Increasing the tonal versatility of 2008-2010 USA Production Model (2H, 1 vol, 3way)

[Number Of The Priest]

The 2008-2010 USA Production Models (https://www.jcfonline.com/forum/equi...ls-catalog-ads) were largely 2 humbuckers, 1 volume, and a 3-way toggle.

I have no idea about the Seymour Duncan pickups in the San Dimas models, but the DiMarzio pickups in the So-Cal models were 2-conductor. Why weren't these 4-conductor? I figured by the late 2000s that 2-conductor would be reserved for the small minority of orders that sought to be "vintage correct" and that 4-conductor would be the default for its versatility in wiring options.

Thus, the So-Cal only has three sounds: Bridge humbucker, both pickups, and neck humbucker. They're three very good and useful sounds, but lately I am really enjoying single coil sounds too, which is impossible to achieve in this guitar's stock configuration.

As a thought exercise, what are the choices for increasing tonal versatility while keeping as much of the guitar original and/or keeping the costs minimal?

I assume 4-conductor pickups are automatically needed, so I suppose replacing the stock DiMarzios with any 4-conductor humbuckers is the minimum.

Add a push-pull or push-push pot to split the pickup(s) of choice.

At least that wouldn't require buying a new pickguard in the case of the So-Cal.

I have not yet done any research on whether there are So-Cal-specific replacement pickguards and don't know if they exist. The 2016-onwards Mexican So-Cals would have the Six Pack of Sound circuitry so it would be nice if those could be a direct retrofit on the 2008-2010 USA So-Cals.

I have no idea whether a Fender Strat pickguard will align with the screw holes of the So-Cal. If it aligns, then that opens up many alternate pickup configurations and whatever toggle/blade switch hole comes with the pickguard. Under the So-Cal pickguard, the body is routed for HSH and the typical Strat-style control cavity. A San Dimas owner would be restricted to the toggle and pot in their fixed locations and the dual humbucker configuration.

Any other considerations?

[metalhobo]

I thought I remembered the dimarzios I took out of my 2008 so-cal had four conductors but I sold them off 12 years ago so maybe I was wrong? the two extra conductors are sometimes bent back and shrink-tubed to the main jacket.

IIRC the reports from back in the day were that strat pickguards had holes that somewhat lined up but you had to slowly screw them in because it wasn't the best fit. obv. you'd need the floyd cutout too, which is wider than the strat bridge cutout.

there are pickups which house strat or tele single coils or p90s in a humbucker shaped housing. if you go to emgs, their "splittable" pickups actually have two pickups in one.

In my HSS jackson with j-50bc/j-100/j-100 and three mini toggles, I really enjoy the clean sound using all pickups turned on (in parallel). it sounds pretty hi-fi. somewhat reminiscent of the bridge/neck parallel sound you'd get on a strat, but brighter and more balanced. if you're trying to maximize versatility, having individual controls per pickup is a useful thing. same with being able to have fine control over the coils in a splittable humbucker (e.g. select N/S coil, put coils in series/parallel, etc.).

obviously trying to account for all possible coil combinations in one control setup would be ludicrous.

[Number Of The Priest]

All good points, thank you.

The first point about the DiMarzios being 4-conductor turned out to be true. I was surprised that whoever at Fender/Charvel wired up these guitars would make the effort to hide the extra two wires in shrink tubing. I understand aiming for a "neat" wiring appearance but that seems excessive.

Anyway, I'm thrilled, because now my 2009 So-Cal will get a push-push pot to split the neck Evolution pickup, along with a treble bleed circuit, without needing to pay for new pickups, new pickguard, etc.

[john.w.lawson]

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