Higher frequencies are more attenuated by a resistor than lower frequencies, and this explains why pickups wired in series offer more prominent low and midrange timbres. We all know this from guitar cables: When you use a very long guitar cable, the sound isn’t as detailed and transparent as it is with a shorter cable. The formula works like this: The longer the wire, the higher the resistance, and the more treble is lost. Any resistor in the signal path will suppress the signal. When two pickups are wired in series, a good portion of the treble frequencies is lost because the long pickup wire works like a resistor. If your Strat’s middle pickup is a reverse-wound/ reverse-polarity type (aka RWRP), you’ll get the same humbucking effect as you do when the pickups are wired in parallel-no changes there.
When wired in series, the pickups combine their impedance (resistance) and the output is very high. As a result, they become a kind of compound pickup, with one ground and one hot for both. The theory behind series wiring is that the ground wire of one pickup is connected to the hot wire of the other pickup. In the second diagram, the two pickups are wired in series. The result is that the high frequencies reach the output jack almost unchecked, giving your Strat that sparkling sound we all love so much. This is one of the main reasons why a Strat usually has a very bright tone-parallel wiring allows the signal from each pickup to reach the output jack by the shortest possible route. In the first, the two pickups are wired in parallel, so both pickups’ inputs and outputs are connected together. To understand the difference between parallel and series wiring of two pickups, check out the two diagrams. The differences occur only when two pickups are combined. Let‘s change that! It’s also worth mentioning that neither series nor parallel wiring has any effect on the sound when only one pickup is selected.
It’s interesting to note that series wiring is a fairly standard Telecaster mod, but not one you commonly find on Strats. Besides being noticeably louder, series wiring emphasizes low and midrange tones, and this is a perfect combination to drive any tube amp into saturation without the help of a booster. With series wiring, the output of one pickup goes into the input of another pickup, while with standard parallel wiring, each pickup takes its own path to the output. In contrast, wiring two pickups in series produces a longer path with increased resistance, adding volume while preventing the highest frequencies from getting through. Parallel wiring adds transparency and clarity to the tone. As I mentioned, parallel wiring of two pickups is what you are used to hearing from a Strat. If you want more volume and midrange out of your pickups, the parallel/series switching may be the perfect option. There are several good reasons why you might want to wire your Strat pickups in series. The most popular examples of series setups are the Brian May “Red Special” and almost all Danelectro guitars. Only a few guitars use series wiring for their pickups. This generates the classic tone our ears know from countless records, when a guitarist uses the bridge and middle or middle and neck pickups in tandem (positions 2 and 4 on a normal 5-way Strat switch). The standard way to connect multiple pickups is to wire them in parallel. We’ll begin with some theory and then look at several cool applications for this wiring.Īs you know, like most guitars sporting more than a single pickup, your Strat lets you select any pickup by itself or choose certain dual-pickup combinations. In this and next month’s column, we’ll explore parallel/series pickup switching schemes for the single-coil pickups in your Strat. Hey fellow guitarists, it’s time for another cool mod. Parallel wiring: Stratocaster Parallel/Series Switching Here is what Dirk had to say about Series vs. This article was written by Dirk Wacker and posted on on November 15, 2011.
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