Strat Blender wiring is a unique and simple
way to achieve multiple pickup configurations.
It uses a custom-made CTS Blender Pot that
acts as a True Bypass in the circuit when
turned completely clockwise. A regular pot
wouldn't work for this application because
you would still hear the other pickup bleed
through.
A standard 5-way Stratocaster has 1
volume and 2 tone controls. The Blender mod
has 1 volume, 1 master tone and a blender. In
the neck position you can blend the bridge
pickup in as much as you want. In the bridge
position you can blend the neck pickup in as
much as you want. In positions 2 and 4 you
can have all three pickups on at once. Very
user-friendly.
Strat Blender Mod
Note: The three black wires on the left are the pickup ground wires.
Normal Strat Wiring
Fender to Import switch converstion
A treble-bleed network is a combination of a small capacitor and a resistor wired in parallel. It's a "high-pass filter," or a “treble-bypass filter.” As a rule of thumb, the circuit’s brightness is determined by the resistor’s value (i.e., a lower ohm rating translates to more treble), but the frequencies that are present are determined by the cap´s value (i.e., the lower the value, the higher the frequencies, and the higher the value the lower the frequencies).
When you roll down the volume in a treble-bled circuit, it begins filtering out bass frequencies, thus making the trebles more prominent. To be clear, it doesn’t boost trebles - a passive circuit can only selectively attenuate. But with a little trial and error, you can fine-tune your circuit’s component values in order to filter out the specific frequencies that are muddying your signal when you turn down.
When you roll down the volume in a treble-bled circuit, it begins filtering out bass frequencies, thus making the trebles more prominent. To be clear, it doesn’t boost trebles - a passive circuit can only selectively attenuate. But with a little trial and error, you can fine-tune your circuit’s component values in order to filter out the specific frequencies that are muddying your signal when you turn down.
Diagram courtesy of Seymour Duncan Pickups.
Treble Bleed
Mod
Mod
680 pF cap in parallel with a 150k resistor.
1000 pF cap in parallel with a 220k resistor.
220pF in parallel with a 220k resistor.
1000 pF cap in parallel with a 220k resistor.
220pF in parallel with a 220k resistor.
Component values will vary according
to your tastes, but try these:
to your tastes, but try these: