Squier Fat Strat HSS Walnut Stain

[ShortBuSX]

I recently found this forum looking for some info...I was quite pleased to find a Squier forum! Ive had a Squier Standard Telecaster walnut stain that I bought myself for my birthday in September to replace my old Ibanez Roadstar I got when I was 13(Im now 34)...I love this Tele!!! So much so that I bought myself a new VOX AD30VT with my Christmas bonus(gift to myself)...

...AND for Christmas, I convenced my dad to get me the Squier Fat Strat HSS walnut stain, from Overstock. It arrived yesterday...and as expected it matches nicely with the Tele's stain. ITS BEAUTIFUL!!! The 60's CBS headstock is even growing on me, I kinda like it now that Ive got one. And the Tele style knobs arent as cool lookin as Id origianlly though...Im probably going to switch them out with Strat knobs soon.

Sorry for the long introduction...now the questions:

The 5 way switch and the humbucker? In the 4th possition, the combo between the middle single coil and the humbucker is just "off" sounding...thats the best way I can describe. And the humber is just hot...so in the 4th possition there is a noticable difference...which just doesnt seem right, but I could be wrong, maybe its normal?

Then my next questions are bout the tremolo, but I'll refrain from asking till I get a chance to change out the strings...but any tremolo setup advice would be appreciated...or links to set up(already checked out Fenders site about set up).

And then lastly, how should I care for these walnut stains? What do I wipe them down with? To care for the lack of paint and urethane...what do I dress the finish with? Ive got fretboard dressing, but seems like a bit much, too thick, too heavy. Or should I use something like Pledge? I really dont like the idea of silicone, but I could be wrong about it. Any suggestions? These stains show finger prints and oils just as bad as any other guitar...what can I use???

Thanks yall, cool (Squier)forum! I cant wait to venture out and check out the other forumsR

 

[Spudman]

I also have a HSS that I got from Overstock.

The bridge/tremolo should be set so that the base plate is parallel to the top of the guitar body. That is if you are going to use the tremolo.

The strange sound with the humbucker and middle pickup engaged, the "off" sound, is actually a factory screw up. I'm not 100% sure which wires to use but the HB pickup is a 4 conductor and 2 wires are supposed to be wired together and one to the switch and the remaining wire to the volume pot. The two that are wired together just tape the end and leave them loose in the cavity.

I can't remember the color combination how mine came. I just know that it was out of phase in this position. I swapped the volume and switch leads around and it took care of the problem. I am not happy with the way this sounds either. The output changed for the worse and the dynamics disappeared too. So that leads me to believe that the two paired wires are incorrect.

Seymour Duncan and Dimarzio have the same color wires too but use them differently from each other. If you check their web sites they list which color wiring to use for full humbucking/in phase/out of phase etc. I suggest trying one of their combinations.

I wish I could tell you exactly how to solve the problem but I've been too busy to dig into my own guitar.

 

[ShortBuSX]

Well heres the wiring diagram:
http://www.squierguitars.com/pdf/diagrams/SquierStandardFatStrA8C.pdf

I dont know much bout electronics, Id say I can barely read that, but Ive got it printed out and plan on taking a look at it this (busy)weekend(maybe)...Im actually curious if its a mistake on the schematic or if its just a mistake with the wiring. I also found the schematic for the Fender HSS, but I dont believe its relievent as the 2 looked entirely different as far as the wirings concerned.

Can anybody make heads or tales of this?

 

[ShortBuSX]

Also, just got new strings and plan on making adjustments to the tremolo when I install em...Ive still got some set up and intonation to tackle.

Any suggestions about caring for this walnut finish?

 

[duhvoodooman]

Well heres the wiring diagram:
http://www.squierguitars.com/pdf/diagrams/SquierStandardFatStrA8C.pdf

I dont know much bout electronics, Id say I can barely read that, but Ive got it printed out and plan on taking a look at it this (busy)weekend(maybe)...Im actually curious if its a mistake on the schematic or if its just a mistake with the wiring. I also found the schematic for the Fender HSS, but I dont believe its relievent as the 2 looked entirely different as far as the wirings concerned.

Can anybody make heads or tales of this?

Can you confirm that your HSS Squier Strat is wired per that diagram?

Doesn't look like anything fancy, pretty much just the usual 5-way Strat switching between the 3 p'ups. The tone pots are configured a bit differently than a standard SSS Strat to accomodate the humbucker's darker tonal characteristics, but nothing that would account for what you describe.

This diagram shows only a 2-conductor humbucker, which would eliminate "fancy stuff" like coil-cutting or series/parallel wiring mods. 4-conductor humbuckers in stock guitars--especially inexpensive ones--are pretty rare, so I would guess that the diagram depicts your Strat correctly.

Keep in mind that the 2nd & 4th positions of the pickup selector will put the two selected p'ups into a parallel configuration, which causes some signal cancellation and thins out the tone some, since the lows & mids are affected more. With an SSS Strat, this gives the characteristic Strat "quack" in those positions. I've never had an HSS Strat, so I don't know how the blend of the humbucker and middle single-coil is supposed to sound, but I'm wondering if what you're describing isn't exactly what the two p'ups in parallel end up sounding like.

If you can "pop the hood", take some close up digital photos of the pickup wiring and post them, we should be able to see if it's wired as the reference diagram shows....

 

[ShortBuSX]

Im in the midle of moving, so taking pics and posting them arent much of an option for me, but I can pop the cover and describe what I see...you wanna know how the switch is wired? Or something different? I'll take a look and compair it against the diagram.

Is there anything specific you want me to make note of?

PS: thanks for the help!

ALSO Duhvoodoo, Im new to this site, but I am already familiar with your VOX page, and have found it very useful in the last 2 weeks since my AD30VT purchase...THANK YOU soooo much for making all that info so readily available!!!

 

[duhvoodooman]

Mainly, I'm interested to know:

1. Is the humbucker a 2-conductor or 4-conductor?
2. How are the pickups wired to the 5-way switch?

HERE is a diagram from the Seymour Duncan site that should be easier to read, since it's drawn to depict the actual physical appearance of the electronics. The only difference you should see (assuming your Squier HSS Strat is wired this way) is that a 2-conductor 'bucker won't have the extra white & red leads pig-tailed together and there would be only a single wire (probably black, or maybe silver mesh) from it soldered to the back of the volume pot. The "hot" lead (probably white) would go to the 5-way switch.

Glad you've found the VOX page useful!

 

[ShortBuSX]

Okay, with the guitar popped open on my lap, looking at the switch from left to right, small(thin) green wire, white, yellow, and then one red wire thats soldered to 3 posts in a row, then green, yellow and then a black wire soldered to the side of the switch.

Of the pickup wires I can see the neck pick up is wired yellow and black and the middle pick up is black and white wired...Im not able to tell what the humbucker is wires are colored...and its kinda hard to tell what the pots are wired are like.

 

[duhvoodooman]

Which way on your lap? Guitar upside down and neck pointing how?

The 5-way should have 4 contacts on either side. Can you clarify which is which in your description? One set is oriented toward the outside of the guitar body and the other toward the pickup cavity.

Really need to know what the wires coming out of that 'bucker are; why can't you see them?

Wiring to the pots shouldn't be relevant to the problem you're describing.

 

[ShortBuSX]

Okay, couple of observations...if you look at the Squier schematic, my neck pup and my middle pups wire colors are backwards...could the neck pickup be in the middle position and vise verse? Probably not much difference, and not pertaining to my original gripe. But considering the pups locations, they are in the right location on the switch.

The red wire that I see is soldered to 2 locations, but it appears that it may have gotten melted(or shorting out) on a 3rd spot...Im gonna hafta look closer this weekend. If you look at the SD page it shows one of the posts blank.

When looking at the SD schematic, they show a red and withe wire tied together...thats what mine looks like, but the Squier schematic doesnt show this, they only show 2 wires(white and a black)....the SD shows 5 wires...

...okay, I think I just figured it out!!! My green wire should be grounded to the master volume(with the grey wire too), and a black wire from the humbucker should be on the switch!!!(according to the SD page).

I dunno if Im gonna try this, this weekend...but Im atleast going to compair my notes with the schematics and my guitars wiring too.

 

[ShortBuSX]

Which way on your lap? Guitar upside down and neck pointing how?

Pointing to the left...also remember this doesnt have a pickguard, so Im going from behind through the acess panel.

The 5-way should have 4 contacts on either side. Can you clarify which is which in your description? One set is oriented toward the outside of the guitar body and the other toward the pickup cavity.

They are all in one row on one side/kinda on top.

Really need to know what the wires coming out of that 'bucker are; why can't you see them?

I think it was because of heat sink around all of the wires...but if you read my above post, I think I figured it out.

Wiring to the pots shouldn't be relevant to the problem you're describing.

But I think its one of the grounds on the back of the volume pot thats mixed up with the thin green wire on the first terminal post of the switch.

BTW thanks for the SD page!!! You turned out to be one the most helpful people online all MONTH!!! You sir, ROCK!!!:R

 

[duhvoodooman]

OK, this is starting to make sense now. Looks like they've wired in the humbucker backwards. It will sound normal when played just by itself, but when you switch to the bridge/middle combo, the two pickups will be out of phase. This gives a squawky, hollow sound. If you just switch the green and black wires, as you've described, that should remedy the situation.

Good deal that you have a 4-conductor 'bucker there! Gives you a lot of options for different tones if you ever want to get into some wiring mods with it. You don't see 4-conductor HB's in many "stock" guitars, especially under $200!!

Yeah, kind of looks like they swapped the neck and middle p'ups when they installed them, based on the wire colors. But the neck and middle generally don't differ much, if at all, so I wouldn't bother switching them.

That's a different 5-way switch than the standard Fender version. Not exactly sure how it's wired up, but I could take a fair guess. I looked around on the web to see if I could find a wiring diagram for it, but no luck. Nothing on the Squier website other than what you pointed out....

 

[Spudman]

That's what I said: out of phase. I just hadn't figured out how to correct it. Thank you Voodoo. It sure is nice having some smart folk around here. Now I can fix mine if I ever get time...and install a push/pull pot. It's a good sounding bucker too.

For taking care of the finish...wash it if it gets too dirty with a damp cloth or use some spray furniture polish like Pledge I guess.

 

[Ro3b]

I think the finish is likely to be satin polyurethane, like Squier uses on their necks. You can probably get away with just wiping it down occasionally.

According to the setup guide on the Fender website, Fender spec for tremolo setup is to have a gap of about 1/8" at the rear of the bridge. This lets you use the tremolo to bend notes up as well as down. On my Squier strat, I found I get that exact size of gap with two springs on and .010" strings. You can touch up the gap with small adjustments of the screws on the claw.

 

[duhvoodooman]

That's what I said: out of phase. I just hadn't figured out how to correct it.

Yes, you did! I just didn't pay enough attention!

Thank you Voodoo. It sure is nice having some smart folk around here.

If I'm so freakin' smart, why did it take me all day & 20 questions to figure out what you had already correctly daignosed from his original description? Ah, well, I think we finally got to the bottom of the cause & how to fix it....

 

[tot_Ou_tard]

If I'm so freakin' smart, why did it take me all day & 20 questions to figure out what you had already correctly daignosed from his original description? Ah, well, I think we finally got to the bottom of the cause & how to fix it....

Well, Spud does have one of these & he knows his strats so he already knew that it sounded like those pups were out of phase.

So Vood you are still smart cause you figured it out without listening to it.

You still didn't pay enough attention, but what's a little ADD between friends?

 

[ShortBuSX]

Hey! What about me? The newb, Im new at modding...dont know squat about 'lectronics...and with the right resources, I figured this out too! And heck, Im the one whos gotta fix it

Ive been thinkin...I think Im gonna wire the bucker correctly and then order a new switch and then swap the front and mid pups...or just wait and do it all at the same time.

I think its kinda cool, this problem and all...I bought this Strat cause alot of people are buying the 51 to mod...but this just seemed like a better platform for similar dough...I think its cool that I kinda gotta mod it right out of the box.

Also at first I liked the idea of the Tele style knobs...but now, sittin besides my tele...the knobs look lame and out of place. I mean a Strat without a pickguard, has a bridge bucker and a CBS headstock looks strange enough...but I think I need knobs that are distinctly Strat, yet slightly different...Im thinking maybe Muddy Waters (tele)knobs?

Or just normal black?

Anybody suggest a good site for gettin Fender small parts like switches and knobs and such?

Thanks yall for all the help and suggestions.

 

[tot_Ou_tard]

Hey! What about me? The newb, Im new at modding...dont know squat about 'lectronics...and with the right resources, I figured this out too! And heck, Im the one whos gotta fix it

You're smart too ShortBuSX.

There do you feel better now?

 

[warren0728]

i think the story is that muddy used knobs off of an amplifier because he wanted numbers for reference....

personally i would use the muddy knobs because the ones with "volume", "tone" & "tone" on them just scream strat....

ww

 

[SuperSwede]

Personally I think that the black LP speed knobs looks fantastic. Easily the most good looking knobs.

 

[warren0728]

i have those speed knobs on my ibanez GAX...they are good looking knobs

just don't get those knobs shaped like dice....man those things bug me

ww

 

[ShortBuSX]

Thanks for the suggestions But I thik Im leanin more towards the regular black strat knobs...I'll get em the same time I get the switch. Oh yeah...and links/references to a good Fender small parts site?...I want some nickle plated brass saddles for this as well.(I had seen a great site with fender amp parts too, but I never book marked it, great site...anybody???)

 

[ShortBuSX]

I fixed the humbucker wiring this last night! And now it sounds great!!!

I still wanna swap out the 5 way switch...its a little static-y and flimsy. Im deffinately swapping it when I get the knobs.
Now Im just trying to find a quality switch, thats not all complicated.
I saw a Stew Mac but the schematic made me second guess gettin it.

 

[ShortBuSX]

Update...I didnt fix my humbucker connections as well as I thought I had....I was playing at low volumes on my amp and was hearing the dreaded hum at idle....so I spent all day yesterday researching hum and pickup noise, shielding and wiring...even considered buying all new electronics(shielding first)....but I got home last night and cracked the back plate off and refered to the SD schematics...followed my Hbucker leads, realised I only had 4 showing(unlike the 5 in the schematic) and then remembered the heatsink around the black wire was drawn up and it looked like the inner wire had been cut exposing some of the strained...and then realised this must have been the sourse of my ground noise! (DUH!) I plan on fixin this later today...I really wish I could take pics of this(I still might)....and I still want another 5 way*shrug* (OAK or CRL???)

Also last night I stumbled across a few other Strat pics...Id almost forgot about this "style" headstock graffic...
http://www.strat-central.com/pics/strats/1986tonow/180299.jpg
http://www.strat-central.com/pics/strats/1986tonow/hmstratone.jpg
http://www.strat-central.com/pics/strats/1986tonow/hmblack.jpg
http://www.strat-central.com/pics/strats/1986tonow/hmblackhs.jpg
And I kinda dig the Floyd Rose too...in an 80s metal kinda way:R

[edit]What the hecks it take to post pics around here??? And does the Fret have a recommended image uploader?[/edit]

 

[ShortBuSX]

Bought some new hardware, got the black Strat knobs...dont really care for em now that they are on, and am now thinking black Tele knobs Also bought a black jack plate and a new CRL 5 way but gonna hold off on installing that just yet till I get all the shielding supplies and possibly some new pots.

I fixed my ground issue and made a couple of other observations...I was kinda surprised to find 500k pots(all 3) by Alpha...but when I put on the knobs I kinda got the impression they are mini pots...and then got to thinking(wondering) if full sized pots would fit actually fit in this little chamber?

Ive got a couple of questions about shielding my pickups and the lack of a pickguard to hide the copper tape...any suggestions(besides the paint stuff)? Anybody seen any guitars without pickguards shielded??? All the instructionals are pickguarded.

I'll keep posting...maybe somebody will respond to my newb posts *shrug*

 

[ted s]

Isn't there some adhesive backed foil available, let me check Stewi-Mac...

maybe this .. http://tinyurl.com/yv38o

 

[duhvoodooman]

[edit]What the hecks it take to post pics around here??? And does the Fret have a recommended image uploader?[/edit]

Use the "Attachment" editor button (

), if you want to post pictures here, meaning that the graphics files will actually reside on TheFret.net.

Alternatively, if the files reside on a publicly accessible server, use the "insert image" button (

). Doing this for one of your posted image links works nicely:

 

[Spudman]

Those are photos of the highly prized HM Strat. see Heavy Metal Diva http://www.lorilinstruth.com/

The tremolos are Kahler Spyders. I've gt 3 of them. Kahler is now back in production of some sort. At least you can get parts from them, but I don't know if they are making tremolos any more. The Kahler Pro is/was way better than the Floyd IMHO.

 

[ShortBuSX]

Thanks for the pic tips DVM! I guess its a little different than the other forums I frequent.

SpudMan, I actually ran into one of those HM strats the other day...it was heavily used(needed frets and paint)...they wanted $300 for it...anyways, that chic is one SMOKIN shredder!!! Thanks for the link.

Teds, Im familiar with the copper conductive tape...Im just curious about using it for around the pups since I dont have a pickguard.

 

[ShortBuSX]

Can someone talk me out of doing this or help re-enforce the idea that itll make a good wiring mod for my HSS?

Im looking to shield it and rewire it with new pots, caps, shielded wire and a new switch...I just figure, hell, if Im going through all the trouble to remove everything to shield it, I might as well rewire it(I gotta desolder most of it anyways)...so why not try a different wiring mod?