How to wire your stratocaster, test pots, select capacitor and make tone control wiring decisions.

A step by step demonstration of wiring your stratocaster pickups and controls. How to test audio pots, capacitor selection and tone control options.

[@cebb2543]

I just subbed for ever that is a true how to video good execution of when where and why now I can do it thanks bro

[@roycox4415]

So glad it helped you out a bit! Appreciate the response!

[@vonpeedler]

Are you kidding me? 'Hope that was helpful'? I never attempted this until watching this video. Very very helpful. Thank you!

[@jailawson7607]

Dude, I cannot begin to explain how much your explanation and demonstration has given me the confidence in my Jaguar project. Thank you so much

[@roycox4415]

That’s what I want to hear! Get it!

[@michaelogden5958]

Bravo! This should be the number one video offered by KZbin when someone searches for "strat" wiring.

[@JHPRS]

I learned more about wiring by the time I finished the first half of this video, than I have ever known. I feel confident now that I can probably do this myself. Soldering has always been my weak point, but watching you has shown me so much. Thank you for making this video and making me a more knowledgeable guitar geek. :)

[@roycox4415]

JHPRS so glad it could help!!!

[@michielmeertens]

Exactly this. Thank you for this video!

[@jacewalker5721]

i know Im randomly asking but does any of you know of a way to get back into an instagram account?? I was dumb lost the account password. I appreciate any tips you can give me.

[@sullivancrosby1132]

@Jace Walker instablaster =)

[@jacewalker5721]

@Sullivan Crosby I really appreciate your reply. I found the site on google and Im in the hacking process atm. Seems to take quite some time so I will reply here later with my results.

[@kevincaselle3174]

thank you so much sir! I'm doing my first pickup swap, and watching someone skilled at it explain the process was priceless.

[@roycox4415]

You’re more than welcome! So glad it could help!

[@davidflint12]

This is by far and away the best instructional video on this subject I’ve come across. I’ve watched countless vids when I started doing my own work on my guitars. You sir, can solder

[@JimsevenFrankenstein]

Right? SAME!!!

[@rutiger6901]

I'm impressed! Your close up step by step instruction makes this wiring undertaking possible. You don't just point and talk, you solder it for us all to see. It just about brings me to tears, that you make this doable for me. Thanks.

[@amanwithnohands]

Daaamn. In 1983-84 my parents bought me a Squire Strat. Black and rosewood. That guitar was one of my constant companions for many many years. I’ve never mastered the instrument but it’s my baby. Until 20 years ago when I stopped playing and the guitar sat in a closet. This Christmas I took it out it was a wreck. I’d forgotten the drunken nights, the experiments (modded the switch and pots for some unfathomable reason) and the ridiculous strings. I looked up the serial number and good lord - it’s a Japanese made squire that some knuckleheads buy for 2k. Well - the body on mine has way to many nicks, character i call it to be worth anything like that. But I love it. So I fixed all that was wrong - truss , bridge etc. except a mod gone wrong or maybe just a bad switch that muted the neck pickup- the one with the sweetest tone IMHO. I just spent two hours using this tutorial and lo and behold - my baby works again. THANK YOU!!! My baby thanks you.

[@roycox4415]

Great story and thanks so much for the comment. So glad it helped you get her fixed!

[@drzainnas]

Thank you so much one of the best videos have come a cross explaining the procedure of wiring the Stratocaster guitar in a standard way and step by step which made it even a beginner to be encouraged as long knowing the basics of soldering . This is what I can call it the A B C for a standard Stratocaster Guitar wiring. And please do accept our gratitude and appreciation for your spectacular educational video. And hope you share more topics as well because for sure a millions of people will enjoy and learn the A B C method in any subject. I salut you my friend and best greetings and regards from ENGLAND 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 UK 👍🎸👏

[@roycox4415]

So glad it was helpful! Thanks so much for the comment!

[@Iheartdgd]

Wow, I know this corny but you just taught me something that’s very important to me. I’ve been putting this off for some long because electronics are the one and only thing I’ve never got my hands on... and of course, it was super easy. You just helped me build my first custom guitar. Thank you very much.

[@andrewbruix6721]

After 5 years of collecting dust my axe does once again grindeth! Thankyou for the clear and accurate instructional, huge help. Now feel confident enough to try out some different wiring and capacitor configurations to see what kinda mojo is lurking within the spectrum.

[@deaconpaulbuck4391]

This is the best video explanation I've seen for wiring a strat and I've researched a lot of them. You are a fantastic teacher and your camera angles are great! Thank you so much for taking the time to do this.

[@roycox4415]

You're very welcome!

[@Guga-blues]

Man, I just want to thank you for make these videos available for all of us. I just finished my first Stratocaster wiring with the bridge tone knob mod just watching your two videos. My Ron Ellis pickups sounds amazing. Next week will be my P-Bass 52 wiring! Thank you very much! You rock bud!

[@roycox4415]

Rock on!

[@markalexander4641]

You're a great instructor! You've demystified the whole process, from component choices, to soldering techniques, as well as signal flow! Thanks so much for all you do!

[@roycox4415]

Mark Alexander thanks so much! That means a lot. I’m glad it helped you out!

[@honestmango]

So well done. I'm a lawyer who has all the electrical and soldering experience necessary to pass the Bar exam, so your detailed explanation of not just what to do, but why, is greatly appreciated.

[@andresnazar1574]

Same here brother, awesome how to video. fixed nearly 5 circuits this month, and mod a few strats here and there. Cheers from Chile !

[@johnnyopk]

Thank you for the awesome video. You have an amazing ability to talk and explain everything to the tiniest detail. I’m building a partscaster and just finished the body/neck work. After watching your video I’m pretty sure I’ll do a good job wiring the new electronics.

[@simontate1262]

Thank you so much for this roy I wouldnt even dreamed of attempting to do this myself but after watching you I succesfully installed a dimarzio crunch into my strat and it sounds incredible and as a bonus eliminated a tiny bit of hum i had. thanks again

[@gregoryarseneau5326]

Thanks Roy, I followed through this to a perfectly wired vintage setup using Pribora blues hand wound pickups. My strat sounds incredible now.

[@dantofoz11]

This is brilliant, you go in to so much detail, and take your time. Thank you, from a guy who has no clue, but will soon have a go at building his first Strat

[@kevinpaul1719]

This is the best wiring video that I have ever seen. Thank you very much!

[@69kpm]

I have watched this a few times. Excellent sir, I learn from you! Thank you.

[@xXN0SK1LLZXx]

I’ve just started soldering and even without you speaking just watching you I’ve learned a lot

[@roycox4415]

So glad the video was helpful!

[@richards2d]

Your video has literally saved my partscaster! tinning the legs than wires was huge and thank you for walking it through!

[@bunk-bn9eo]

Roy, thank you for making this video. You made it easy to understand and I'm confident now that I can do this.

[@williammcdonald900]

First one of these I actually understood...great clarity...you are a natural born teacher. Thanks.

[@dirtywater5336]

Thank you so much for this. I have scoured the internet trying to find a good tutorial on soldering electronics for a guitar. Soooo many people are so terrible at explaining what they’re doing and why they’re doing it. You explained every step and answered so many questions I had. I feel. A little more comfortable trying my hand at soldering.

[@josephlydon5105]

Thank you! Wired 2 strats in 3 hours---no hum! Great video, well explained, done systematically, and explained fully.

[@urbanlovesrural]

well done, you are very insightful and clear here, I went thru half a dozen videos before finding yours, which helped get my new strat selector switch up and running quickly. Thanks for the orientation on how it all works and testing measures 🌻

[@roycox4415]

Blu Sol that’s super kind! So glad it was helpful to you!

[@johnhowardnardine6815]

Wow. And just like that I went from not knowing a single thing about what goes on inside the electronics of a Strat, to thinking I might be able to wire one up. Very clear and methodical explanation!!! My only question is what is the function of the capacitor. Thank you so much for sharing this knowledge with us.

[@cblguy63]

Clearest and most informative I've seen on how to wire a strat...wish I'd known about you when I was doing mine...now I'll go inspect my work again for accuracy... excellent !!!

[@d3w4yn3]

By far, the best explanation of this traditional wiring diagram than anything else out there anywhere!!! GLORIOUS!!!

[@roycox4415]

Wow, thanks! So glad it was helpful!

[@JanetGraceMuse]

WOW! You are a fabulous instructor. I thank you so very much. 💗 I'm going to be wiring a 10-way switch into an HSS as soon as the parts arrive. Your lesson was well received. I appreciate the pointers, tips, tricks, and reminders. I'm very 🙏 grateful. Thanks again in subscribed and all ears.

[@roycox4415]

Really appreciate that and I’m glad the video was able to help you out a bit!

[@TheForce_Productions]

To see this video from you was very helpful and inspirational to me go dare and put my hands on my guitars and start to make them several mods and changes, making them a lot better than they used to be. So thank you so much for sharing your experience and greetings from Argentine!

[@chriskellas2902]

Thanks Roy, this is the best video I've seen on the subject, now I can go fix my guitar!

[@frankkaiser2354]

Huge compliment. I watched this video with excitement and I have to admit. I don't know of any comparable video that explains things so helpfully. In Germany, this still seems to be a huge problem. Thank you very much. I finally dare to tackle electronics. Greetings from little Germany

[@roycox4415]

Wow, thanks!

[@BigElk42]

I watched this video, then I decided to do my own. It gave me confidence. I now have my own strat. Thank you so much for this video!

[@Jakal-pw8yq]

I'm in the middle of putting my DYI Strat together and I have to say that your video is the most comprehensive and easy to understand instructional video I have ever seen! You totally answered all the questions that I had and being as I've wired strats together many times I was doing it not quite wrong but certainly not as effectively and cleanly and efficiently as you did in this video. So I've liked and subscribed and I shared this to a couple of my Guitar Building buddies! Many thanks from Jim in seattle!

[@roycox4415]

Thanks so much. I’m so glad it helped you out a bit!

[@JasonNewman3]

I'm currently in the process of tearing an old Squire apart and adding quality components. It's a guitar that 5 people have learned on and I want to give it the renovation in deserves. The wiring in the thing is completely jacked and I knew I was going to have to wire it all over from scratch. This video was AMAZINGLY helpful! Thank you very much!

[@esmeecirolozano7618]

The best demonstration I've seen. Helped me out a lot!..thanks!

[@jswearengen7109]

I know it’s been a long time since you posted this, but I wanted to thank you for it anyway. It is a great tutorial.

[@talesin_batbat]

Great information! Really helped out in figuring out a wiring problem with a bridge pickup I was having. Only criticism is on the soldering in the video... that's how you get cold joints easily. Dab of flux, tin and heat both components to join; 'scooping' solder onto cold metal, and not using flux on top of that almost guarantees a poor or bad joint. Especially on vintage/oxidized parts.

[@pigeonlady3460]

This is soooo much better than simply trying to reproduce from a diagram. I feel I got the fishing pole, not just the fish. Thanks!

[@dcaudio1]

This video was outstanding....perfect explanation to a stratocaster which seems to elude the giant manufacturers from explaining. Thanks...

[@asarcadyn2414]

6 years on and it's still an awesome video. Thanks a lot!

[@roycox4415]

Really appreciate that!

[@fauxsavant2]

Such a great video - really explains the process

[@DarthShreds]

Followed this tonight, checking it works in the morning. Thanks for the video, very informative and helpful.

[@JWEmbry-wc7qi]

Man are you a great instructor - thank you very much for doing this!!!!!!

[@thir13en1]

Thank you, thank you!! Your video is very informative & confidence boosting. Your brief explanations on each components made this video top notch.

[@roybrookton7938]

Well done Roy ,a very informative video, lm a beginner in all aspects of the guitar and this really helped me to understand things much better,regards Rory

[@nickfloyd7476]

Huge thanks for posting this Roy. I'll be doing this on Saturday. Artec hotrails running through 500k pots. Rock on bro.

[@stevevaughn2040]

I am glad you mentioned gray market components. There are companies in the US, likely elsewhere, that buy old inventory and sell them, or use them in boards. Worse is in China they get all kinds of old, non functional, electrical equipment. The take out components, clean them and remove markings, and will re-brand with newer dates, and upgrade models. They are then sold to the company I worked for, after leaving high tech, who sold them to people and companies. When they fail the customer gets angry with the manufacturer. Fun fact. When I discovered the little board manufacturer I was working for was doing to this I mentioned the parts were counterfeit. The owner found out and came to see the trouble maker. I knew the guy, we sold him old inventory in Silicon Valley and sued him for claiming that he was a distributor of our product. He said I could either do as he said or be fired. I was fired. I called customs and they lost $240k in counterfeit parts on top of the $100k fine from EPA. I made them a giant blip on customs radar.

[@roycox4415]

Amazing story. Appreciate the comments!

[@PeterBalletta]

this has given me a better understanding of my guitar. Thanks! I'll probably need to watch it again before I put my project pickguard together...

[@Rigz727]

Thank you for this. Really helpful! Very clear instruction and nice clear and close camera work. Right, here goes😉!

[@ouchthathurts6350]

This is the best how-to vid I've seen in a long time. Well explained, no jargon. Thank you very much.

[@ezragonzalez8936]

thank you for uploading and showing us this step by step! best how to video on KZbin tried the wiring diagrams and just confused me more.... thanks so much!

[@roycox4415]

thanks so much for leaving such a nice comment. Im so glad it was useful to you!

[@BuckleyFan96]

Leo Gonzalez I agree. The diagrams online tell you what to do, but not why you're doing it. This explains what and why to do, and takes all the mystery out of it.

[@CA-ml3iv]

Will finally try and set up my strat without taking it to a tech, thank you so much this is really helpful.

[@victorbazan2676]

Incredibly informative...and I still have much to learn. Thank you for inspiring me!

[@roycox4415]

hey folks this video does not show the ground wire being placed! I approached this from the "I want to change out my pups" and the guitar already had the ground wire in place. To be clear and more helpful, you DO want a ground wire in place on a strat or strat copy wire configuration. You want a wire soldered to the trem claw and then ran through the cavity to the cavity ground screw, if there is one. If you do NOT have a ground screw in or around the controls cavity, you can run the wire from the trem claw through the cavity ground wire hole (a small hole that goes from the trem claw through the side of the control cavity) to the top of the volume pot. You then want to run a small ground wire from the side of the volume pot to the middle pot and then to the side of the bridge tone pot or 3rd pot. This is typical grounding for a strat. If you have any questions about this please ask in the comments section and Id be happy to help the best I can!

[@KevinHallSurfing]

The wire (usually black) that goes to ground (-ve) that is the COMMON wire throughout any circuit. A battery has a *+* and *-* where the " - " is connected to ground for example.

[@poppawolf26]

most circuits have to a have a ground to work....Just run a black wire from the tremolo claw to the top of the volume pot with the other ground wires like where the negative pick up wires are...

[@MrNoyce1]

Thanks man! Helped me out great :)

[@francisbegbie1008]

I have a fixed hardtail bridge do I stick the ground wire under it ?

[@montydaniels1054]

Yeah, I've seen guitar's with only 1 white wire on the input/output & wondered why just the 1, when others have both, a white & black wire.

[@Brian_Seligman_Music]

Thank you so much for doing this! You're a terrific instructor! Very grateful for this video!

[@83woodwc]

I learned SO much from this. Thank you!

[@paulrobinson1458]

Exactly what I needed. Thanks for this well made tutorial.

[@Tarheelbluez]

Thank you so much. Got me through it, I greatly appreciate it!

[@GC-ji3ye]

Been following diagrams and soldering for 15 yrs. Now I actually know what each tab on the switch does independently. Never bothered to dig into it. Thanks, man. Now I can play with it and stray from written convention. I like my middle pickup poking through in position 2&4 so I’m gonna play with a neck volume, bridge volume and master tone to bring the neck and bridge down and have the middle full tilt regardless. Unconventional, but most of my ideas are haha! Subbed!

[@JanetGraceMuse]

You; Sir, just taught me a little sum'n, sum'n, right there. 😊 I'm thankful.

[@marcus9]

Thanks man did put some cts in my strat today, it worked super.I was sodering for the first time in my life, and used lead free sodering wire xd cheers from LEAD FREE Croatia !

[@michaelstephen5827]

Great video - very informative and easy to follow. Also easy to see what you are doing. Thanks!

[@BLBAR10]

Perfect video. step by step with explanations on how the pots work. Thank You!!!!

[@iamandes4455]

Great video! Thanks! Now I'm confident enough to solder my new strat myself!

[@JetEdz]

Thank you very much! Exactly what I was looking for... You are an excellent teacher!

[@juhertra]

Best video i found, very detailed and you make it seem very simple. Thanks man!

[@josrin3528]

Very good info, I need to rewire my 1975 strat for the first time (as thing have got old ) I feel comfortable to tackle after this. Thank you

[@toreruus8494]

Great info here. It helped me getting the audio pots working again. Cold soldering...

[@Tone-Oz]

That was unbelievable! Thank you so much. what a legend sharing your expertise with this. I've learnt so much. thanks mate.

[@davidpagett9895]

12 minutes in and I have to say that you have such a passionate, knowledgeable, yet gentle teaching style. You need to be a teacher mate!

[@kenthomas2252]

He's super clear and knowledgeable. I feel like I can do this job myself now. Good teaching.

[@arcticflying]

Finally, someone making it so easy to understand, thanks so much!

[@matthewcopeland6654]

I found this extremely informative. Thank you.

[@thegee-tahguy4877]

I love these how-to DIY videos. They keep me busy.

[@wesenswert]

Thank you so much for this detailed video!! I learned a lot and it's a pleasure to hear you sharing your knowledge. Best from Berlin, Jesper

[@stoplookingatmeplease1230]

Definitely subscribing with notifications on , a hell of a lesson , beautiful , I love the fact that he just taught me so many tips n tricks about audio-circuitry that I needed , learned so much - amaizing explanation and work

[@brauliocardenas7196]

Great video, great explanation. Thanks so much for making your knowledge reachable to anyone.

[@SuperHotrod4]

Dude! Awesome! I would've paid for this! You explained it perfect! Thank you!

[@0chappell]

you are so detailed and clear, thanks, you are a gifted teacher

[@cheech9095]

Thank you very much for this video very clear and easy to follow, got my 1983 squire strat working again.

[@nasanction]

You are the man! Thanks for getting my head wrapped around this issue!

[@lividlover8376]

One of the best instructional vids. I have ever seen. Thank you very much. You really know what you are doing and teach it very well. Really this is great. Had to subscribe and like. Future fix I am way more confident in doing.

[@E_-_-]

Great video! Very helpful. Best of its kind as Juan said. Thanks for sharing it

[@roycox4415]

thanks so much!

[@karlalton3170]

Roy you have just saved my first build 😁 I was one wire wrong till i found your video and my middle pickup has never worked 🙁 You ran a wire from the tone pot at the beginning to the third pole on 5 way switch , mine was on second pole not third and i had not got the link wire in either from first pole to second pole on 5 way Cheers dude your the man 😁😁🤘🤘🤘🤘🤘

[@TheRaptorXX]

Brilliant. Straight and to the point, just how I like it. Thanks.

[@frank74bestmovieclips]

Awesome video, thank you very much for explaining everything in detail!

[@RARenfield]

Thank you for this excellent tutorial. It helped me fix the missing tone control on my strat's middle pickup. I took electric shop in Jr. High School, but this was more informative. Soldering skills are much improved now.

[@montydaniels1054]

@Roy Cox. Roy, thank you so much for posting such a detailed & well explained video on wiring a Strat. I just bought 2-70's Strat's so you know I just got done shelling out a lot of money, so now instead of giving the Luthier who usually does most of my work, I'll be able to save $200-$300 on each of these vintage Strat's. Plus I still have my Gilmour build sitting in a case & 2 regular Strat's. Now my wife will want me to sell a few of them so I'll need to take it slow & hope she forgets. Wives who know nothing about guitars, can't understand why we tend to start collecting them. All I tell her is if I had a larger room to store my guitars in, it wouldn't seem like I have too many of them.... Thanks again Roy, you've made a fantastic video. Also a big thank you for helping me feel more confident in doing my own work.

[@cdfgdfgdfg]

Wonderful video thank you so much many great advices and details

[@agateenchantmentrockwizard5969]

Excellent hands on demonstration

[@josesampaioramos3437]

Very informative and didatic video! thanks for sharing your experience; it helped a lot. Cheers!

[@3coelho]

The best and clearest instructions on ow to wire your guitar

[@johnnasta]

Thanks for the video. I was specifically looking for info on how to test the pots and what the three posts do, and you nailed it right in the beginning of the video. BTW my first impression of your voice was that you sound like David Lee Roth when he speaks, except you make a lot more sense.

[@JF-eg1qk]

First, thank you for the excellent tutorial... I especially used this video as a guide during my first (and successful) installation of pickups: I remain indebted to you. I only want to add one thing that may help others and that is re the wiring of the capacitor: if one line is used for one pot lug while the second line is used for the other pot log and then to ground (in this way, the capacitor sits between the pots, with each line going to a different pot and its lug), the volume will cut out when the (neck) tone knob is lowered to zero. The way to avoid this is: use one line from the capacitor to thread the two pots and their lugs and then use the other line on the capacitor to go to ground.

[@roadworn1980]

J F this is exactly what I need to do to mine, I just don’t understand exactly what you’re saying...I need a picture/schematic....

[@tom-mc1wk]

This is in fact exactly how Fender illustrates the placement of the cap in their wiring diagram. I was following the diagram while watching this and immediately wondered why he'd done it that way; thanks for your comment, I have no doubts about how to proceed now.

[@tom-mc1wk]

@@roadworn1980 Hold the capacitor directly above the middle pot with the pots laid out like in the video (bridge tone pot to your left, volume pot and pickups to the right). Take the left lead of the capacitor and run it OUT through the rightmost lug of the center pot and IN through the center lug of the left pot; solder both. Now take the right capacitor lead and solder it to ground on the top or side of the center pot. Done.

[@TommySG1]

Hello, I just stumbled across your channel here and this was such a fantastic explanation of a standard Strat set up I've ever come across. I do most of my own work on my own guitars and for a few friends as well.... I just subbed your channel too, thanks and I definitely look forward to your other feeds, thanks.

[@gabmitnick]

Very nice!! Thanks for sharing all this knowledge!