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No
matter who you are, any Stratocaster player quickly learns
that not all the pickup positions are addressed on the standard
Fender Stratocaster. You also realize the limitations with
the absence of any type of tone control for the bridge pickup.
Like most of us, you either learn to live with it or, you
find a way to access those “missing” pickup combinations.
When
it came to my Strats, I was a “Purest Plus”. My
prime directive was to be able to access the missing combinations,
but also have them stock enough so any Strat player could
pick it up and knew exactly what each control did.
With
this in mind, recently, all of my “Purest” ideals
were completely blown out of the window. My Strat still looks
stock, but the controls no longer work the same. Why the change
in philosophical ideals? Simply because I’ve found some
new tones that I can now get out of my Strat that I just can’t
live without, namely, the Fat-O-Caster tones.
The
Fat-O-Caster
So what are the Fat-O-Caster tones?
That’s a good question. The heart of the Fat-O-Caster
system is a custom configured switch put out by Deaf-Eddie
products called the Fat-O-Caster switch. The switch replaces
your existing top tone control and utilizes your existing
knob for a completely stock look. But after that, only the
appearance remains stock, and your Stratocaster is transformed
into a Fat, tone monster with perceivably hotter output, and
sustain that seems to go on forever.
How
does it work?
So how does a Fat-O-Caster work then? The Fat-O-Caster is
a three position rotary switch that replaces your top tone
control. It works in conjunction with your existing five-way
switch, and your bottom tone control then becomes a master
tone for all three pickups. The master tone control works
surprisingly well, and I was never really sure why there were
two to begin with. This also adds the ability to tone down
your bridge pickup. A welcome feature, you could not do in
a stock configuration.
In
position “10”
(or where your tone control would be if it were turned up
all the way), everything works exactly as if it were stock.
Your guitar and five-way switch works as it always did, except
it now has the master tone control.
In
position “9”
it gives you those undisputed missing Strat tones that everyone
knows about, namely the bridge/neck combination, and all three
pickups together.
Position
“8”
is where the fun begins. Stock Stratocaster pickup configurations
are based on a parallel wiring scheme. With the addition of
the Fat-O-Caster switch, all of that changes. Position “8”
gives you the middle and the neck in series, the bridge and
the neck in series, and the bridge and the neck in series
combined with the middle and the neck in series, but also
parallel wired together.
The
result? Hotter output, fatter, thicker tone, and much longer
lasting sustain. Some of the high end is rolled off but the
resulting signal is “Humbuckery” by nature and
gives you an unbelievably fat, mean sounding tone, perfect
for heavy, overdriven rhythms.
The
Fat-O-Caster
comes in three different configurations.
The original, the V2, and the V3. You can
the select the right product for the type of sounds you want
out of your guitar. All switches include the original Strat
tones, plus the missing “neck/bridge”, and “all
three” combinations. The original Fat-O-Caster also
gives you three additional “Fat” series tones,
where as the V2 gives you five additional “Fat”/out
of phase/parallel combinations.
The
V3 is more a “players” modification. It gives
you four total “Fat”/out of phase/parallel combinations,
but moves all the switching to the lower two switch positions.
This goes for the “neck/bridge” and “all
three” combinations, as well as the “Fat”
tones. Basically, everything “new” is on the two
bottom switch positions.
As
you can see, there is a Fat-O-Caster product to fill all of
your needs, not matter who you are.
You
can even go one step further. Deaf-Eddie has another product
called the Chromacaster that gives you a total of 16 different
combinations. This is the ultimate switch for your home project
studio Strat. It can give you almost any tone you may need
without having a room full of guitars (though that is a lot
of fun).
Testing
I’ve thoroughly tested the original Fat-O-Caster, and
simply love it. I’ve found it invaluable for recording,
and for just playing in general.
I’ve
also extensively tested the Chromacaster and for a studio
guitar, this is the ticket. But for my style of playing, it
seems that the Fat-O-Caster V2 is the best compromise. It
has all of the fat tones of the original, plus all three pickups
in series. It also comes with the out of phase tones I consider
the most useful.
At
present, my #1 is equipped with the Fat-O-Caster V2, and my
#2 has the original Fat-O-Caster in it.
The
only problems I found with the Fat-O-Caster or Chromacaster
products was getting used to not having a top tone control.
I also found that for live playing, the Chromacaster just
has too many positions. According to Deaf-Eddie, the Chromacaster
has been the most popular with the studio musician set, and
the original Fat-O-Caster, with the gigging musicians. I also
found this to be true for my own playing needs.
What
You Need To Know
You will need to know basic solder techniques, and a very
basic understanding of Stratocaster wiring. You also need
a decent soldering iron, solder, and a de-solding tool, like
a “Solder-Pulit”, and possibly a soldering vice.
Conclusion
So now you know about the new tones I can’t do without.
Once you install one, I’m sure you will feel the same
as I do. I don’t believe I can ever own another Strat
without a Fat-O-Caster switch installed in it now. It would
put too much of a limitation on the guitar.
So
give one a try. For only twenty bucks you can get the original
Fat-O-Caster and start rocking, or playing the blues, or jazz
for that matter. I don’t think you will regret it.
  
To
purchase one of these amazing switches visit deaf-eddie
or drop him a line!
http://deaf-eddie.net
eb@deaf-eddie.net
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