How do I get the Strat out-of-phase sound on my Tele?

[KBarW]

First post here....

I have a 1990 Tele with a humbucker in the neck position. I switch it from single coil to humbucker with a mini-switch I put on the control plate.

I really like the sound of a Strat in the mid postion between the middle and neck pickup.

How can I get this on my Tele? Will a 4 position switch do it? And how would I wire it?

Thanks.....

 

[Colt W. Knight]

You can get an out of phase sound by adding a push/pull pot or 4 way switch. But just because its out of phase, does not mean you are going to get that strat quack because you aren't going to have any strat pickups.

You could also add a strat middle pickup to your setup.

 

[fezz parka]

Play a Strat.

 

[terrybellcountr]

Play a Strat.

God forbid!

But you need to install à third p/u. À model from the s-word guitar;-). And a five way switch

 

[fezz parka]

And...it still won't sound like a Strat.

 

[Ricky D.]

First of all, strat pickups are not wired out of phase. The neck+middle and middle+bridge combinations sound like they do because of the positioning of the pickups.

If you want your Tele to quack like a strat, you need to add a middle pickup and rewire for a 5-way switch. Like the Fender Nashville Tele. If you swap out the pickups for strat pickups, you get closer still.

Of course, you lose the excellent Tele neck+bridge combination with the 5-way. That's a good enough reason for me stick with the standard 2 pickup design.

 

[KBarW]

Have never been comfortable playing a strat, Tele and LP more to my liking. I've looked into the Nashville teles, but would like to be able to do it with my current guitar because I like it's current PUs and sound. I just want to add that additional strat sound. I thought it would require the closer pickup to achieve it, but I just got through using a PRS with two humbuckers that gets that strat sound (one with the rotary 5 position knob). I figured that if it's possible on that guitar with those pickups, I should be able to do it on my Tele.

 

[gitold]

Still doesnt sound like a Strat. Sounds great but doesnt sound like a Strat.

 

[garrett]

Do a search here for "half out of phase". You can get a pretty decent Strat impression by combining the neck and bridge out of phase, with a capacitor in series with the neck pickup. As mentioned, a Strat is not out of phase, but this is the way to get quackin' with Tele pickups.

Btw, PRS get there by combining the inside humbucker coils in parallel.

 

[sjtalon]

First of all, strat pickups are not wired out of phase. The neck+middle and middle+bridge combinations sound like they do because of the positioning of the pickups.

If you want your Tele to quack like a strat, you need to add a middle pickup and rewire for a 5-way switch. Like the Fender Nashville Tele. If you swap out the pickups for strat pickups, you get closer still.

Of course, you lose the excellent Tele neck+bridge combination with the 5-way. That's a good enough reason for me stick with the standard 2 pickup design.

Agree other than you can get the neck and bridge by installing a push/pull pot.........no biggie !

 

[sjtalon]

Still doesnt sound like a Strat. Sounds great but doesnt sound like a Strat.

You need different pups then. If you want a Strat tone AS well as Tele that is. It can be done.

 

[KBarW]

Do a search here for "half out of phase". You can get a pretty decent Strat impression by combining the neck and bridge out of phase, with a capacitor in series with the neck pickup. As mentioned, a Strat is not out of phase, but this is the way to get quackin' with Tele pickups.

Btw, PRS get there by combining the inside humbucker coils in parallel.

Thanks. I did the search and found some good info and links to a wiring schematic. Still not sure if the sound I want is OoP or HOoP.

 

[Verne Bunsen]

Heres's my favorite solution to this connundrum. Start with a Nashville Tele pickup configuration, which is Tele bridge, Strat middle, Tele neck. You like the bucker you have in the neck, thats cool, roll with it. No rules here. Then install an Schaller MegaSwitch Model E. This is a 5-way switch that is similar to Strat wiring EXCEPT that the "middle pickup only" in position 3 is replaced by the all important "bridge + neck" Tele tone. So you cover the major bases from both worlds: Strat position 2 & 4 and the Tele middle position. Bliss! I wired my Nashville this way with a set of Fralin Blues Specials, wouldn't change a thing. Not "just like a Strat," but it's a very versatile guitar and does a mean Yellow Leadbetter or Little Wing when it has to

Here's a link to that switch at StewMac:
http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Electro...nd_knobs/Megaswitches/Megaswitch_E-Model.html

 

[Hiker]

Supplement your Tele with a great Strat for that sound!

 

[KBarW]

Supplement your Tele with a great Strat for that sound!

While I understand that adding a strat pickup in the middle or buying a Strat would solve the problem - that's not really HOW I want to solve it.

I was hoping to find a way to continue with taking only one guitar to a gig (that's why I put the humbucker in the Tele - so I could leave the LP at home). What started this was last week in the studio I wasn't happy with what I was getting in tone for a certain song.....so I picked up my buddy's PRS that was sitting there and started playing with it. I tried all the 5 positions on the knob and was blown away with the strat quack. Just what I needed to add some fills.

That's what brought me here - trying to find a way to get that sound from my Tele with only adding a switch....either 4 position or a toggle (I used a mini-toggle to change my neck from HB to single coil). I've found the schematic for the HOoP solution with a switch. Just not sure if HOoP is the same sound as the Strat position 4 - or if that is OoP. Can anyone lend any insight into that?

Thanks for all the help so far.

 

[mellecaster]

You can also try holding the rounded edge of the pick instead of the

pointed end, and with a little flesh and pick hitting the string at the same

time, get a pretty convincing Strat 2 & 4 position sound on just about any Guitar.

and it's FREE !!

 

[Breezecookie]

I finally bit the bullet and had my tele "Nashville-ized," and it's been well worth it. My neck pickup is a Lawrence Keystone, so it leans a little stratty anyway. Now I have all the sounds (or good approximations) of all the sounds I want from a strat and the ergonomics and bridge p/u bite of a tele. AND it's a Rob diStefano assembly with a GFS Paulownia body, so it weighs under 6 pounds!! I pretty much only have my strat now for backup.

 

[fezz parka]

Look for the Jerry Donahue wiring. It'll get you kinda close. Or do what Tony said. It's really just a comb-filtering effect. Phase has nothing to do with it.

 

[limbe]

The only approximation I have tried is the Jerry Donahue model.It has a Japanese "brother" that is called the J.D. model.I am pretty sure that you can find a schematic on the net that involves a "Superswitch" that looks like the regular lever switch on a Tele or Strat but has four 5-way switches inside.The other parts are just a couple of resistors and capacitors.
P.S. I just saw that Fezz had been writing the same thing at the same time as me.

 

[KBarW]

Look for the Jerry Donahue wiring. It'll get you kinda close. Or do what Tony said. It's really just a comb-filtering effect. Phase has nothing to do with it.

Interesting....I understand comb filtering in regards to speakers, how does it relate to this situation?

Also, couldn't quite figure out who Tony is.....didn't see a Tony that posted (don't know anyone here yet).

Thanks