stratocaster input jack:ground wiring

A detailed step by step on wiring your stratocaster input jack and ground wiring.
Soldering Station & Solder Type (my preferred type)
Hakko FX888D-23BY Digital Soldering Station FX-888D FX-888 (blue & yellow)
www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...
Kester 24-6337-0010 44 Rosin Core Solder 63/37 .020 1 lb. Spool
www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...

[@JWEmbry-wc7qi]

Great verbal explanation and visual example!!!!!!!! Thank you Roy.

[@carlteresa5935]

Thank you! This was extremely clear and straightforward and helped me substantially in getting my Partscaster working perfectly!

[@HarleyBob957]

Thanks for this video, I'm on my first build and you clearly explained some questions I had.

[@spotterstockholm]

Thank you, just fixed the last part of installing a new bridge pickup. Very informative video.

[@craiggallagher7292]

Damn, son, this is EXACTLY what I need with my current American Strat build. This is my first Strat that I have wired up from scratch and I am on the home stretch and just trying to figure out the proper grounding. I still need to watch more of your video, but THANK YOU!

[@gabmitnick]

Your videos are awesome Roy! Keep posting them! Thank you for sharing them with us

[@stormman8393]

Roy, brilliantly presented. Great info and well worth watching. Explained very well.

[@buckellard]

Thanks for the video of how to wire up an output jack. It's really cool that you shared this with us.

[@roycox4415]

So glad it was helpful!

[@richbruns3465]

Very helpful tutorial exactly what I needed for wiring up my input jack on my stratocaster. Thanks very much!

[@EePingLiang]

Thank you so much Roy! I learned something new. Good advise and tips

[@gregcapuano2350]

Awesome vid! I been playing for years but just now getting into modding by myself. Subbed

[@RyanVeghOfficial]

Thank you very much! Helpful for understanding how everything is connected.

[@roycox4415]

Glad it was helpful!

[@buska100]

Excellent Vid Mate. Clear,Concise and Very Helpful. Cheers

[@unclefredster5636]

Very Helpful indeed! Just about to jump into wiring some guitars and this is a great video for a noob like me just starting out on this journey. Thanks a bunch!

[@bigange6629]

Ditto - cheers

[@agentcalm]

Great vid man. Really well explained,

[@bumpyroad3251]

Great tutorial, thanks!

[@richardsyoutubechannel995]

Another great video Brilliant info

[@peanutygoodness]

Very informative and easy to understand… that is if you’re trying to troubleshoot a MIJ 1980s strat with SD Live Wire SSH config (I bought it used like this, with a kahler trem and a few other mods when I was 15yo). Looks like there’s a little more to it when you’ve got 2 9volts to deal with and I’m having a hard time nailing down a diagram from SD. It’s almost like they’re embarrassed by these wax dipped early hi output config and don’t want anyone finding a schematic. Lol. I’m sure there’s plenty of others that are similar enough in the active SSH config. But this video got me gong towards a full fix so thank you for that for sure. Should make as many as you can. It’s awesome that you share your knowledge about the guitar abdomen surgery and electric 6 string Bariatric methodology.

[@roycox4415]

Appreciate it!

[@theworkshed1253]

Good stuff very well presented

[@mikestroud9969]

Thanks buddy. I have a new switch coming for my older fender squire strat next week. I need to solder the input jack too. This came at the right time. Appreciated. 😎👌👍💯🎸🎸

[@roycox4415]

Glad it helped! Let me know if you have any questions once you get started

[@mikestroud9969]

@@roycox4415 ok 👍👌💯

[@philtyler4048]

Great video. Thanks

[@hilldwler420]

It helps to use a clean tip and the liberal application of rosin flux works so much better.

[@roycox4415]

I agree that’s what I’m doing the entire time in between solders. I just don’t talk a bunch about it

[@larryadcock682]

Thanks, Roy fixed my problem.

[@roycox4415]

Awesome!

[@erikpaterson1404]

Very helpful thank you 🤘

[@choplass]

@2:51 Thank you my dear sir...So many video tutorials on shielding guitars/ bass, and they all fail to specify this crucial point. Cheers! 🍻

[@daniwest1370]

Very informative!

[@roycox4415]

hope it helps!

[@JoseGomez-lw2qk]

very good video very well presented THANK YOU .!!!!!!!

[@roycox4415]

You are welcome!

[@Happymz]

Great video!

[@jamespuckett6457]

I wish I had seen this video before fumbling my way through several builds.

[@daveroche6522]

Thank you - VERY good indeed - I'm about to have a go at my trusty Guild B-301, this has certainly helped. Thank you very much.

[@roycox4415]

So glad it helped out a bit! Good luck. Take your time, be detailed and your build will come out beautifully!

[@daveroche6522]

@@roycox4415 Wildo. Thank you again.

[@natetracknatehagenmusic5442]

I've got a great Lace loaded pick gaurd and have been holding off on the guitar build because I needed the exact information you've hooked us up with here. Exactly video bro!

[@moviemaniac8815]

U make the BEST FN VIDS!! THANKS

[@roycox4415]

Appreciate that brother!

[@TheForce_Productions]

Great video as usual Roy. Cheers!

[@roycox4415]

thanks so much!!!

[@TheForce_Productions]

@@roycox4415 Oh Roy one question, is there any negative effect on using springs instead that rubber pieces to manage the height of the pickups? Thanks in advance!

[@roycox4415]

Obi Wan Kenobi not at all. I also use springs. Just personal preference

[@TheForce_Productions]

@@roycox4415 Thank you very much Roy!

[@thewildernessguy4805]

General Kenobi

[@drewgraysonxoxopanda]

I'm surprised you're not tinning your connection points and wires before soldering your connections. Excellent video.

[@roycox4415]

they were pre tinned. i had done it beforehand

[@Bill-Rocker]

Great video for this install. It's hard to tell but i hope there is plenty of padding on the bench.

[@roycox4415]

you are arent seeing the plush pad the guitar is laying on. the only part touching the table is where its laying on the guitar pad. Its complete protected its just hard to see.

[@HankCScorpio]

When you wrap the wire to the ground screw, hook it left to right, not right to left so when you screw it down it wraps tight

[@mrofnocnon]

yep

[@aidab7258]

Thank you!!!!

[@roycox4415]

You're welcome!

[@EagleLakeWoodworking]

Good video. I wonder why manufacturers don't put a small 2 wire plug connector so you can unhook the pick guard and remove it without unsoldering anything. I add this any time I open up a strat.

[@miguelferrariart]

Thanks

[@roycox4415]

You are welcome!

[@johnmiller6134]

i purchsed a loaded pickguard for a strat with 2 humbuckers and a single coil it has a black white and red wires is the red one for grounding tremelo it has a 5 way switch

[@dagulburr9315]

How to connect the bridgeground,, my name is rojs from,Philippines,, your new subscriber.

[@terrybeaud9348]

Great video ! Thanks for the tips. I have a question, I have an american strat special SSS, texas special PUs. (Used to be HSS, but I swapped humbucker for texas special pu) I have a basic understanding of how the pickguard is wired up and the purpose of caps on the tone pots. But my strat has 2 disc caps per TONE pot, the same 2 caps on each tone pot. Cap #1 is BC Z5U 203M 1KV This cap is installed in a standard way, grounded to pot and connected to lug on right, (when lugs are pointing down). Cap #2 is Y5U 104M This cap is soldered to middle lug and left lug, (when lugs are pointing down). .... Can you tell me what the purpose of Cap #2 is ? Thanks Terry

[@timandersen3498]

So I've bought a loaded pickguard to get the pickups for my old guitar. I already had new pots and cable so I thought I might as well change all the inside. And it looks like I've connected the wires the right places and made sure it's a solid connection. Same with the grounding. However all I get is noise and static. I can turn up the volume(louder stactic) but the tone knobs doesn't seem to be working, neither is the pickups. And For some reason it gets more quiet when I'm just holding the pickguard in my hand near the switch. Do you have any idea what I might be doing wrong?

[@marshallohio5512]

Twist single coil pickups and out put jack wires together. Shield cavity with aluminum tape that works just as well as copper foil. Daisy chain a ground wire to all the pots back. If still a noise issue, then reverse the out put jack wires. Don't be concern about ground loop or star grounding. Been fixing guitars for 40 plus years. KZbin videos are all over the place on the noise subjects. Cheers

[@bysykler4959]

Wrap the ground wire the opposite way under the screw so it snugs in as you tighten…. Electrician pro tip. ❤

[@roycox4415]

That’s a great tip!

[@michaelogden5958]

It looks like you have a Hakko solder rig (somewhat like mine). I notice that your solder connections are near instantaneous. May I ask what temp setting you use and your opinions as to different settings for different types of connections? Just for situations like this - not specialty/precision situations. Thanks for such clear/patient videos! Oops! No sooner asked than answered - at least for the temp settings!

[@psmith7781]

Just as you wire leads to an outlet, going over the top of the screw with your hook, allows the wire to be pulled into the turn of the screw, so it does not back out.

[@lauried.2708]

thx for the video.My loaded pickups have a black,green,& white wires.My diagram shows black is ground,white is hot to the middle of volume pot. The diagram doesn't show where to put the green.The green is soldered to the top of the middle pot with the black wires connecting the pots together.Would green go to the screw then tremelo? There is no screw in the pickup cavity like you show.

[@f1s2hg3]

As long as electric guitars were made going back over 80 years ago and they still solder the connections on most models. Like beta to vhs to dvd to blue ray but in guitars it’s still old school.

[@stevenoliver1956]

Just what I was looking for I watched a couple of other vids but this was the best yet very persice

[@mariolama5325]

One question, shouldn't you connect the ground screw to the black ground cable that goes to the Jack ?

[@bookerbosq7850]

It’s grounded to the volume pot.

[@strogold21]

I like your video thanks! One question though, we don't have to connect the shield (from the screw) to the volume ground pot ? I saw lot of people doing that ?

[@SidBonkers51]

Do you still have to ground the 3 pickups if your scratchplate is foiled on the back as your is?

[@Nemo27602]

Hi thanks for the info video One question I have a deluxe sss noiseless loaded pg It has 1white and 3 black coming from the master vol pot I’m assuming 1White 1Black is input jacket 1 black trem claw ? But what’s the last black for ????? Thanks 🙏

[@iriveramusic]

I think I might need to redo the grounding . But the guitar doesn’t make any sound when it’s plugged in but it does when I’m playing it. Is there anything that I can check for ?

[@barrykolstee9952]

I have a fully assembled pick guard that I'm putting in my project guitar. There's 2 black wires and one white, coming off the volume pod. Would that second ground wire be for the trem? There's no sign of any place to ground the trem like in your video.

[@andrestrat]

Thanks a lot. I have a 3rd black wire going to my input Jack (Fender 1960's reissue) and I do not know where to connect this one.

[@missingremote4388]

3rd wire goes to the tremelo ground connection screw into the wood

[@markwainwright4457]

Thx for video I have loaded pickguard an have as you say a white an black but also another black so why is that just another ground wire

[@roycox4415]

Yes. Most likely your loaded pickguard has one black that is meant to ground to the input jack and one to the top of the pots after soldering to the right outside lug of the volume pot.

[@markwainwright4457]

Yes so the extra black from pot can I run to cavity screw wrap around that an then an then solder to claw at back less cables an obviously the other black an white to input jack

[@mohaveneffx]

I have a bullet strat and I bought a new output Jack and wired it up but when I plugged it in(it was difficult to plug in) it would make a really loud humming sound and it would stop when I touched the strings. When I touched the screws by the pickup selector it got even louder. And suggestions?

[@ottolehmann5286]

thats a grounding issue for sure

[@rockvillemike6062]

Can you use a length of narrow shielded cable for the output jack connection ?

[@guitarpoetone1]

What size wire r u useing? Not length size thanks for any info

[@TBD3.0]

👍

[@saintdumont5322]

I just noticed suddenly my Mexican Strat start to buzz maybe there is a lack in the ground wiring... :-( This video is helpfull, maybe i can fix it myself. Everytime i increase the volume knop the buzzing gets crazy... Thank you for the video!

[@LawnWrangler323]

Was that last ground wire from pod to pod for me, thanks!

[@roycox4415]

Yes, correct

[@patrickpaolicelli8808]

I have 3 wires coming from my loaded pick guard. Blk wht Red. Two single coil and a hotrail pickup. What would be the red wire for?

[@guitarstech2215]

Coil split

[@ptalley316]

My new Fender American Professional Strat, the middle pickup quit working after 10 minutes of playing, took it to GC and their guy “fixed” it, 10 minutes of playing and it quit again! Plus they tried to charge me for the “repair”! What does that sound like to you?

[@user-mc5oe5ey8q]

I never knew you could group d trem claw wire to body always thought it had to go to volume,does anyone know if this can be done for any Fender SSS wiring configuration? Regards Mitchell

[@downloadedvideos926]

Hey Roy. Like your strat wiring but can you do a Jaguar wiring job with a kill switch as original using a humbucker as the neckpup (Rhthm) and fender single coils mid and bridge (lead) using single volume and two tone controls.

[@golosa009]

Please explain in a video the wiring of a hss configuration

[@Nikkimaya1]

Input jack?? My guitar don't have one. Is it anything like the output jacks that are on my guitars?

[@wesleyalan9179]

....lol, input/output...who cares?😅 We all knew what he was talking about so why be a smartass?😁😅🤣

[@blesstv8853]

i bought ssh pickguard.. there is 3 wires.. where do i connect the 3rd wire.. help

[@auskip07]

do you not want shielding in the jack recess?

[@danielmark6858]

im using hardtail strat. where should i ground ??

[@andrewkadar]

where do you solder wire on a bullet strat with no tremolo

[@GreggStallingsProject]

To ground my loaded picked i need a wire to the claw, the body and the jack - is that right?

[@roycox4415]

Yes you are basically tying into the ground setup on your guitar. In most cases that will be the pots grounded together and then the switch and claw and/or body screw ground together into one another.

[@jeffdonohue3711]

what does the ground wire attach to if you have a preloaded pickguard? 2 wires go to the input jack, but what does the 3rd wire attach too?

[@roycox4415]

the ground wire is usually going to be soldered to the top of the volume pot also.

[@jeffdonohue3711]

@@roycox4415 does the other end of the wire get soldered to the tremolo claw?

[@roycox4415]

@@jeffdonohue3711 exactly. now some guitars have a ground wire coming from a screw in the inner body of the guitars electronics cavity. In this case it would come from that screw to the top of the volume pot as well but in your case, yes, go from the claw to the volume pot top

[@jeffdonohue3711]

@@roycox4415 thanks so much. I am a total nubie to this and your videos are most helpful.

[@roycox4415]

@@jeffdonohue3711 always here to help anytime! never hesitate to reach out

[@Brittjones]

Where did you go?

[@TheKombuchaCompany]

So connect nothing to the Trem claw ground, that you screwed into the body???

[@roycox4415]

No listen to the part where I talk about how the trem claw is also grounded to the body.

[@robsmusicshop5966]

Nice video...question...the term claw does need to be grounded? I ask as I have a project and it doesn't have a hole for claw ground..weird..is it possibly it dont need it? . Thank you in advance

[@TheForce_Productions]

Hello, as Roy answer you, I tell you that yes, trem claw MUST be grounded, otherwise you'll gonna have buzz as hell! Some trem claw models as Gotoh come without that hole to hook the wire when soldering. If this is your case I recommend you to take a piece of sandpaer and sand a little bit in the area where the wire goes, because sometimes could be a little tricky to get the solder to stick to the claw. Hope it helps!

[@TheForce_Productions]

PS: a nice and clear idea to ground your trem claw would be to add to the ground wire a ground terminal (those with a hole, the same fender uses to grounding the guitar body; you can buy it in any electronics shop), then you can place it on one of the screws in trem claw. Cheers.

[@bwyou812]

Had a question, I know this video is 4 years old. I'm dropping in a preloaded pickguard that comes with 3 leads, 2 black and 1 white. does 1 of the black grounds go directly to the trem claw? correct? Got confused when you attached it to a screw in the cavity. Thanks

[@roycox4415]

That’s correct. If you don’t have a ground going to the claw that’s what the other black is for. If you already have a ground to the claw then you can do away with the second black wire or tie the two blacks together and ground them to the volume pot as if it were one wire. It’s all part of a ground loop anyway

[@rolandjgutierrez7737]

if no shielding wier from claw to where is the scrrw o ground the shield where woukd I connect from.claw ground to thst my didconect the wier is souderd to claw.?

[@bedroomrockstudios408]

Don't mess with the "pots" man i like use method #2 but hey all works the same!

[@craiggallagher7292]

One problem, if anyone can offer some advice, the input jack came with the Lace Alumitone pickups... this may be a bad combination for a Strat, especially since I have never played or even heard a proper demo... anyway, the input jack was already soldered to the volume pot as demo'd in this video, but the other is soldered to the top of middle tone pot. I am having such a hard time. This was an overly ambitious project from the start, but I am going to will it all to come together, with a little help from my friends?

[@JayAwakene]

I did this from looking at a guitar wiring diagram, I needed a video to explain better because my guitar was buzzing when I don't touch it and buzzes louder when I touch it.... I guess I missed the grounding from the input jack to the volume, I mixed the ground wire for the other one

[@JayAwakene]

I'm yet to test it but I've just swapped the ground wire to be where it is meant to be

[@MikeMakesUK]

A very informative guide. But, we have the trem wired to the screw inside the body. So where does it ground to after that? Because as far as I can see, though the trem is connected to that screw, collectively they're not grounded to anything. 🤔 Did I miss something?

[@roycox4415]

It’s connected to the ground wiring that goes from pot to pot in the electronics and the final point is to the top of the volume pot.

[@MikeMakesUK]

@@roycox4415Wonderful. Thank you. 😁

[@rhymeswithspaghetti]

I thought you didn't need the grounding wire between the pots since they are already grounded to the shielding. Can anyone clarify this?

[@roycox4415]

The pots should always be grounded together and the negative wire from the input Jack grounds to the top of the volume pot.

[@monsterdual2973]

Why use alumunium not choper for wire?

[@PloreEnt]

I have a question hopefully you can respond bland wood start from scratch how do you put the screw in for the ground wire and trem claw ? Is it just a screw

[@bobravenscraft5376]

Solder the screw with kester.

[@roycox4415]

the only solder i use

[@curtrod]

output?

[@nehemiahzo_]

Ground wire came unsoldered, what do I do? It’s from the claw to the input jack. It’s technically two. Half is white, other half is black. Edit: the two wires are unsoldered from each other.

[@ptalley316]

Oh, I forgot, it’s HSS if that makes a difference:)

[@seanangelino511]

The shielding on that thing is a nightmare! He never shielded the output compartment and the copper tape is supposed to overlap at the top to make a connection with the shielding on the back of the pickgaurd. At the end of the day if you don't have continuity...you have nothing.

[@roycox4415]

That’s actually incorrect. The main cavity is shielded and only needs to be shielded with the copper tape under the pots themselves. The ground wire from the jack runs into the ground screw terminal which also makes contact with the copper tape creating your entire grounding loop. You don’t actually have to shield the input jack cavity. You can but it makes no real difference actually .

[@StratsRUs]

I bought a loaded pickguard from EBay. The grounds of the claw and the cavity are from the middle tone pot, not the volume pot.So does that mean these grounds can be from any pot ? Thanks

[@clumpyamoeba5598]

My volume know has a black and white coming off the same leg

[@clumpyamoeba5598]

Knob

[@eddieb3d]

Pet peeve, but that’s an output jack not an input jack.

[@roycox4415]

Both ways are correct actually.

[@eddieb3d]

@@roycox4415​do guitar pedals have two input jacks or an input and an output?

[@roycox4415]

@@eddieb3d I get what you are saying. Look up guitar input jack. You will see a ton of huge companies that sell them title them as such and then some title them as output jack. Trust me. People call them both. Not sure it matters.

[@eddieb3d]

@@roycox4415your right it probably doesn’t matter most of the time. I said it was a pet peeve 😁

[@roycox4415]

@@eddieb3d I have a bunch of those and I totally get you!