Home » Authors » Dirk Wacker

Dirk Wacker

Dirk Wacker lives in Germany and has been a guitar addict since age 5. He’s also a hardcore DIY-er for guitars, amps, and stompboxes and runs a website on the subject (singlecoil.com). When not working at his guitar workbench, he plays country, rockabilly, surf, and flamenco. Contact him at info@singlecoil.com.

Articles

ARTICLES

Mod Garage: Working with Wire

December 28, 2018

Dirk Wacker

What are the best tools and practices for wiring a guitar? And what’s up with “push-back” wire? Glad you asked.

Mod Garage: How to Shield Humbucking Pickup Covers

November 30, 2018

Dirk Wacker

Metal covers offer shielding, but they also rob high end. Is there a way to get around this and have the best of both worlds?

Mod Garage: The Sound of Silence—Revised and Expanded

November 2, 2018

Dirk Wacker

We’ll show you how to get 15 switchable sounds from a pair of 4-conductor humbuckers, courtesy of an avid PG reader.

Mod Garage: Swap That Tone Knob for a Warmth Control

October 5, 2018

Dirk Wacker

Here are five inexpensive ways to bring your passive tone control to life.

Mod Garage: Dialing in the Passive Tone Control

August 24, 2018

Dirk Wacker

Do you always leave your tone pot wide open? Here’s how to squeeze more utility from this oft-neglected knob.

Mod Garage: Ultra-Flexible HH Wiring

July 27, 2018

Dirk Wacker

Crave more sounds from your dual-humbucker guitar? Here’s how to make that happen.

Mod Garage: Fighting Fret Wear

June 22, 2018

Dirk Wacker

What does a vintage barber shop have in common with advanced fret maintenance?

Mod Garage: Lean, Mean Series Wiring for Telecasters

May 25, 2018

Dirk Wacker

It’s easy to convert the middle position on a stock 3-way switch into a potent “solo preset.”

Mod Garage: Breakthrough! Electroswitch’s New 6-Way Strat Switch

April 27, 2018

Dirk Wacker

Now it’s easier than ever to add that missing Tele-inspired dual-pickup configuration to your Strat.

Mod Garage: Meet Göldo’s Double Wafer 3-Way Switch

March 30, 2018

Dirk Wacker

When it comes to 3-way pickup selectors, there’s a new kid in town. Would you like an introduction?

Mod Garage: How to Shield Single-Coil Pickup Covers

March 2, 2018

Dirk Wacker

Can you get benefits of shielding without sacrificing high-frequency shimmer? Where there’s a will, there’s a way.

Mod Garage: The Sound of Silence

February 14, 2018

Dirk Wacker

Here’s how to adapt the cool humbucker coil-splitting scheme found in Fender’s Select Carved Top Jazzmaster to your guitar.

Mod Garage: Reverse-Engineering a Generic 4-Conductor Humbucker

December 26, 2017

Dirk Wacker

If your guitar’s pickups are unbranded, you’ll face uncertainty about its internal wiring scheme. Learn how to crack the all-important color code using basic diagnostic tools.

Mod Garage: Dan Armstrong’s “Super-Strat” Wiring

December 12, 2017

Dirk Wacker

Maybe a stock Strat’s five sounds aren’t enough for you. Okay, how about 12?

Mod Garage: May the Phase Be with You

November 10, 2017

Dirk Wacker

Use this “traffic light” table to avoid potential issues when combining single-coils from different manufacturers in one guitar.

Mod Garage: How to Shield Single-Coil Pickups

October 13, 2017

Dirk Wacker

Here’s the secret for reducing unwanted hum and noise without losing sparkle and highs.

Mod Garage: The Quad-Pot, Dual-Humbucker Wiring of Doom

September 15, 2017

Dirk Wacker

Guitarists can’t have it all when it comes to onboard tone control. Oh, yeah? Let’s reconsider.

Mod Garage: The Triple-Threat, Solo Humbucker Wiring

August 18, 2017

Dirk Wacker

Like to keep things simple? Here’s how to coax three sounds from a stripped-down guitar sporting one 4-conductor ’bucker.

Mod Garage: Build a Pickup Phase Tester, Part 2

June 25, 2017

Dirk Wacker

When installing replacement pickups from different manufacturers, it’s a crap shoot whether they’ll be in phase with each other. This fun DIY project helps you avoid out-of-phase nightmares.