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Author
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Topic: Fender blend control mod for early Stringmaster
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Ed Giguere
Member From: California, USA
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posted 12 July 2005 01:15 PM
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I was wondering if any of you knowledgable steelers would happen to know if it would be possible to modify an early Fender Stringmaster (circa 1953-1955) that has the sliding neck selector switches like a mustang, to also have a blend control for the pickups to be installed on it like the later model Stringmasters have? I would like to get one modified in this way but have no idea if it is even possible, or who might be able to complete such a modification for me if it is. Any help would be greatly appreciated!Cheers,
Ed |
Ricky Davis
Moderator From: Austin, Texas
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posted 12 July 2005 01:45 PM
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You already have a blend control. The Tone knob is the blend control on your Stringmaster that pre-dates the stringmasters with the blend knob behind the bridge.
Give it a whirl.
Ricky |
Ron Victoria
Member From: Metuchen, New Jersey, USA
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posted 12 July 2005 02:13 PM
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I thought the blend knob brings one PU in or out and the tone knob is, as always, bass and treble. Ron |
Erv Niehaus
Member From: Litchfield, MN, USA
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posted 12 July 2005 02:51 PM
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The pickups are different on the two guitars. The early Stringmaster without the blend control have smaller and cooler pickups. The later Stringmasters with the blend control have larger and hotter pickups.
I wouldn't try to add the blend control on the earlier model. The bridge cover doesn't swing up either, it is screwed down.
Erv |
Bill Creller
Member From: Saginaw, Michigan, USA
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posted 12 July 2005 05:37 PM
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The best sounding StringMaster I ever heard is the T-8 long scale that Duke Ching plays.
It is the early one without the blend function. Maybe you have something there that shouldn't be modified--Just an opinion. |
Chris Scruggs
Member From: Nashville, Tennessee, USA
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posted 12 July 2005 08:19 PM
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Ed, Ron, and Bill,These first Stringmasters already have the blend knob!!! The master tone knob controls the blend for all necks. What it lacks is a standard tone control. CS[This message was edited by Chris Scruggs on 12 July 2005 at 08:21 PM.] |
Ricky Davis
Moderator From: Austin, Texas
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posted 12 July 2005 11:42 PM
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Yeah....what Chris said; Maybe I should of said it that way..ha..
Ricky |
Ed Giguere
Member From: California, USA
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posted 13 July 2005 07:10 AM
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Thanks for all of the kind replies. I did not know the pickups were cooler on the earlier models, thanks Erv! Also, the tone knob just does not seem to give the same control over the pickup blend that the later models allow. I will have to ponder this for a while longer I think, and thanks for the nice schematics Ron!Cheers,
Ed |
Erv Niehaus
Member From: Litchfield, MN, USA
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posted 13 July 2005 08:05 AM
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Ed,
The pickups are hooked up on the early Stringmasters in such a way that they tend to be "humbucking", reverse winding or some such thing. Also they are wired so the ohms of the pickups add up.
I understand that on the Stringmasters with the blend control, one pickup is on all the time and the blend control just dials in the second pickup for a different sound.
Erv |
Chris Scruggs
Member From: Nashville, Tennessee, USA
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posted 15 July 2005 05:31 PM
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Erv,Yes, when the blender is turned all the way to the left, you have the bridge PU straight. When the blend is to the far right, you have both PU's dead even. I believe the amount of blend is the same on the early models as well, that is, with the bridge PU on at all times. CS |
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