posted by Doug Ferguson

True, true. It's an Oak Grigsby 3-way, which isn't much different quality-wise than the stock switch. But somehow it sounds fuller and a little louder. I was surprised by this, but my ears could be fooling me. It's been known to happen.

You're not alone!

[charlie chitlin]

I would use a 3-way because I'm not a "quack" lover, but I wired mine so one of those "in-between" positions gives me neck and bridge together.
That's my favorite tone from a Strat.
I've also got the bridge wired to the tone pot.

[red57strat]

Originally Posted by charlie frey

I would use a 3-way because I'm not a "quack" lover, but I wired mine so one of those "in-between" positions gives me neck and bridge together.
That's my favorite tone from a Strat.

As much as I love the bridge and neck pickups together on a Telecaster and Les Paul, I don't care for them combined on a Strat.
It's just not the same somehow.

[Old Cane]

No, it's not the same at all, I agree 100%. I do it on my telecaster and wish for a strat. I like either the neck or bridge on a telecaster but do sometimes play on both (not very oftern). On a strat it's either neck, middle and bridge or bridge alone. Not very often on bridge by itself though. On my Washburn i do use that quite a bit as it has more of a telecaster sound.

[Doug Ferguson]

I've never tried, or heard, the 4-way mod on a tele. What kind of tone does it give you? (I know this is a strat thread, but I know the guy who started it, and he's cool with this post.)

[tazzboy]

Originally Posted by purpletele

I just put a 3 way in my tokai. So far I'm loving it. I'm not a big 2/4 guy anyway, plus, i have other strats for that already.

Plus one on that.

[red57strat]

It allows you to get the bridge and middle pickup combined in series and parallel.
One is the normal Tele combined position, the other is louder, fatter and fuller.

[formerlyslim]

I agree with you guys - it's weird. I'm a EE, and know that there is "no" difference. But the old three ways in my old strats sound bigger to me than new 5 ways. I've nevered a-b'd new 3 way vs old 3 way. Some of the effect may be that those old switches get microphonic and maybe add some acoustic information to the signal. Dunno. But I hear just what you guys hear - the 2-4 positions have more beef or mids with a 3 way switch and sound more scooped with a 5 way. Not necessarily better if you are after maximum quack. Overall, all the positions maybe sound a bigger to me. And again, I know there is no difference on paper. Weird.

[jcw]

I like the 2/4 position sounds.. when I had a '75 hardtail strat, it had a 3-way switch, and I would have to balance the switch *just so* to get in the 2/4 position... and if I was even a little zealous in my strumming, I'd knocked it into 1 or 5 position.

I haven't A/B'ed a 5 way vs. 3 way, but I'm ok with how the 5-way switch sounds in 2/4 positions. :) (Might have to do with the slight loss of hearing...)

[Doug Ferguson]

I actually like pos. 2 with the 3-way better than the 5-way. I use it more now than I ever did with the 5 because the tone is bigger and louder. It's weird all right. I'm just happy to see others can hear it too, because something definitely seems to be going on.

[stringeddemigod]

I had a strat with with a four way tele switch, a push/pull pot that turned on the middle pickup and acted as a volume for the middle pickup. So there was one volume for the neck and bridge, one volume for the middle and a universal tone pot. I could to all the four way tele settings with and without the middle pickup as well as all pickups byt themselves. It was cool. I've thought about doing another one.