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Stratocaster SSS wiring

4 Stratocaster SSS wirings side by side, each with its full diagram and every sound it makes — series, parallel, phase and hum-cancelling worked out per switch position.

Vintage (1V, neck+middle tones)

5 distinct sounds.

Parts

• Bridge single coil
• Middle single coil (RWRP)
• Neck single coil
• 5-way blade
• 3× 250k audio
• 0.047 µF tone cap

Every distinct sound this wiring produces, worked out from the circuit.

Sound	Switch setting	Hum-cancelling	Phase
Bridge	5-way blade: 1 (bridge)	No	—
Bridge + Middle	5-way blade: 2	Yes	In phase
Middle	5-way blade: 3 (middle)	No	—
Middle + Neck	5-way blade: 4	Yes	In phase
Neck	5-way blade: 5 (neck)	No	—

Wiring list

Every wire in solder order — grounds first, output last. The list is generated from the same netlist as the diagram.

1. Grounds first
2. Solder a black wire from the ground lead from Neck to the ground lead from Middle (RWRP).
3. Solder a black wire from the ground lead from Middle (RWRP) to the ground lead from Bridge.
4. Solder a black wire from the ground lead from Bridge to lug 1 on Volume 250k.
5. Solder a black wire from lug 1 on Volume 250k to the second leg of 0.047 µF.
6. Solder a black wire from the second leg of 0.047 µF to the sleeve lug on the jack.
7. Pickup hots
8. Solder a red wire from lug 1, pole 1 on 5-way to the hot lead from Bridge.
9. Solder a yellow wire from lug 2, pole 1 on 5-way to the hot lead from Middle (RWRP).
10. Solder a green wire from the hot lead from Neck to lug 3, pole 1 on 5-way.
11. Controls
12. Solder a gray wire from common lug, pole 2 on 5-way to common lug, pole 1 on 5-way.
13. Solder a gray wire from common lug, pole 1 on 5-way to lug 3 (CW end) on Volume 250k.
14. Solder a gray wire from lug 2 (wiper) on Tone neck to the first leg of 0.047 µF.
15. Solder a gray wire from the first leg of 0.047 µF to lug 2 (wiper) on Tone middle.
16. Solder a gray wire from lug 2, pole 2 on 5-way to lug 1 on Tone middle.
17. Solder a gray wire from lug 3, pole 2 on 5-way to lug 1 on Tone neck.
18. Output last
19. Solder a gray wire from lug 2 (wiper) on Volume 250k to the tip lug on the jack.

Open this wiring in the app

Modern (bridge tone)

5 distinct sounds.

Parts

• Bridge single coil
• Middle single coil (RWRP)
• Neck single coil
• 5-way blade
• 3× 250k audio
• 0.047 µF tone cap

Every distinct sound this wiring produces, worked out from the circuit.

Sound	Switch setting	Hum-cancelling	Phase
Bridge	5-way blade: 1 (bridge)	No	—
Bridge + Middle	5-way blade: 2	Yes	In phase
Middle	5-way blade: 3 (middle)	No	—
Middle + Neck	5-way blade: 4	Yes	In phase
Neck	5-way blade: 5 (neck)	No	—

Wiring list

Every wire in solder order — grounds first, output last. The list is generated from the same netlist as the diagram.

1. Grounds first
2. Solder a black wire from the second leg of 0.047 µF to the ground lead from Neck.
3. Solder a black wire from the ground lead from Neck to the ground lead from Middle.
4. Solder a black wire from the ground lead from Middle to the ground lead from Bridge.
5. Solder a black wire from the ground lead from Bridge to lug 1 on Volume.
6. Solder a black wire from lug 1 on Volume to the sleeve lug on the jack.
7. Pickup hots
8. Solder a red wire from lug 1, pole 1 on Selector to the hot lead from Bridge.
9. Solder a yellow wire from lug 2, pole 1 on Selector to the hot lead from Middle.
10. Solder a green wire from the hot lead from Neck to lug 3, pole 1 on Selector.
11. Controls
12. Solder a gray wire from common lug, pole 2 on Selector to common lug, pole 1 on Selector.
13. Solder a gray wire from common lug, pole 1 on Selector to lug 3 (CW end) on Volume.
14. Solder a gray wire from the first leg of 0.047 µF to lug 2 (wiper) on Neck/middle tone.
15. Solder a gray wire from lug 2 (wiper) on Neck/middle tone to lug 2 (wiper) on Bridge tone.
16. Solder a gray wire from lug 3, pole 2 on Selector to lug 2, pole 2 on Selector.
17. Solder a gray wire from lug 2, pole 2 on Selector to lug 1 on Neck/middle tone.
18. Solder a gray wire from lug 1, pole 2 on Selector to lug 1 on Bridge tone.
19. Output last
20. Solder a gray wire from lug 2 (wiper) on Volume to the tip lug on the jack.

Open this wiring in the app

7-sound (Gilmour mod)

7 distinct sounds.

Parts

• Bridge single coil
• Middle single coil (RWRP)
• Neck single coil
• 5-way blade
• 3× 250k audio
• 0.047 µF tone cap
• DPDT on-on (push-pull)

Every distinct sound this wiring produces, worked out from the circuit.

Sound	Switch setting	Hum-cancelling	Phase
Bridge	5-way blade: 1 (bridge) · Neck on down	No	—
Bridge + Neck	5-way blade: 1 (bridge) · Neck on up	No	In phase
Bridge + Middle	5-way blade: 2 · Neck on down	Yes	In phase
Bridge + Middle + Neck	5-way blade: 2 · Neck on up	No	In phase
Middle	5-way blade: 3 (middle) · Neck on down	No	—
Middle + Neck	5-way blade: 3 (middle) · Neck on up	Yes	In phase
Neck	5-way blade: 5 (neck) · Neck on down	No	—

Wiring list

Every wire in solder order — grounds first, output last. The list is generated from the same netlist as the diagram.

1. Grounds first
2. Solder a black wire from the second leg of 0.047 µF to the ground lead from Neck.
3. Solder a black wire from the ground lead from Neck to the ground lead from Middle.
4. Solder a black wire from the ground lead from Middle to the ground lead from Bridge.
5. Solder a black wire from the ground lead from Bridge to lug 1 on Volume.
6. Solder a black wire from lug 1 on Volume to the sleeve lug on the jack.
7. Pickup hots
8. Solder a red wire from lug 1, pole 1 on Selector to the hot lead from Bridge.
9. Solder a yellow wire from lug 2, pole 1 on Selector to the hot lead from Middle.
10. Solder a green wire from the hot lead from Neck to lug 3, pole 1 on Selector.
11. Solder a green wire from lug 3, pole 1 on Selector to middle (common) lug, pole A on Neck on (7-sound).
12. Controls
13. Solder a gray wire from common lug, pole 2 on Selector to common lug, pole 1 on Selector.
14. Solder a gray wire from common lug, pole 1 on Selector to up-row lug, pole A on Neck on (7-sound).
15. Solder a gray wire from up-row lug, pole A on Neck on (7-sound) to lug 3 (CW end) on Volume.
16. Solder a gray wire from the first leg of 0.047 µF to lug 2 (wiper) on Middle tone.
17. Solder a gray wire from lug 2 (wiper) on Middle tone to lug 2 (wiper) on Neck tone.
18. Solder a gray wire from lug 2, pole 2 on Selector to lug 1 on Middle tone.
19. Solder a gray wire from lug 3, pole 2 on Selector to lug 1 on Neck tone.
20. Output last
21. Solder a gray wire from lug 2 (wiper) on Volume to the tip lug on the jack.

Open this wiring in the app

Barebones (switch only)

5 distinct sounds.

Parts

• Bridge single coil
• Middle single coil (RWRP)
• Neck single coil
• 5-way blade

Every distinct sound this wiring produces, worked out from the circuit.

Sound	Switch setting	Hum-cancelling	Phase
Bridge	5-way blade: 1 (bridge)	No	—
Bridge + Middle	5-way blade: 2	Yes	In phase
Middle	5-way blade: 3 (middle)	No	—
Middle + Neck	5-way blade: 4	Yes	In phase
Neck	5-way blade: 5 (neck)	No	—

Wiring list

Every wire in solder order — grounds first, output last. The list is generated from the same netlist as the diagram.

1. Grounds first
2. Solder a black wire from the ground lead from Neck to the ground lead from Middle (RWRP).
3. Solder a black wire from the ground lead from Middle (RWRP) to the ground lead from Bridge.
4. Solder a black wire from the ground lead from Bridge to the sleeve lug on the jack.
5. Pickup hots
6. Solder a red wire from lug 1, pole 1 on 5-way to the hot lead from Bridge.
7. Solder a yellow wire from lug 2, pole 1 on 5-way to the hot lead from Middle (RWRP).
8. Solder a green wire from the hot lead from Neck to lug 3, pole 1 on 5-way.
9. Output last
10. Solder a gray wire from common lug, pole 1 on 5-way to the tip lug on the jack.

Open this wiring in the app

Something wrong, or missing?

A wrong diagram is worse than no diagram. If a lug, a colour or a sound looks off — or your guitar is not here — say so and it gets looked at.

What is this about? Something in a diagram is wrong A guitar or wiring is missing An idea for the site Something else Which wiring? Not about a specific one Vintage (1V, neck+middle tones)Modern (bridge tone)7-sound (Gilmour mod)Barebones (switch only) What should we know? Email Optional. Only used if the answer needs a follow-up question.

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