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Thread: Having trouble with one of my strats

  1. #1
    Forum Member S. Cane's Avatar
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    Having trouble with one of my strats

    My second strat (1994 Southern Cross Series, with Fat 50s pickups and an Emerson Custom Strat Blender prewired kit) sounds muddy and dull compared to my American Standard, which has exactly the same pickups.

    I had a tech replace the paper in oil 0.047 cap with a Polyester 0.22 one (which I believe is the standard capacitor in American Standard strats). The result was worse. Now the guitar lost most of its treble. Muddier than ever and I am PISSED.

    I know the woods are different and the distances too, but still I don't think that explains such a big difference between two strats with the same pups.
    Suggestions?

  2. #2
    Forum Member phantomman's Avatar
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    Re: Having trouble with one of my strats

    Does the American Standard instrument also have the Emerson Blender circuit?
    "When injustice becomes law then rebellion becomes duty."

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    Forum Member S. Cane's Avatar
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    Re: Having trouble with one of my strats

    Quote Originally Posted by phantomman View Post
    Does the American Standard instrument also have the Emerson Blender circuit?

    No, it still got the standard factory wiring. The one with a no load pot.

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    Forum Member phantomman's Avatar
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    Re: Having trouble with one of my strats

    I suspect that the blender circuit is either mis-wired or defective.
    "When injustice becomes law then rebellion becomes duty."

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    Forum Member S. Cane's Avatar
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    Re: Having trouble with one of my strats

    Quote Originally Posted by phantomman View Post
    I suspect that the blender circuit is either mis-wired or defective.
    I’ll have it checked. This is the 1994 strat:




    This is the American one:


  6. #6
    Forum Member phantomman's Avatar
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    Re: Having trouble with one of my strats

    Who wired that '94 Strat......Stevie Wonder?
    "When injustice becomes law then rebellion becomes duty."

  7. #7
    Forum Member S. Cane's Avatar
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    Re: Having trouble with one of my strats

    Quote Originally Posted by phantomman View Post
    Who wired that '94 Strat......Stevie Wonder?

    It’s been rewired several times before I bought it used many years ago.

  8. #8
    Forum Member phantomman's Avatar
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    Re: Having trouble with one of my strats

    Time to take it to a pro and have him straighten out that mess.
    "When injustice becomes law then rebellion becomes duty."

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    Forum Member Don's Avatar
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    Re: Having trouble with one of my strats

    Quote Originally Posted by Sugarcane View Post
    0.22
    0.22 or 0.022? What's the number on the new cap? 223K? 224K? I can't make it out in your pic.

  10. #10
    Forum Member S. Cane's Avatar
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    Re: Having trouble with one of my strats

    Quote Originally Posted by Don View Post
    0.22 or 0.022? What's the number on the new cap? 223K? 224K? I can't make it out in your pic.


  11. #11
    Forum Member Michael Smith's Avatar
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    Re: Having trouble with one of my strats

    I am not a expert in Strat wiring, but I noticed Emerson Custom has a "get in touch" option on their website. Perhaps they could give you a schematic to put it back to original condition, since you say it was worked on before you got the guitar. The .022uF Cap is for P-90's and humbucker pickups, while the .047uF is for single coils.
    "When You're Riding Down the Highway at Night, And You're Feeling that Wild Turkey's Bite" ZZ Top

  12. #12
    Forum Member phantomman's Avatar
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    Re: Having trouble with one of my strats

    Quote Originally Posted by Michael Smith View Post
    The .022uF Cap is for P-90's and humbucker pickups, while the .047uF is for single coils.
    Nonsense. I routinely use .022's and .033's in many of my Strats. They sound great. I prefer the PIO types though.
    "When injustice becomes law then rebellion becomes duty."

  13. #13
    Forum Member Michael Smith's Avatar
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    Re: Having trouble with one of my strats

    Quote Originally Posted by phantomman View Post
    Nonsense. I routinely use .022's and .033's in many of my Strats. They sound great. I prefer the PIO types though.
    That info was per Emerson Custom's website. I guess it depends on how much high end you want to roll off. The higher the cap value, the more highs that will be rolled off. I'll have to check my strat to see what cap value it has. It's stock, no modifications.
    "When You're Riding Down the Highway at Night, And You're Feeling that Wild Turkey's Bite" ZZ Top

  14. #14
    Forum Member Don's Avatar
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    Re: Having trouble with one of my strats

    Quote Originally Posted by Sugarcane View Post
    That'll work. Just wanted to make sure it was 0.022 and not 0.22.

  15. #15
    Forum Member phantomman's Avatar
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    Re: Having trouble with one of my strats

    You get it sorted out yet, Sergio?
    "When injustice becomes law then rebellion becomes duty."

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