
Get meatier Tele sounds without changing your pickups.
Let's explore a common mod for Telecasters and other two-pickup guitars, but with a little twist: wiring two pickups in series rather than in parallel to get louder, meatier sounds. This mod is also known as Telecaster 4-way wiring.
A Telecaster with a standard 3-way switch and traditional wiring provides the classic pickup combinations we all know and love:
Position #1: bridge pickup alone
Position #2: both pickups in parallel
Position #3: neck pickup alone
But many players (myself included) like having an additional option with more balls, perfect for solos that easily drive your amp into saturation. This sound is also cool for playing jazz. Hitting this goal is as easy as wiring the two pickups in series rather than in parallel.
In parallel mode, the pickup inputs are connected, as are the outputs. This is one of the main reasons a Telecaster usually sounds very bright. The signal from each pickup reaches the output jack via the shortest possible route. High frequencies reach the output jack almost unchecked, giving your Tele its signature sparkling quality.
Fig. 1 — How to wire your Tele for an added series sound.
Image courtesy of Fender Musical Instrument Corporation
The sound of series.
In series mode, however, the ground wire of one pickup is connected to the hot wire of the other. They become a kind of "compound pickup," sharing one ground and one hot output. When pickups are wired in series, their impedance is summed, and the output is very high. However, some treble frequencies are lost because the long pickup wire acts as a resistor, and any resistor in the signal path suppresses the signal. Additionally, resistors attenuate higher frequencies more than low ones, which explains the prominent lows and midrange of series-wired pickups. Compared to parallel wiring, the signal must travel through twice as much pickup wire to reach the output jack.
The resulting tone increases a Telecaster's versatility, so it wasn't long before someone came up with a nice solution: the 4-way switch. Simply replace the standard 3-way switch with a special 4-way switch and follow the Fender wiring diagram in Fig. 1. The mod is invisible from the outside, and it provides this switching matrix:
Position #1: bridge pickup alone
Position #2: both pickups in parallel
Position #3: neck pickup alone
Position #4: both pickups in series
In series mode, the ground wire of one pickup is connected to the hot wire of the other. They become a kind of "compound pickup," sharing one ground and one hot output.
Important: Before performing this mod, you need to check whether your neck pickup sports the usual metal cover. If so, you must separate the cover from ground, as explained in my May 2013 Premier Guitar column, "Preparing Your Tele for Future Mods."
An alternative arrangement.
Some players don't want to change the standard 3-way switch, or don't like the order of settings in the 4-way switch mod. (The order can be changed, as we'll see in an upcoming column.)
It's possible to use a 2PDT switch to activate series wiring. You can do this using a mini-toggle switch mounted on the metal control plate between the two controls (there's plenty of space), or you can replace one of the standard control pots with a push-pull or push-push pot. Either option works as long as you use a 2PDT switch.
The basic idea is to have standard 3-way switch operation, plus the option of jumping to the series sound simply by hitting a switch, overriding the pickup selector regardless of its setting. Hit the switch again, and the 3-way switch is re-engaged at its current position.
Fig. 2 — Getting a series sound with an added switch rather than a replacement pickup selector.
Image courtesy of singlecoil.com
This wiring can work as a kind of preset switch: Dial in a neck pickup alone for rhythm work, hit the switch for a series solo sound, and then flick the switch again to return to your "rhythm preset." We usually use this wiring in our shop if the customer doesn't want to fumble with a 4-way switch.
Not just for Teles.
Naturally, this arrangement works with any two-pickup guitar, not just Telecasters. The wiring shown in Fig. 2 employs a push-pull pot with a 2PDT switch, but you can also use a DPDT mini-toggle on the control plate—just move the relevant wires to the new switch. Please keep in mind, though, that you must convert your neck pickup to three-conductor wiring as mentioned above, assuming it has a metal cover connected to common ground.
That's it! Next month we'll cover another cool mod for acoustic guitars, in keeping with that issue's unplugged theme. Until then, stay in tune and keep on modding!
[Updated 10/4/21]
- Mod Garage: '50s Les Paul Wiring in a Telecaster - Premier Guitar ›
- Ultra-Flexible Wiring for Your Duo-Sonic - Premier Guitar ›
- Decoding Jerry Donahue's 5-Way Telecaster Wiring - Premier Guitar ›
- Mod Garage: The Sound of Silence - Premier Guitar ›
- How to Change Pickup Wires (& Why) - Premier Guitar ›
Lutefish, the real-time music collaboration device and platform, is excited to announce a suite of new features designed to simplify setup, streamline collaboration, and offer more flexible subscription options for Lutefish Stream users. These latest updates, Audio Presets, Automatic Session Recall, Improved Scheduling with Contact Visibility, and a new Yearly Subscription Plan, are all about making it easier than ever for musicians to jam together, no matter where they’re based.
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The latest update to Lutefish also made it easier to find collaborators and book sessions. Users can now:- View all their contacts at a glance when scheduling a session.
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The veteran Florida-born metalcore outfit proves that you don’t need humbuckers to pull off high gain.
Last August, metalcore giants Poison the Well gave the world a gift: They announced they were working on their first studio album in 15 years. They unleashed the first taste, single “Trembling Level,” back in January, and set off on a spring North American tour during which they played their debut record, The Opposite of December… A Season of Separation, in full every night.
PG’s Perry Bean caught up with guitarists Ryan Primack and Vadim Taver, and bassist Noah Harmon, ahead of the band’s show at Nashville’s Brooklyn Bowl for this new Rig Rundown.
Brought to you by D’Addario.Not-So-Quiet As a Mouse
Primack started his playing career on Telecasters, then switched to Les Pauls, but when his prized LPs were stolen, he jumped back to Teles, and now owns nine of them.
His No. 1 is this white one (left). Seymour Duncan made him a JB Model pickup in a single-coil size for the bridge position, while the neck is a Seymour Duncan Quarter Pound Staggered. He ripped out all the electronics, added a Gibson-style toggle switch, flipped the control plate orientation thanks to an obsession with Danny Gatton, and included just one steel knob to control tone. Primack also installed string trees with foam to control extra noise.
This one has Ernie Ball Papa Het’s Hardwired strings, .011–.050.
Here, Kitty, Kitty
Primack runs both a PRS Archon and a Bad Cat Lynx at the same time, covering both 6L6 and EL34 territories. The Lynx goes into a Friedman 4x12 cab that’s been rebadged in honor of its nickname, “Donkey,” while the Archon, which is like a “refined 5150,” runs through an Orange 4x12.
Ryan Primack’s Pedalboard
Primack’s board sports a Saturnworks True Bypass Multi Looper, plus two Saturnworks boost pedals. The rest includes a Boss TU-3w, DOD Bifet Boost 410, Caroline Electronics Hawaiian Pizza, Fortin ZUUL +, MXR Phase 100, JHS Series 3 Tremolo, Boss DM-2w, DOD Rubberneck, MXR Carbon Copy Deluxe, Walrus Slo, and SolidGoldFX Surf Rider III.
Taver’s Teles
Vadim Taver’s go-to is this cherryburst Fender Telecaster, which he scored in the early 2000s and has been upgraded to Seymour Duncan pickups on Primack’s recommendation. His white Balaguer T-style has been treated to the same upgrade. The Balaguer is tuned to drop C, and the Fender stays in D standard. Both have D’Addario strings, with a slightly heavier gauge on the Balaguer.
Dual-Channel Chugger
Taver loves his 2-channel Orange Rockerverb 100s, one of which lives in a case made right in Nashville.
Vadim Taver’s Pedalboard
Taver’s board includes an MXR Joshua, MXR Carbon Copy Deluxe, Empress Tremolo, Walrus ARP-87, Old Blood Noise Endeavors Reflector, MXR Phase 90, Boss CE-2w, and Sonic Research Turbo Tuner ST-200, all powered by a Voodoo Lab Pedal Power 2 Plus.
Big Duff
Harmon’s favorite these days is this Fender Duff McKagan Deluxe Precision Bass, which he’s outfitted with a Leo Quan Badass bridge. His backup is a Mexico-made Fender Classic Series ’70s Jazz Bass. This one also sports Primack-picked pickups.
Rental Rockers
Harmon rented this Orange AD200B MK III head, which runs through a 1x15 cab on top and a 4x10 on the bottom.
Noah Harmon’s Pedalboard
Harmon’s board carries a Boss TU-2, Boss ODB-3, MXR Dyna Comp, Darkglass Electronics Vintage Ultra, and a Voodoo Lab Pedal Power 2 Plus. His signal from the Vintage Ultra runs right to the front-of-house, and Harmon estimates that that signal accounts for about half of what people hear on any given night.
Kiesel Guitars has introduced their newest solid body electric guitar: the Kyber.
With its modern performance specs and competitive pricing, the Kyber is Kiesel's most forward-thinking design yet, engineered for comfort, quick playing, and precision with every note.
Introducing the Kiesel Kyber Guitar
- Engineered with a lightweight body to reduce fatigue during long performances without sacrificing tone. Six-string Kybers, configured with the standard woods and a fixed bridge, weigh in at 6 pounds or under on average
- Unique shape made for ergonomic comfort in any playing position and enhanced classical position
- The Kyber features Kiesel's most extreme arm contour and a uniquely shaped body that enhances classical position support while still excelling in standard position.
- The new minimalist yet aggressive headstock pairs perfectly with the body's sleek lines, giving the Kyber a balanced, modern silhouette.
- Hidden strap buttons mounted on rear for excellent balance while giving a clean, ultra-modern look to the front
- Lower horn cutaway design for maximum access to the upper frets
- Sculpted neck heel for seamless playing
- Available in 6 or 7 strings, fixed or tremolo in both standard and multiscale configurations Choose between fixed bridges, tremolos, or multiscale configurations for your perfect setup.
Pricing for the Kyber starts at $1599 and will vary depending on options and features. Learn more about Kiesel’s new Kyber model at kieselguitars.com
The Sunset is a fully analog, zero latency bass amplifier simulator. It features a ¼” input, XLR and ¼” outputs, gain and volume controls and extensive equalization. It’s intended to replace your bass amp both live and in the studio.
If you need a full sounding amp simulator with a lot of EQ, the Sunset is for you. It features a five band equalizer with Treble, Bass, Parametric Midrange (with frequency and level controls), Resonance (for ultra lows), and Presence (for ultra highs). All are carefully tuned for bass guitar. But don’t let that hold you back if you’re a keyboard player. Pianos and synthesizers sound great with the Sunset!
The Sunset includes Gain and master Volume controls which allow you to add compression and classic tube amp growl. It has both ¼” phone and balanced XLR outputs - which lets you use it as a high quality active direct box. Finally, the Sunset features zero latency all analog circuitry – important for the instrument most responsible for the band’s groove.
Introducing the Sunset Bass Amp Simulator
- Zero Latency bass amp simulator.
- Go direct into the PA or DAW.
- Five Band EQ:
- Treble and Bass controls.
- Parametric midrange with level and frequency controls.
- Presence control for extreme highs.
- Resonance control for extreme lows.
- Gain control to add compression and harmonics.
- Master Volume.
- XLR and 1/4" outputs.
- Full bypass.
- 9VDC, 200mA.
Artwork by Aaron Cheney
MAP price: $210 USD ($299 CAD).