How to wire a Stratocaster - Grounding, Pickups and 5 way switch

Our very first video - step by step guide to wiring a Stratocaster using our sixstringsupplies.co.uk/produ... Strat wiring kits including pickup installation, grounding, wiring the 5 way switch and the testing.
This guitar in this video was a partscaster/DIY guitar kit and the stock electronics were not too good.
Out go the Chinese pots, switch and pickups and replaced with CTS pots, CRL spring action 5 way switch and push back cloth wire.
Wiring a Stratocaster is actually fairly simple and once you learn how to do it, you can easily change things around or modify your Strat wiring to a different or more exotic setup.
00:00 Intro
00:42 Components Overview & Layout
02:48 Tinning
04:27 Grounding
05:27 Wiring The Switch
13:55 Pickups
19:53 Capacitor & Jack Socket
31:47 String Ground from Tremlo
- Wiring diagram:
sixstringsupplies.co.uk/pages...
- To read the photo version of this guide - visit our Strat wiring guide online sixstringsupplies.co.uk/pages...
- Guitar wiring harnesses:
sixstringsupplies.co.uk/colle...
- Guitar wiring tutorial videos:
• Guitar & Bass Wiring T...

[@robarora]

Well, this “old” video is still giving the gift of knowledge 😊. Just finished soldering my very first pickup upgrade, and this was by far the best tutorial that I’ve seen (and I watched a lot)! Thanks!!

[@richardgrills2278]

Just finished fixing my old 1969 Ibanez Silver Series Stratocaster copy (Ibanez were sued for copying the Fender) and I used this video to rewire the entire process. It was so clear and helpful as I had know Idea how to setup the pickups and 5 way switch and tone controls. It works perfectly and I am thankful for your detailed training.

[@SixStringSupplies]

Thanks for the great feedback and glad you used it to fix up your guitar. Cheers

[@patlindgren8996]

thanks, I'm starting this project tomorrow, this was extremely helpful. Appreciate your diagrams for clarity.👍❤😁

[@rodneyjohnson7871]

Fantastic video!! I completely rewired a strat today from EMG to stock and this was perfect.Thank you so much!!

[@BboyEklypse]

This was amazing.... one of the best videos ive seen on youtube so far

[@SixStringSupplies]

thank you sir!

[@Pauly421]

This is fantastic, a friend gave me an old beaten up strat of unknown make but its MIJ so probably decent, and I've ordered all new scratchplate and electronics, and as soon as they arrive I'll be following this to a tee! Very much thank you dude.

[@tinamarles1035]

Awesome ... Thank you so much!!! I'm planning on building a Strat from scratch (body, neck and all) but have no idea on electrical! Now I understand it so much better! Thanks!!!

[@kaijrix]

Thank you for putting these awesome videos out and explaining everything so well.

[@lilRadawg]

Thank you! I've successfully changed faulty pots and replaced the entire wiring on my strat and I know nothing about electronics or wiring. Great tutorial!

[@MegaDoug]

Loved it! Got an MIJ strat I'm working on, and had acquired a loaded pickguard with some crazy stuff on it. This vid will get me plugged in and jammin soon, thanks!

[@theworkshed1253]

Having found this site and into my fourth guitar build during lock down I have just purchased a strat wiring kit from you guys based on if you guys have helped me then I will support you guys when I can cheers and stay safe

[@SixStringSupplies]

Truly appreciated Mal. Glad the videos/website have been of help to you during lockdown. You too, stay safe!

[@DanielTPeace]

Thank you for a very intelligently done wiring tutorial. I have watched many and yours is one of the best. Please continue to provide these kinds of information and helpful videos.

[@SixStringSupplies]

Daniel T Peace of course! Recording more over the coming days/weeks. Thank you

[@venusssharman5922]

Hiyas, thanks so much for this video tutorial. Have searched a few vids but none are so clear and descriptive. Loved every moment watching. Demystified the entire process for me. Take care.

[@SixStringSupplies]

Thanks. Yeah it would work. Easy to do or take out if you decide you don’t like it. Cheers

[@stacckare]

Really great stuff - informative and inspiring. Thank you for taking your time doing videos lika this!

[@gelatosamurai]

An exreamly clear and easy to follow video. Better than soooo many others! thanks

[@tjancijr]

Very helpful video. Appreciate the walk through on ground to tremolo for us DIY newbs.

[@ralphporter7492]

Thank you, excellent tutorial. You have given me the confidence to do this myself.

[@normanbuffett4642]

you're a regular surgeon. very helpful. thanks from Florida

[@cardenastang570]

I was going to pay someone to do this, but you tutorial is so detailed that it has enhanced me to do it my self!

[@richardsyoutubechannel995]

Im going to be re installing parts like this on my strat next week and this video is going to really help me .thanks

[@jacobbrown2623]

Perfect tutorial, exactly what I needed!

[@leonardvaivada9046]

Finally someone who appreciates good soldering and neat orderly wiring. I practice on my Strat while I watch your video. Then I take it apart and start all over again. Well sort of.

[@SixStringSupplies]

Leonard Vaivada thanks sir! This was the first video I did so the more recent one might be better suited....

[@charlie-obrien]

@@SixStringSupplies I haven't watched the other, but I feel that this one is just fine. Especially for people who have watched a bit of your stuff before.

[@ramencurry6672]

Even if the soldering were to be on the sloppy side, it’s still good.

[@janichmondieu6505]

Thank you, this is my first time soldering and just completed many upgrades on my Squier Bullet. With a cheap soldiering kit and your video, it was a success. This Squier has upgrades beyond a MIM FENDER. Thanks again.

[@jugheadjones5458]

I realize this an old video but always good for a refresher. Nowadays zip ties are popular and I use them to fasten wires together. I also use an alligator clip between the solder points and the cap to keep from damaging the cap. I just rewired a Strat to use the rear tone pot with the bridge input. It requires a second cap, so each tone pot has its own cap and neither is connected to the other. Requires a jumper on the switch. But it’s a simple mod, with a good wiring diagram. And it works!

[@judegrover2804]

Brilliant tutorial, couldn't have done it without this!

[@SixStringSupplies]

thanks man glad it helped you out

[@Wildbillsgarage]

Bloody well done lad. Absolutely perfect training video. Already soldering up me first one. My own mind you. Thank you.

[@SixStringSupplies]

thank you sir!

[@isopodhours836]

This video helped me wire my first guitar! Thank you!

[@SixStringSupplies]

Glad you found it helpful sir!

[@sunnys3325]

Thank U SO much for taking the time to explain clearly and also the visual diagrams u put up helped tremendously!! Rock on my friend!! ✌✌🤘🤘🎶🎶🎶🎶🎶🎶🎶🎶🎶🎶🎶🎶🎶🎶🎶

[@bryanhemedinger3387]

the cleanest wiring i have seen !! props to you Excellent

[@SixStringSupplies]

thanks sir

[@animal625]

Very helpful, thank you. I'll be needing this

[@fransvenrooy4760]

This will be my next project! Very clear and very informative!! Thanks!!

[@SixStringSupplies]

No worries sir glad you enjoyed it

[@GJOToole]

Great video thanks for sharing this! Shed a bit of light on a few doubts I had. I appreciate the effort. Thanks!

[@mickwarfield2447]

I have been on KZbin for 30 minutes looking for a cure for my dilemma: Where to ground from the bridge... And 4 seconds in, you showed me the answer - thanks! I swear, though, that I'll watch the entire video.

[@alanwingate7508]

Very Helpful In depth tutorial Thank you ! All the Best from ITALY

[@SixStringSupplies]

Alan Wingate many thanks. Love Italy.

[@tripops3]

Thank you young man. I'll be mimicking shortly.

[@jkris2361]

Thank you ! clear...precise....good camera views....no annoying music. .. snapping an alligator clip on the lead between where you were soldering and the capacitor will absorb a lot of the excess heat in the lead and would probably keep the wax cap from melting...

[@agateenchantmentrockwizard5969]

Great step by step tutorial with nice diagrams and good cu camera work! 📷 Thanks for your efforts 👌

[@skxj]

Great video , learned a couple tricks. Thank you

[@austinstanley859]

This was so helpful, thank you for this

[@eoincostello4634]

Master class in soldering well done great informative video thank you 👍👍

[@gregpetre1225]

Super informative video, and the color scheme on that strat is awesome, makes me want to sand down my strat and throw on a nice soft shade like that, maybe the mint green. Thanks again bruv

[@olddanb1]

Bloody perfect mate. Thanks.

[@stephancarroll7260]

Excellent video so helpful for guitar wiring

[@twinker23601]

will be using this guide soon

[@srvbluesmsn]

Well done!

[@stephenhind3969]

Great vid thanks, really helped me.

[@buska100]

Excellent Vid, just what the doctor ordered. Cheers Mate

[@mihalyvigyikan9114]

amazing video! Thanks man, I appreciate it!

[@genepersons9741]

Nice work.

[@martballon]

Thank you so much! Very Helpful 😊

[@robertbuilder8001]

Lovely video this. Thanks for posting.

[@anthonycongiano8890]

Great job! Thanks!

[@dylanogrady9421]

thank you did an awesome job helped alot

[@wdfortyWD40]

Thanks for doing this. I just used your video to rewire and fit new pickups to my Squier Strat. Cheers bro..

[@ZIONXTACTICS]

I will also add another thank you for you mate. Thank You! ill be installing fender hardware and tech on a cheap Burswood guitar. Just a project of mine.

[@fonsitosantoshernandez9125]

Thanks a lot, you help us in big. Very organized method and great learning experience. Fonsito

[@rpmblues7018]

Very good It helpful , Thank you very much. I loved the diagram. Thank you sir.

[@patmosher245]

This is the best video!

[@alastairmacdonald6794]

Excellent video .. thanks for that

[@MrEfkan1]

Thanks for the best Video 👍👍👍👍

[@guitarhobbywithdannythemedic]

HEAY I found your channel and it is SO HELPFUL!!!!

[@skychristypresents4313]

Thanx ..Wish I had seen your vid first, because other vids omitted the shrink wrap, and that's critical ..

[@koonsickgreen6272]

thanks man. big help.

[@pascalmolenaar7636]

Thanks really helpfull👍🏼

[@BillBrutzman]

Super Job _ Thanks very much.

[@sl.is.google]

Great vid buddy

[@matt6288joyce]

What a superb video. I’d love you to do one but with a push pull neck pickup blender!!

[@willster7272]

very good video my friend

[@patrik_fekete]

Thank you for this video! I have aluminium shielding on my back of my pickguard, do I need to shiled with a simple cloth wire the CRL 5 way switch to the back of my volume pot?

[@pogi621]

Thanks to you for this video. Very helpful. I'm just wondering to what happened to the red capacitor.

[@YasserAbdelmonsef]

You've got a new subscriber .....

[@matchesmalone2019]

Best soldering tutorials on YT, keep going mate! What soldering iron temperature are you using? Cheers

[@SixStringSupplies]

Matches Malone thanks!! It depends on what solder I'm using. If it's tin/lead, then around the 328-335 degrees. If silver solder/lead free then approx 355

[@jeffwarner4225]

All good in the hood baby! yessir this did the trick thank you 100x!

[@mesfigas]

Thanks very helpfull

[@jerrylee087]

Ive got all the details nice job man! Wondring how you would figure out the polarity of the capacitor? Or which one is which? As shown on your video.

[@rafaelzengo5534]

That's a man who knows what he's doing. I've wired Strats before, but this weekend I spent two days trying to wire all the stuff on a pickguard and it just didn't happen, ran into all sorts of problems, but I guess that's just life, will try again with a fresh head. Very good video, thanks. I need to work on my patience, and also my rational thinking.

[@thrashfan4ever]

question for you im getting ready to wire my pickguard where did you get the grounding wire from for t he sides of your pots im wanting to do that method are u just using the solder and melting it on the side of the pots or did u get that metal from somewhere else or should i just use the black wire going from pot to pot and solder them to the top ive already got all my wires striped i just got to pre tin them im very prepaed i just bought helping hands with a magnifier light to help out bought new soldering kit and wire new pickups the whole nine yards would greatly appreciate your feed back and one more questin should i put the wires in the lugs going threw the top or threw the botoom i thank they would look better threw the bottom plus should i use heat shrink to tidy every thing up oh sorry i guess that was more like 4 questions cheers

[@brunetts33]

Thank for great tuto . what are your trebble bleed capacitor and Resistance values please. Thks

[@SixStringSupplies]

hi, 0.001k cap with 130-150k resistor. cheers.

[@simmonphoenix3206]

If I have vintage humbucker wire w the shielding can I ground it to the switch plate?

[@Mr.Steve-O]

thanks for this great video, I will attempting this once my parts arrive. Going to create a whole new pickguard for my 1998 MIJ Strat that can use an upgrade. I will also do the optional jumper for the Bridge p/u as well so I can tame any unneeded shrill, thanks for that tip as well !!!

[@MrSprintcat]

Thanks for the awesome video.. Do you have one for the strat blender set up ? Some good clean work there . I have a stock peavey predator with 3 singles with 3 500 k pots is this right ? Thanks again

[@SixStringSupplies]

MrSprintcat hi - yes we have a video For the Strat blend setup - go to our list of videos.

[@GilvamCarvalho]

I hope you are still there... ☺ If it happens that I have just 1 tone pot, could I connect the lug 5 and/or 6 to middle tone pot and keep the capacitor on the last tone pot lug still grounded?

[@djay6651]

You can use the iron to shrink the tubing as well.

[@djgaryowens]

Very good but there are many more possibilities the standard wiring gives only a small part of the available tones on the Strat. I love the blender wiring so you can get neck and bridge together, or all 3 on at once.

[@SixStringSupplies]

Gary Owens thanks - yes indeed - we do a Strat blender harness and it's probably our most popular setup. Will do a video on it shortly!

[@djgaryowens]

I will look out for it thanks I have these SD pickups too.

[@je1279]

Do you recommend SSL-1 pickups for necks other than the vintage 7.25" radius? I'm considering using SSL-2's with an SSL-6 bridge for my 2021 Fender Player Series Stratocaster.

[@jamescampbell7780]

Hi there, during the replacement of one string, I found within the rear cavity that the guitar, a 3/4 size, was constructed in plywood so I removed all the components in order to re-use these after making a new solid wood body, in elm. Unfortunately, following the dismantling process I found that one blue wire came detached from somewhere and upon examination, I see that there is one terminal on the 5 position switch, ie. terminal 4, which does not have a wire attached and this terminal is bridged to its neighbour terminal 3. Also, although there is solder on the spring retainer within the rear cavity, none of the remaining wires will reach it so would it be safe to assume that this ground terminal has never been used. Apologies for necessary lengthy enquiry.

[@saramartinelli5642]

Hi , thank you so much for the video , is the best around youtube! But you have not showed how you wired the 3 pots volume - tone - tone pots and you did foget the treble bleeding? thanks again and cheers from Italy

[@TonyLondonUk]

Six string supplies Hey mate followed your instructions & also referred to the diagram rat came with my pups 57-62s all well except the volume is now a tone, any ideas what it could be or how to resolve it I’d appreciate it Thanks

[@StratsRUs]

Formidable !!

[@giannoncene]

Hi, thanks for all the info! It's helping me a lot for my new project. What is it that you grounded the 3 pots with at 4:39?

[@SixStringSupplies]

Hi, that is tinned copper wire.

[@rweasel801]

Thanks for a great video. I had cheap Squire that sounded like crap, had dead spots in the volume and tone knobs. I just rewired it with a bunch of help from your video. I had a question I hope someone could answer, more for curiosity sake. When I did the "screw driver test" from the video if the pickup selector was in a position activating 2 pickups one was significantly quieter than the other. I don't think I would ever notice playing the guitar. Thanks again for the video and to anyone who could shed a little light on this anomaly.

[@koenstrobbe8101]

For the lefties out there, if you use regular pots you wire them the same way as shown here but once installed the pots will turn the opposite way as a right handed guitar. I am used to it that way. If you want them to turn like a right handed guitar, use a reverse logarithmic pot (sometimes referred to as left handed but basically its reverse log) and swap the outer lug wires on each pot.

[@raceface_m2579]

Great soldering! Those ground wires for the pickups need to be longer though. Some strats are routed with precision where the wiring runs through. Can cause issues when putting the guard back down in other strats.

[@SixStringSupplies]

yeah should have extended them in hindsight!

[@davidallen346]

Can you splice two ground wires with electrical tape for a strat pickguard ? That's what happened to my pickguard replacement done by a local guitar tech.

[@declanmccormack3263]

Hi there followed youre vid on copper shilding I even got a shield plate for over pick gaurd thanks for tips. I bought a pre loaded second hand srv pick gaurd normal Texas specials not custom shop and it doesn't match the diagram on volume pot it has one live (white)going to jack out put and one ground with clip to screw to body which is correct but there should be another ground on volume pot to go to jack but instead there is two grounds (black)on the bridge tone pot can I just use one of these to my jack and one to the tremlo claw first time doing this so sorry if it seems like a stupid question when I test for conductivity on pickups to tone/volume pots it all linked I don't have a solder sucker this is why I wanted to use original ground wires thanks for helping us noobs along with tech vids.

[@joelfildes5544]

Great stuff,do you know you can shrink heat shrink with the ‘barrel’ of the soldering iron.

[@3tmbn429]

Go go you go🎸

[@rexnhogz]

does anyone know if you can wire blender and autosplit?

[@neilanderson5248]

Thank you

[@ruzcelbeltran]

Very.great job sir it's very helpful to meAnd I just want to ask that the installing of the capacitor in this video is correct thank you

[@SixStringSupplies]

ruzcel beltran yes it is correct

[@ruzcelbeltran]

@@SixStringSupplies thanks bro until now i still working