Changed Pick Ups, Wow!!

[strat56]

I've had Classic for 2 or 3 years that I loved how it played but wasn't bonding with how it sounded. I'd thought about selling it and looking for another one but recently decided since I really liked the feel and playability of the guitar that I'd try new pick ups. I researched on the Anderson web site and read a bunch of posts on here and decided what I wanted and I ordered a new pick guard, pickups and wiring harness from Tom and installed them this week.

I went with an HSH configuration of H1-, SF1 and H2. For switching I went with 5 way, pull to add bridge and a coil splitter on the humbuckers. After putting everything together and connecting the pickups, bridge ground and output jack to the harness and trying them at home I suspected they were going to be exactly what I was looking for but decided to wait for a gig to be sure.

Played a gig with it last night, classic country and classic rock, all I can say is WOW, it's exactly what I was looking for, The split sounds on the H pickups are amazing and blend well with the SF1 in the 2 and 4 positions, very quiet. Full humbucker sounds are also right what I was looking for and exactly as described on the web site. Can you tell I'm very happy with the change!!

One thing that came with the wiring harness that I wasn't expecting and greatly simplified the job of wiring everything up was was a grounding buss/plate, not sure what to call it, that attaches to the volume pot and you can make all your ground connections to the plate instead of the bottom of the pot. Man I wish someone had told me about this years ago, made the grounding of everything so much cleaner and simpler.

Since I changed the pick guard from aged white to pearl white I forgot to order a new battery cover and trem cover for the back and need to do that. I don't suppose this thread needs pictures, it's in my access double guitar gig bag with my drop top classic but if it does I'll take one and post it later.

[brokenvail]

I've had Classic for 2 or 3 years that I loved how it played but wasn't bonding with how it sounded. I'd thought about selling it and looking for another one but recently decided since I really liked the feel and playability of the guitar that I'd try new pick ups. I researched on the Anderson web site and read a bunch of posts on here and decided what I wanted and I ordered a new pick guard, pickups and wiring harness from Tom and installed them this week.

I went with an HSH configuration of H1-, SF1 and H2. For switching I went with 5 way, pull to add bridge and a coil splitter on the humbuckers. After putting everything together and connecting the pickups, bridge ground and output jack to the harness and trying them at home I suspected they were going to be exactly what I was looking for but decided to wait for a gig to be sure.

Played a gig with it last night, classic country and classic rock, all I can say is WOW, it's exactly what I was looking for, The split sounds on the H pickups are amazing and blend well with the SF1 in the 2 and 4 positions, very quiet. Full humbucker sounds are also right what I was looking for and exactly as described on the web site. Can you tell I'm very happy with the change!!

One thing that came with the wiring harness that I wasn't expecting and greatly simplified the job of wiring everything up was was a grounding buss/plate, not sure what to call it, that attaches to the volume pot and you can make all your ground connections to the plate instead of the bottom of the pot. Man I wish someone had told me about this years ago, made the grounding of everything so much cleaner and simpler.

Since I changed the pick guard from aged white to pearl white I forgot to order a new battery cover and trem cover for the back and need to do that. I don't suppose this thread needs pictures, it's in my access double guitar gig bag with my drop top classic but if it does I'll take one and post it later.
What pups did you have before. I am huge on pup swaps. I have changed pups on pretty much every guitar I have owned.

[strat56]

What pups did you have before. I am huge on pup swaps. I have changed pups on pretty much every guitar I have owned.

It had SC's.

Guitar Model: Classic
Body Wood: Alder
Body Finish: Ruby Slippers
Neck Wood: Hard Rock Maple
Neck Finish: Satin Finish
Neck Back Shape: Even Taper
Nut Width: 1 11/16 in
Frets: Medium
Hardware Color: Chrome
Bridge: Vintage Tremolo
Pickups: SC1 SC1 SC3
Pickguard: Aged White
Switching: 5 Way, Add Bridge, VA Boost
Strings: .010-.046 Elixir strings

I have a Partscaster that I put together with SF's and I like them better than the SC's. The description on the Anderson web site reads the same for SF and SC pickups but they sounded different to me. Maybe because the guitar with SF's is an Ash body with a Rosewood fret board and the one with the SC's is an Alder body with a Maple fret board?? :confused:

[brokenvail]

It had SC's.

Guitar Model: Classic
Body Wood: Alder
Body Finish: Ruby Slippers
Neck Wood: Hard Rock Maple
Neck Finish: Satin Finish
Neck Back Shape: Even Taper
Nut Width: 1 11/16 in
Frets: Medium
Hardware Color: Chrome
Bridge: Vintage Tremolo
Pickups: SC1 SC1 SC3
Pickguard: Aged White
Switching: 5 Way, Add Bridge, VA Boost
Strings: .010-.046 Elixir strings

I have a Partscaster that I put together with SF's and I like them better than the SC's. The description on the Anderson web site reads the same for SF and SC pickups but they sounded different to me. Maybe because the guitar with SF's is an Ash body with a Rosewood fret board and the one with the SC's is an Alder body with a Maple fret board?? :confused:
Ash vs alder along with maple vs rw def play a roll. Funny story about SC's. I had them in a short drop top mongrel that was basswood body with maple top, maple neck RW board. I did not care for them to much and loaded in some Suhr v60 which I loved. Two years later (maybe longer) I sold the mongrel but before I did I returned it to stock. When I met up with the buyer I played the guitar a bit infront of him and those SC sounded better than what I remembered (don't regret having swapped them out though) lol

[Pietro]

I swapped out the two single coils in my Classic T one at a time with hum-cancelling pickups (and added a center pickup for nashville wiring) and it turned it from a great guitar that I would trade some day to one that I probably will not ever want to part with.

Same character, just different and more sounds.

Only pickup swaps I've done in a guitar in YEARS.

[brokenvail]

I swapped out the two single coils in my Classic T one at a time with hum-cancelling pickups (and added a center pickup for nashville wiring) and it turned it from a great guitar that I would trade some day to one that I probably will not ever want to part with.

Same character, just different and more sounds.

Only pickup swaps I've done in a guitar in YEARS.

What are you running in neck position again? TF1? How is it vs tv1

[strat56]

I swapped out the two single coils in my Classic T one at a time with hum-cancelling pickups (and added a center pickup for nashville wiring) and it turned it from a great guitar that I would trade some day to one that I probably will not ever want to part with.

Same character, just different and more sounds.

Only pickup swaps I've done in a guitar in YEARS.

I don't change pick ups often, I've changed them in two guitars that I can remember. The other was a Fender FSR Rustic Ash Stratocaster that I knew I didn't like the pick ups in it when I bought it but I loved the looks and feel of it. It had Texas Specials in it and I've just never liked them very much. I replaced them with Fender Custom Shop 69's. Now it's great.

[Pietro]

What are you running in neck position again? TF1? How is it vs tv1

If I remember correctly, it's TM2 - SA1 - TF1. Wired: Bridge - Bridge/Middle - Bridge/Neck - Middle/Neck - Neck. NO provision for middle pickup by itself, which I don't like and never use. True "nashville wiring".

The TF1 is fuller than the single coil, no doubt, and if you HAVE to have the classic single coil neck sound, it might not do for you. But it does for me, and I use mostly in-between positions anyway. The TM2 is just magical imho.

[brokenvail]

If I remember correctly, it's TM2 - SA1 - TF1. Wired: Bridge - Bridge/Middle - Bridge/Neck - Middle/Neck - Neck. NO provision for middle pickup by itself, which I don't like and never use. True "nashville wiring".

The TF1 is fuller than the single coil, no doubt, and if you HAVE to have the classic single coil neck sound, it might not do for you. But it does for me, and I use mostly in-between positions anyway. The TM2 is just magical imho.

Thought it was a Tf1 but didn't remember you doing an SA! I do use the middle pup alone in a strat but if I had a 3 pup tele I would have it wired like you. I remember when you were slowing modding the guitar I mentioned how awesome the TM2 was. It was love at first strum for me

[Pietro]

Thought it was a Tf1 but didn't remember you doing an SA! I do use the middle pup alone in a strat but if I had a 3 pup tele I would have it wired like you. I remember when you were slowing modding the guitar I mentioned how awesome the TM2 was. It was love at first strum for me

Not only that, but I replaced the pick guard with a tort one. Way more "me". This was before the final pickup change.

I went from stock to TM2 - Single coil. Then added the middle on a standard switch. Then changed the neck pickup (after this photo was taken) for its final form.

http://i195.photobucket.com/albums/z209/Pietro_gtr/before_after_both_zps2ade3dc9.jpg (http://s195.photobucket.com/user/Pietro_gtr/media/before_after_both_zps2ade3dc9.jpg.html)

[brokenvail]

Lighting is a bit different but I too went tort when I switched to TM
http://i382.photobucket.com/albums/oo262/brokenvail/TAG/0E1ABF4B-238C-46A3-864B-70ED7C68634E_zpsevkanpq9.jpg

[strat56]

Hi,

Thought I would revive this old thread and ask a question. When I built the new pick guard for this guitar I just disconnected the old one and put it away for just what I'm thinking about doing. I'd like to put it back to stock by reinstalling the original pick guard. It's been so long I don't remember where the wiring in the guitar, bridge ground input jack and whatever else may be there connect to the original pick guard and of course I didn't draw myself a diagram or take a picture. Is there a wiring diagram available or something I can use?

Here's the specs from the serial number lookup:

Guitar Model: Classic
Body Wood: Alder
Body Finish: Ruby Slippers
Neck Wood: Hard Rock Maple
Neck Finish: Satin Finish
Neck Back Shape: Even Taper
Nut Width: 1 11/16 in
Frets: Medium
Hardware Color: Chrome
Bridge: Vintage Tremolo
Pickups: SC1 SC1 SC3
Pickguard: Aged White
Switching: 5 Way, Add Bridge, VA Boost
Strings: .010-.046 Elixir strings
Buzz Feiten Tuning System: Checked
Comments:

Thanks,
Jack