How to Install a 5-Way Stratocaster Switch (full step-by-step installation guide)

Greetings Strat Owners!
In this video, you will learn how to dismantle, solder, wire, and install a new 5-way switch on your Stratocaster! A step-by-step guide that even a complete beginner could follow!
Different Stratocaster switches can be a little confusing at the beginning but we're here to put everything in order! Stratocaster Switch wiring is quite simple and we're sure that by the end of this video, you will also be able to install a 5 way switch on your Stratocaster!
Guitar maintenance can save you a lot of time and money, so we decided to start teaching you guys how to do things by yourselves! Wiring a Stratocaster, installing electric guitar switches or pickups, replacing strings, and general guitar maintenance, all of which can be done with simple (and cheap) tools!
Stay tuned and SUBSCRIBE right here👇
/ @coilsboutiquepickups
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We offer extensive knowledge and expertise gained during many years of experience in the music industry. Handling electric and bass guitar, components crafting, sound engineering, and music-making.
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#coilsboutique #5wayswitch #stratocaster

[@southsidejohnny5624]

I’ve swapped out switches and pickguards before but this is one of the best explanations I’ve seen. I can follow a wiring diagram but this explained how the switch works better than any others I’ve seen. Excellent work, fella. Subscribed!

[@coilsboutiquepickups]

Thank you very much

[@southsidejohnny5624]

@@coilsboutiquepickups You’re very welcome. Good morning from Glasgow, Scotland 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

[@coilsboutiquepickups]

Swear I'm gonna visit Scotland one day! Just have to..

[@reynoldjustforfun6347]

11:00 the moment you become my hero. Thanks a lot mate

[@coilsboutiquepickups]

Thank you very much!

[@tiernanfoss]

My thoughts exactly!

[@AlCapwn369]

By far the best explanation and tutorial I have found! Thanks.

[@scottbronder]

Nice video. I'm pretty dumb about all this stuff but you clearly filled the gaps in my understanding. I never really thought about what I was doing, I always follow a diagram. You made me understand what the diagram really means. Thanks.

[@chrismarsh8090]

Very informative and easy to understand video, I have just replaced all 3 pickups (1 humbucke), 2 tone, 1 volume and the 5 way selector switch and it works! Thank you.

[@coilsboutiquepickups]

Thank you for your comment

[@psykoelvis]

Thank you so much for such a clear and easy explanation!! I m pretty useless with this kind of stuff but you made it so easy,thanks a lot !!

[@Btn1136]

Wow. This is such a well done video. Thank you.

[@hyperplayability6290]

that is some super clean soldering! me here trying to get an idea on how switches work so i can install a custom switch for my beginner friend: even if i'm installing a different switch (5 way strat except an option is replaced with neck + bridge to mimic a tele) , this explained a lot! thanks a lot for making this vid!!!

[@punkybrewsterrr]

thank you for taking the time to share this !

[@coilsboutiquepickups]

Thank you so much for watching and commenting. :)

[@Giggiyygoo]

Just did this to my guitar. My soldering is a mess though, you make it look so easy. As long as it works I suppose....

[@coilsboutiquepickups]

Good soldering takes some practice but I find that high quality powerful soldering station and iron are the real key for an easier and excellent job.

[@davidhession4753]

Really good instructunal video Exellent

[@seanemmettfullerton]

well done, buddy! great video...

[@CoYoTdeLiMa]

Great vid.

[@pvdguitars2951]

I like you guys and I just subscribed 😉

[@ivandrimal5783]

I also have good experience with other 5 switches, such as the BACH LSW50, only some of them wanted to spray the contacts right after installation and they were OK. No noise or banging. You just need to make the right ground loops so that there is no hum. Otherwise OK. Nice video!

[@DougHinVA]

'spray the contacts ' means what exactly? How is it done and why?

[@richardsmith5104]

Neen to see how to connect a 5 position switch to a fender stratocaste

[@otraperspectiva]

Hey, thank you for the tutorial. It's really clear but I got a little lost with the "common wire" term. Just did a quick search on the internet and realized that's ground. Also, my guitar has only one potentiometer controlling the tone, so setting it up will be a bit simpler than in this case.

[@coilsboutiquepickups]

Hi, by "common" I usually mean the lead that is going out of the switch or the center lug of a pot

[@MrBlowncat]

💪🏼🌟🙌🏼

[@davidwalker8319]

First time I've tried to do anything about the problems you have with electric guitars. I have an horner guitar which is German I think. The selection switch is a different one that is used in the video and I have no idea what size wire is used. So please pray for me so I don't blow anything up. And if possible could someone please tell me what wire I should be using. Thanks. And I agree that it is a good video. Unfortunately I'm not tesla....I'm nervous about the whole process and I'm sure that I will be looking for guitar repair shops in my area 😀

[@coilsboutiquepickups]

Hi. You can send me a picture of your switch and I'll try to help you out. [e-mail]

[@johnbenedictenrico281]

Can you make a vid about wiring 2 Humbucker, 1 Vol, 1 Tone, 5-way

[@coilsboutiquepickups]

Sounds cool

[@lightandtheheat]

Great video, thank you. Can you tell me what gauge wire you used? Can it be found at a store like Home Depot?

[@coilsboutiquepickups]

22 AWG. Not sure about Home Depot...

[@juanvelazquez2423]

Great video. I've got an hay configuration but both humbuckers don't work at the same time. Want advice on how to mod the switch so I can get both connected at the same time?

[@coilsboutiquepickups]

hi, I suggest you don't mod the switch because you will lose other positions, but you can add a Push/Pull pot or an additional mini switch to create to option.

[@juanvelazquez2423]

@@coilsboutiquepickups hi. I also thought of putting in the middle position a DiMarzio super distortion

[@anton5442]

Thank you very much! Video useful so far. I could install Japan switch (which is very close to USA in your video ) on my Squier Affinity ( instead of strange original Chinese) after watching your video. Hope you channel will grow One thing, it was very complicated for me to solder wires into holes of switch, I guess because of wires of pickups and pots in Squier Affinity are tine enough and holes just too big for them. I soldered them somehow just to push big amount of tin solder but it was not pleasent and construction not very stable. Would be glad if you have a hint how to cope with such problems

[@coilsboutiquepickups]

Sure, try to use a high power soldering station and flux paste. Most soldering problems are related to a weak soldering iron

[@anton5442]

@@coilsboutiquepickups thank you! Such a quick good answer) WIll try in next soldering

[@coilsboutiquepickups]

@@anton5442 Awesome. Let us know how it went

[@meanmistermustard1041]

Only question is, is the wire that you are using shielded? Is there a better wire for reducing hum etc?

[@coilsboutiquepickups]

Well, the hum created by the single coils will not diminish using a shielded wire, that is, not in a way that is noticeable... Push-Back wires are easy to use and they have excellent conductivity.

[@robstimson4234]

l am doing this on a Squire Strat. When you said 'solder common on the right tab' l soldered the black lead from the volume knob. A few minutes later l found out l had done the wrong [?] thing. l have 6 leads to work with. Three cloth-wrapped pick-up leads and a black skinny wire from each knob. l am going to keep soldering leads, but your advice would be great!

[@coilsboutiquepickups]

Usually black wires are 'ground' and are connected the the casing of each pot. The colored wires are usually the 'hot' wires and should be connected to the switch

[@robstimson4234]

@@coilsboutiquepickups Thanks for the reply. l didn't smash the guitar on the wall. l did try every soldering experiment l could think of, to no avail. Few days later l took it to Mike the guitar-fixer at the Asheville Guitar Center and it was wired up within 24 hrs. l was thrown off by the fact that the original PSS was like a boxcar, all leads to one side. By the way, in America solder is 'sodder'. Have a great day/night/whatever..!

[@warlock1663]

what wires are the commons you connected. what component did they come from

[@coilsboutiquepickups]

The commons are the terminals on the switch that go to the volume pot and connect the poles to each other. Wires and switches can be bought online

[@jesse-ll3dh]

I have a Chinese new five way any information on this. Is it the same way?

[@coilsboutiquepickups]

Hi, if you can send me a link or a closeup of the switch, I might be able to answer you correctly. There are many different Chinese switch designs

[@aaronezzo3846]

can you please share to to where i can buy one of these

[@coilsboutiquepickups]

www.philadelphialuthiertools.com/electronics/switches/5-way-switch-for-fender-stratocaster-oak-grigsby/ there are many other option too.

[@americansupervillain4595]

I just purchased a MIJ Fender Contemporary Strat, the 5way switch is bad. Mine has only a master volume and master tone with a coil tap toggle switch. I purchased the 5 way switch you used. Is there any real deference between your Strat in the video and my MIJ Strat when it comes to the wiring? Any advice would help because this is my first time working on a guitar.

[@coilsboutiquepickups]

Hi, the new switch you bought should fit perfectly with no problems. The wiring is completely standard and as described in the video. If you encounter any issue don't hesitate to contact us.

[@americansupervillain4595]

@@coilsboutiquepickups Thank you!

[@David79rebel]

Oh my god.. changed but now I have no more control tone on middle pick up.. How can I solve it?

[@coilsboutiquepickups]

Minute 11:00. Create a jumper between the connection point of the bridge tone pot on the switch to the connection next to it.

[@David79rebel]

@@coilsboutiquepickups Done jumper: now the tones works on; neck-neck/middle - middle/bridge and bridge but not for the middle only... maybe is the 5way switch crl fake china?

[@coilsboutiquepickups]

@@David79rebel I don't know which type of switch you are using, but you have only 2 tones and 3 pickups. Bridge and middle pickups work on same pot

[@andresbriceno73]

Is it posible to by pass position 2? No blend mode of bridge and middle?

[@alonesage]

If by bypass position 2 you mean position 1 and 2 are the same, I can't think of a wiring that will do that without changing other functions, but maybe a technical alteration of the switch could do it. I'll try it next week and if works I'll upload a video about it. Thanks for the idea :)

[@andresbriceno73]

@@alonesage Hi, I just wanna use position 5 neck, position 4 neck+middle, position 3 middle, bypass middle + brige blend, position 5 with a hot rail HB

[@alonesage]

@@andresbriceno73 so, do you want the switch to mechanically skip position 2? I'm not sure there's a way to do it. I can probably make position 1 and 2 to be the same, but not skip.

[@andresbriceno73]

I only left the neck and bridge and removed middle Pickup, I want yo know if a can blend neck and bridge know!

[@alonesage]

@@andresbriceno73 you can. I think maybe you should change the 5 way switch to a 3 way switch

[@mikeserrano19]

Can that type of 5way switch be fitted to my fernandes elec guitar?

[@coilsboutiquepickups]

I believe it should. Which model is it?

[@mikeserrano19]

@@coilsboutiquepickups im not so sure about the model do you have an email so i can send the picture? Im new to guitars😆😆

[@mikeserrano19]

I believe it is an FR-55 with two single pickups and a humbucker.. it has a 5 way selector

[@coilsboutiquepickups]

@@mikeserrano19 [e-mail]

[@coilsboutiquepickups]

@@mikeserrano19 I see. It's a guitar with no pickguard... You might need to enlarge the mounting holes for the screws, and sometimes the screws that are provided with the switch are too short. I really recommend you take it to a guitar technician to measure everything. It's a standard american fender switch and every guitar tech should have them available in stock.

[@jameswilliams1612]

Hello there, I need a diagram for a five way switch. three single coils. I've had the guitar since 2009 and the volume pot and the five way switch completely went out. I took the neck completely off of the guitar for first time since, I had the guitar. The Chinese Communist electronics I had to replace all all of the electronics with United States made ones the pickups for $15 for three made and New Jersey. I'm trying to find a good diagram so that way I can wire in the pickups the right way. The middle pick-up which is reverse parallel wound and the neck pickup do you have any ideas or any information credible websites? I can go to and order to get this done correctly. I'm getting noise out of The Middle and bridge pickup I'm not getting any noise out of the neck pickup and one of the tones turned into a master volume because I also replaced the volume and the two tones and input jack I have capacitors. Volume five is a 250k and both tones or 250k. I would really appreciate any information or some video of a diagram to hook up three single coils to a five way switch thank you.

[@coilsboutiquepickups]

You can try these links: montancesguitarwiring.com/pages/strat-sss-1-volume-2-tone-treble-bleed, www.northwestguitars.co.uk/stratocaster-wiring-diagrams/

[@DougHinVA]

a video from a fellow who cannot pronounce 'potentiometers' is a waste of time. All the USA English speakers that do this for a living cannot make just one understandable video?