Stratocaster pots wiring and layout (my unusual way)

Just Got my Stratocaster back from my tech, with a new switching system (Fender S-1 switch), layout and pots configuration. Not a wiring video, just how I set my strat.

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[albertolombardimusic]

Thanks for leaving your thoughts down in the comments!

[philcowdall]

I couldn't agree more about the position of that damn volume pot on a strat!! I find it SO annoying, not only does it get in the way, but particularly when I am playing palm muted stuff my little finger catches it and ends up rolling the volume off ! this put me off strats for years. I cannot believe I've never heard anyone ever mention this before (because it seems so obvious to me) until I saw your video. In fact it put me off strats for years and I became a Gibson man. Recently bought a strat last year as no collection is complete without one, and I love it and it is so comfortable to play in every aspect from the belly cut to the lovely neck and 25 inch scale length... except for that damn pot!! - I've not been brave enough to take a soldering iron to mine yet tho! Love all your videos Alberto and the tones you get.

[Misbehavin]

I did the same thing to my Strat SSS but also at the same time I put a 3 position switch in too. I hated the 5 way switch, I found that I could never get right. and I only use 3 settings anyway, Bridge, Middle/Neck, and Neck. now I love playing my Strat, feels very comfortable. thanks for the Video I thought I was the only one that felt this way about the volume knob. -Kevin

[Onemoretake]

I never thought about splitting my bridge humbucker... that's such a great mod... I really like the sound of that pickup you have too

[BluesBrogio]

I just did that to my strat and was looking for ideas on how to cover that hole in the pickguard, stylishly, lol. Now I'm looking for a cool sticker. Great video!

[aprillikeslilacs]

i have a jazzmaster/tele style guitar with hss strat style wiring, i hated strat wiring so much so i gave it a 3 way switch to control the neck and middle pickups > volume for both of those > tone > output, and the humbucker on its own volume pot, > tone > output. it works so much better for how i like it and i definitely would encourage everybody to experiment with what wiring system works for you!

[awright]

Thanks, Alberto - Although I love the sound of a stratocaster, I never warmed up to playing strats, partly for the reason of the volume knob being in the way (I'm mainly a tele player). I will use this set up, but with an SSS setup with the S1 switch to select the bridge and neck pickup combination.

[galelongputt]

I love the S1 switch.. I put together a Strat equipped with an HSS configuration With Seymour Duncan's. The 2 single pickups are actually doubles and have the ability to also be split. I will use all 3 S1 pots for splitting. I agree with you about the annoying volume location. Thanks 😊

[davespin]

Love it!! I just did this mod too! I had seen your video before and ordered my new pickguard with no holes for custom pot positioning, a Fender stacked 500k/250k volume pot, and a Trembucker Seymour Duncan pickup. I can report its WAY BETTER! You set a trend! I'll be posting this change on my channel TremDoctor. You play amazingly well! You set a high bar 👍

[ilmisxx]

Try wiring a resistor of 2.2kohm in series with the coil of the bridge pickup that you send to ground when splitting thw pickup, it will give you a beefier sound by keeping some of the shunted coil in the signal and also less noise

[davespin]

Love what you did, I did the same thing to my Kramer VT211S which is their version of a Strat.
I will be doing this next to my Mexi Strat, also swapping out the single coil bridge P/U for a Seymour Duncan JB Humbucker. The volume is definitely in the way big time. I'm also not a purist, if it needs to be changed I do it. Its all about playability not conforming.

[tamdsms]

Ciao Alberto & welcome back👋😉❗ Have you been touring ❓ Thanks for this insightful video, I've been curious about your set-up for years - that Fender "F" sticker has always been "kind of" a clue that something's different (. . . Duh!). This revealing video really fills in the blanks, since I'm an acoustic player. I only recently learned precisely what the 5-way toggle switch activates, in a given position. Are you going to do the same re-tooling on your black Strat❓ The basic layout is the same on that one too (double "Duh"). 🤣😂🥲😉. An encore/"bis" of the pedalboard video is up next. That's it from me for now. Ciao & kind regards!

[joeltunnah]

I'm definitely a master volume + master tone guy for Strats. The problem is always what to do with the third hole.
For now, my '57 american vintage just has the second tone control unwired, and I left the knob on to keep the original look.

[ande]

JB’s in strats are the best combo!! By the way, the JB isn’t short for Jeff Beck. I thought for the longest time it was, but I saw a video of Seymour himself explaining that it stands for Jazzy Blues.

[tamdsms]

P.S.: Great camera "close-up" work on the knobs & your R. hand. To get rid of gummy glue build up from that double-sided sticky tape, you can use old fashioned cigarette lighter fluid - synthetic isoparaffinic hydrocarbon (commonly referred to as lighter fluid or naphtha). My Mom told me book restorers would use naphtha to remove scotch tape from books. Naphtha won't affect printers ink, most document inks, or map colorings. I have a guitar whose pick-guard had been pried off (I imagine by an angry girlfriend), & there was a very sticky paisley shaped spot of glue left on the guitar. The lighter fluid took the glue right off & didn't; damage the finish; leave a lingering odor; or leave any greasy / oily petroleum stain. Don't use on shellac or lacquer though, & it is highly flammable. If you're the least bit suspicious, do a spot test with a cotton swab dipped in naphtha. Naphtha was, & may still be being used in "Dry Cleaning" cloths too. It's just a thought: naphtha might come in handy for you too. Ciao, "Break a leg, " & kind regards🎸☺!

[raimondo]

I had the same S-1 mod done to one of my Strats. Very nice.
Eliminating one tone pot, and using only *one* volume pot and *one* tone pot for *all* position is a good decision.
I should have done that too.

[Uncle_Gray]

Oh man The same issue in the same HSS strat Just was thinking to swap volume n tone knobs But you have much better solution

[cranstjs]

Nice. I too don't like the arrangement of most all the controls. In fact, if I had a choice, I would put a left handed body on my neck so all the controls were out of the way on top. Or I would do what you did with the volume and tone, remove the surface jack and put it on the side of the body, and move the switch to where the jack was. I have a feeling the original design was done by a player who has a very limited pick stroke.

[rookieg]

This is the exact set up I've been wanting for ages. Hss with one tone control and coil split. I've never built my own pick guard before though. Was hoping to find a good company that can build it for me.

[rickyman]

Alberto, like your catchy music playing tunes. I Stratocasters, I have Humbuckers at bridge and neck with single coil in the middle because I play jazz guitar the neck pickup giving me a mellow sound. Paul