Deaf Eddie FAT-O-Caster Switch

As previously noted, this is not a pickup...but a passive rotary switch that allows 5 new tones to be coaxed from a Strat guitar. I had my guitar tech do the install. I'm strictly an end-user, not into soldering and tinkering with tiny wires I can't see anyway.

This was installed in a 2000 (maybe 1999) Mexi Standard Strat, which is loaded with Fralin Vintage Hot pickups. After reading about the series (humbucking) options, I knew I wanted this in my guitar.

The overall output level is basically the same. Couldn't be easier to use. First position is the 5 normal Strat tones.

Second switch position yields the Telecaster-like bridge and neck tone, plus all 3 pickups on at the same time tone. I love them both. Especially since I have the baseplate on my Fralin bridge pickup, the bridge/neck tone is remarkably Tele-ish. Three pickups at the same time is plenty Stratty, but unmistakably different and FAT sounding.

The third switch position offers three "humbucker" options: neck and middle in series; middle and bridge parallel in series with neck pickup; and, bridge and middle in series. All 3 of these tones are fat and full, but still retain plenty of Strat cripsness and airiness.

Overall, I couldn't be happier with my Strat now...totally stock looking, but with 5 new tones to add to my tonal arsenal. I've been looking for a backup guitar and was thinking about a Tele...now, I think I'd rather have another Strat with one of these switches. Easily the best $20 I ever spent.

I've been playing 35 years or so. After only a couple days operating this new setup, I can't imagine a Strat without one of these switches now.

An added bonus is having a tone control for the bridge pickup. The Fralin with the baseplate sounds pretty good on its own...now I can roll off a bit of the high end, so to me, that's an additional tone I didn't have before.

I've made huge strides tone-wise the past month, after all this time playing. First of all, 6 years ago, the Fralins went in. Absolutely gorgeous Strat tones. To say that another pickup brand sounds better than these is splitting hairs.

Last month, I purchased a Laney VC30-112 amp, a 30-watt Class A British amp. Compared to my much beloved Peavey Classic 50-410...well, comparison just isn't fair. The Laney simply outshines the Classic 50's clean tones. The Peavey had more gain on the drive channel, but the Laney sounds sweeter, is much more responsive and has enough gain for roots rock, classic rock, blues or blues rock. It would be a great country or jazz amp, too.

So the FAT-O-Caster switch is the final link in my quest for great Strat tone. Mexican Strat. Fralin pickups. Laney Class A tube amp. Deaf Eddie switch. I'm done as far as my Strat tones go. And then some.

Again, the best 20 bucks I ever spent.

Pickup features: roary switch that gives you a total of 12 combinations of pickup wiring
Impedence or other specs: Totally stock looking switch (repaces 2nd tone control)

Model of guitar or bass: "Frankenstein" custom strat-Fender ash body-Warmouth bird's eye maple neck
Position: all positions
Pickup being replaced: Switch replaces your neck tone control, then you rewire your middle tone control as master tone. Complete stock appearance, and no alteration to the function of the existing 5-way switch.
Other pickups on guitar: Bill Lawrence 280's all around
Artists using this pickup: Anyone who wants to get the most out of their strat tones.
You musical style(s): Rock, Blues, Jazz, Country
Reason for pickup change: I wanted more sounds out of my Strat. I was especially interested in the series combinations. The switch was very easy to install (came with clear instuctions and a diagram).
Sound

Perceived output level: The series sounds really are fat. I can get near-Gibson tones with them.
Tone: All of the new sounds are useful to me, even the out of phase, which is unlike the thin-sounding out of phase you normally get. What's cool is that even though the series combos give humbucker-like sounds, they still retain a Strat-like quality. So the new sounds work well with the stock ones.
Sonic evaluation: Wow! ..I just have to ask myself "why didn't Fender put this in all their guitars?". You keep the normal tones plus add lots of USEFUL tones that increase the expressiveness of the Stratone. The FAT-O-Caster V.2 is a 4 way rotary switch that gives the following sounds:
Notch 1 (knob on 10): Normal Stratocaster sounds.
Notch 2 (knob on 9): "Bridge On". Postion 1 = Bridge and Neck in parallel (Tele sound), position two = all three in parallel (the only sound I don't like). Positions 3 and 4 are both Bridge and Middle in parallel, and position 5 = Bridge.
Notch 3: (knob on 8) The Series sounds. Positions 1 and 2 are neck pickup alone. Position 3 is all three in series. Positions 4 and 5 are both Neck and Bridge in Series. This is my favorite of the new sounds. It is very full, like a humbucker, but retains a glassy quality, probably due to the neck pickup. The bridge pickup keeps it clear. I like it a lot for hard rock sounds (AC/DC).
Notch 4 (knob on 7): Positions 1 and 2 are the neck alone. Position 3 is Middle and Neck in series. Position 4 is a combination of series and out of phase sounds. Similar to the neck/bridge parallel sound, and very useful for blues. I like it a lot, probably my second favorite of the new sounds. Position 5 is the bridge out of phase and in series with the neck. Think of a wah pedal engaged and set all the way up on the treble. I like switching to this from Notch 3's position 5 (neck and bridge in series).

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: : Since I didn't lose any stock sounds, my Strat is now several times more versatile.

Comments: This is definitly the best way to go without doing major mods with switches and all. The new tones definitely get a 10. The Strat is now a real tone machine, and for very little cost. Also,I find it easy to switch between sounds, and like how the stock appearance of my guitar hasn't changed. Deaf Eddie gets a 10 for customer service too. He has been extremely helpful, always promptly answering questions and listening to his customer's requests. In fact it was his dedication to providing excellent customer service that spawned the idea for this switch. You see, I was originally going to buy a Chromocaster switch but I thought all the combinations would be too confusing for live stage work. I liked the Fat-O-Caster but wanted a few more tones it didn't have. So EB went to the drawing board and came up with this switch for ME! How cool is that! Now all you tonefreaks can enjoy the same bliss from your strat for about $30.00. That's hard to beat.

Pickup features: n/a
Impedence or other specs: n/a

Model of guitar or bass: Parts assembled strat clone
Position: all positions
Pickup being replaced: none
Other pickups on guitar: Rio Grande
Artists using this pickup: n/a
You musical style(s): voodoo funk blue soul avant-garde polka jazz
Reason for pickup change: Wanted more versitility in pickup selection

Perceived output level: higher output in series positions
Tone: clear articulate humbucker tone in series pos./ Tele crank possible neck/bridge parallel pos.
Sonic evaluation: Offers greater versitilty in a simple mod.
Like getting 2 more guitars for $20.00

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: suits my playing style, very useful

Comments: I will definately put one in another strat styled guitar I have.
Primo Bang-For-Buck factor.

Pickup features: Three-position switch.
Impedence or other specs:

Model of guitar or bass: Indonesian Squier Strat Bullet hardtail cheapo.
Position: neck
Pickup being replaced: none
Other pickups on guitar: stock
Artists using this pickup:
You musical style(s): blues and classic rock
Reason for pickup change: Wanted more tonal variety, didn't want to change appearance of guitar.

Perceived output level: Normal.
Tone: Now have much better variety of tones.
Sonic evaluation: Squier Strat Bullet into Marshall JCM 800 1x12 50-watt combo and Washburn solid-state 1x8 12-watt combo. Sounds MUCH better than stock, as now I have series and parallel connections, PLUS I get to combine the neck and bridge pickups only, which normal Strat switching does not provide.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: Blues and "classic" rock. Really a great match for just about any musical style.

Comments: I would autmatically put this in any Strat-type guitar (unless I used Eddie's Chromacaster, which I will get as soon as I have a slight excuse). I've been playing since 1969. I have a US-made Hamer Archtop Studio, a US-made Washburn Telecaster clone, a US-made Industrial LP clone and an Industrial lap steel. This switch has made my cheapo Squier better (to my ears) than the two US-made Strats I had before. I literally can't get over how great all the sounds are. You would never expect a single-coil Strat to sound this big. And it's CHEAP! Buy the Fat-O-Caster now.

Pickup features: enhanced tone/pick-up combinations, strat type guitars
Impedence or other specs: fat

Model of guitar or bass: 95 MIM fender stratocaster
Position: all positions
Pickup being replaced: replaces one of the two tone controls, no drilling/altering of body or pickguard
Other pickups on guitar: texs specials
Artists using this pickup: many
You musical style(s): blues/rock/60's
Reason for pickup change: this switch mod gives you numorous pup combinations, series and phase out, while still allowing a position for original 5-way switch function

Perceived output level:
Tone: gives humbucker type tone/output, as well as out of phase, great for surf/60's.
Sonic evaluation: playing through vintage fender equipment, blackface twin reverb, deluxe reverb, Allen old flame, marshall JTM60

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: all styles, great for getting the most (tone) from your axe.

Comments: this switch installation is extremely affordable, easy to install, comes with very explicit instructions, no need to sacrifice stock set-up, except giving up one factory tone control, which i have yet to find a person that uses. no drilling, no routing, great series tones, get the most from your pups. why didn't fender think of that? wouldn't have a strat without one anymore.

Pickup features:
Impedence or other specs:

Model of guitar or bass: Fender Am Deluxe Strat
Position: all positions
Pickup being replaced: None
Other pickups on guitar: Vintage Noiseless
Artists using this pickup: Many when the word gets out.
You musical style(s): Blues, Rock, Jazz
Reason for pickup change: I just KNEW that there was more than we were getting from Fender.

Perceived output level: Normal on most, series are notable hotter.
Tone: More tones than I thought possible.
Sonic evaluation: Am Deluxe Strat, ash body, maple neck and fingerboard, through a Fender Blues Junior for practice and small rooms, Fender Blues Deluxe for Clubs and such, also through a Pod on occasion.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: Blues, Rock, Jazz and the Fat-O-Caster switch helps them all.

Comments: This switch is amazing. You end up with a volume control, Fat-o switch and a master tone control after an easy installation. Instructions were clear and the diagrams that show the wiring were very easy to follow.
First big change, a tone control on the bridge pickup. Thats been a Fender shortcoming for ages. I wondered about a master tone instead of having two, but after a minute or three it was very natural. Not to worry.
Second big change, the series settings. WOW!! Forget the strat size humbuckers. This is the answer!! I couldn't believe the sounds coming out of my strat. I've been playing for 40 years and have always been a "Gibson guy" (I've got a Firebird I and a Les Paul, and a bunch of archtops too). Now single coils have their place and give the classic strat tones (thats why I bought one), but when you want to, you just can't fatten them up. Till now. The Fat-O took my strat straight to Gibsonville with a click of the switch. If anything this switch does more than I was expecting.
Third big change, single coil settings that you never heard before. While the name of the switch is the Fat-O-Caster, it's got more going for it than just fat. I'm still checking the chart that comes with the switch for all the combos possible but you CAN hear all the differences.
This thing is pure stealth. I've been asked "how did you get it to sound like that?" and I just shine them on about changing resistors or some other bull. If you don't try the middle knob you'll never know it's there.
So is this switch everything that it's supposed to be? Straight up, yes. There isn't anything that you can do for your sound for $20 that will even get close. It might even save you the cost of another guitar.

Pickup features: not a pickup, but a SWITCH
Impedence or other specs: (didn't know where to post this, guessed with "pickups")

Model of guitar or bass: Fender AmStd Strat
Position: all positions
Pickup being replaced: kept the same pickups
Other pickups on guitar: stock Strat set
Artists using this pickup: nobody famous - yet!
You musical style(s): blues rock, some country
Reason for pickup change: Installed this switch to get MORE TONES out of an otherwise "stock" Strat.

Perceived output level: No drop in output, and the series ettings are slighty louder
Tone: This switch will give you all the tones that Fender forgot to!
Sonic evaluation: The FAT-O-Caster is a COMPLETELY PASSIVE 3-position rotary switch that gives you some new pickup combinations.
To install it, all you need to do is remove your center tone control, and install the FAT-O-Caster switch, which comes pre-wired and ready to install with complete instructions, color-coded drawing, and tone chart.
The five-way pup selector works as always, and the FAT-O has three notches - normal, bridge-always-on, and series -with-neck. Pick yer notch on the FAT-O, and work the five-way to hear the different tones. It could not be easier.
On notch one you have all your regular Strat pup combos.
On notch two, you can select all three pickups (for that super quack), or bridge and neck pickup (for that Tele-tone).
On notch three you can get bridge and neck in series (rather Gibson-y), bridge and middle in series (also FAT), and BOTH of the above, parallel.
It REALLY opens up the sonic pallet of a Strat.
But perhaps best of all, no new holes - put your old "tone" knob on the switch, and no one knows you have one installed - except for the fabulous new tones!
Works with ANY three-pickup S-Type guitar that has pickguard-mounted controls and uses a "Fender-like" lever five-way pickup selector. You could spiff up Ibanez, Charvel, Kramer Str@t copies- even cheapies like Harmony and Johnson.
IT'S WAY CHEAPER THAN CHANGING PICKUPS -
And, you get more new tones....

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: great for blues, fabulous for country, solid for rock...

Comments: I can't imagine having a Strat WITHOUT one of these switches!