There are a plethora of wiring options and modifications available to use in S-style guitars (strats). This article will focus on SSS style guitars, or those that are loaded with only single-coil pickups, just to simplify and minimize the options available.
Switches
Standard strats consist of a 5-way selector switch, that allows you to select either one of your three pickups individually (neck, middle, bridge), or the standard 2 and 4 positions select your bridge and middle in series, and the neck and middle in series. Even within the realm of standard wiring, there exist variations in component quality and wiring quality. We will start by exploring the switch itself. On lower priced s-style guitars, manufacturers tend to source lower quality parts, and that includes the switches.
The image above shows three different types of switches, two of which are standard for strats and teles (5-way and 3 way, respectively). They both are the same mounting size and can be used interchangably. Many players find the standard wiring configuration of either the 3-way or 5-way switch limiting, and add modifications to further customize the tonal options available to them.
Fender themselves offer many of these modifications on their own stock models, such as the Tone Saver wiring mod (essentially a treble bleed circuit), TBX Tone control, blender pots, etc. A personal favorite of mine is the GT11 Custom shop model, which includes the treble bleed circuit on the volume knob, and the half blender mod on one of the tone pots.
Pots (Potentiometers)
The image above shows three different kinds of pots, one being a push pull CTS DPDT pot, another an alpha no load blender pot, and the third being a traditional 250k CTS pot. Push-pull pots can be a bit tricky to fit into certain smaller control cavities depending on what wiring you already have inside your guitar and how much space is left available, but can offer a plethora of options to switch between. The blender pots allow you to blend in certain pickups or variations, such as blending in neck or middle pickups for increasing number of total pickup combinations to 7 or more depending on additional config options.
In addition to simply cosmetic enhancements, various types of knobs can be used on top of the pots. The two types of knobs pictured are a custom wooden knob with a set screw. This knob will look great on the custom birdseye maple pickguard pictured below the pots. Other types of knobs with set screws can be heavier, such as brass or chrome knobs. These knobs can prevent accidental engagement if your picking hand (like mine) sometimes lacks control. Additionally, higher quality pots themselves (CTS and others) tend to hold their position well and provide very consistent taper, which ensures the amount you turn is consistent and reliable, ensuring the value you land on will result in the sound you desire in your head.
The pots pictured also have different types of shafts, the two pictured are split-shaft and solid shaft. The solid shafts are intended to be used with knobs with a set screw; traditional style tophat numbered knobs are intended to be used on knurled split shafts. The knurling grips the inner plastic better than the smooth solid shaft, and inversely using a set screw on the knurling could scratch it, or it can be screwed into the split section, which would render the screw useless and the knob could easily fall off.
Pictured above is one of our premium pickguards, with a set of Seymour Duncan Jimi Hendrix pickups, with the Kingtone classic rotary tone switch in the second tone knob position, and a push-pull volume knob to add the neck position. A paper-in-oil cap of a low value (0.015uF) is used to provide the least filtration of high frequencies when rolling back the second tone knob. I like this personally because it provides a larger spectrum of high frequency filtration without providing a drastic cut when rolling back the middle tone knob completely. The kingtone switch provides a plethora of treble bleed circuit options, so we can exclude wiring the traditional treble bleed volume knob config of resistor + pot. The kingtone classic knob provides many useful tone settings on tap available in 6 discrete positions as well. The entire pickguard is custom wired with cloth pushback wiring (gavitt wire), which holds its shape exceptionally well compared to cheaper plastic wiring. We plan out our wiring routes and opt for subtle curves rather than sharp angles, as we believe this will put less strain on circuitry and provide longer playing life without needing to modify the internals over time. Using higher quality capacitors such as this 920 paper-in-oil bumblebee cap ensures greater reliability over time, as all caps eventually lose their capacitance (average 20-25 years lifetime). We source all our parts from various places, such as stewmac.com, emerson custom, various reverb shops and of course we look out for in-person deals whenever possible.
How to choose?
With all the options available, it can be overwhelming to select which pickups, how to wire, which components to choose etc. As electronics geeks and lovers of all things guitar related, we can help demystify this process for you. With our contact form, you can give us some background on what sounds you are looking for. We will follow up via email or phone to discuss further details, and decide which type of wiring configuration and which pickups would suit your tastes and playing styles best. We can pre wire a pickguard for you, or even customize a guitar and amplifier package for you to fit your budget. The sky is the limit! Contact us for a tone consultation today, to achieve the tones you've always been dreaming of!