Adding a microswitch to my Strat… need advice

Seamus OReally

Seamus OReally

Well-Known Member
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I want add a SPST, on-off microswitch to my Strat, to turn on the neck pickup independently of the five-way switch so I can get the neck and bridge together. I’m a wiring knucklehead and have two questions (because asking you guys is easier than figuring it out myself):

1. Two wires connect at the switch. Where do the other ends go to achieve the desired effect?

2. Who makes a good quality microswitch? I’ve installed one of the cheap eight-for-17-bucks switches from Amazon and while it works, I don’t have a lot of confidence in it.
 
Seamus OReally said:
I want add a SPST, on-off microswitch to my Strat, to turn on the neck pickup independently of the five-way switch so I can get the neck and bridge together. I’m a wiring knucklehead and have two questions (because asking you guys is easier than figuring it out myself):

1. Two wires connect at the switch. Where do the other ends go to achieve the desired effect?

2. Who makes a good quality microswitch? I’ve installed one of the cheap eight-for-17-bucks switches from Amazon and while it works, I don’t have a lot of confidence in it.
Click to expand...
What you want is a SPDT or DPDT on-on switch, not an on-off.

1. The wires from the pickup go to the 5-way blade switch and ground (probably the back of the volume pot).
You want to relocate (or cut) the wire to the 5-way switch and run that from the pup to the center (common) leg of the DPDT switch.
Run one outside switch leg to where the pup was attached to the 5-way switch, and the other directly to the volume pot input lug.

In one position, the pup will run normally through the 5-way, in the other position it will be always on by going straight to the volume pot.

2. I've never had a problem with the inexpensive mini toggle switches from Ambazon.
If your concerned, get the 6-leg double pole switch and wire your connections straight through to both poles.
That'll give you redundant double switch contacts.
 
Essentially, that’s what the push button switch on my Strat does…. Only in reverse. In position 4 or 5, push the button and it adds the bridge. Pushing the button in positions 1-3 does absolutely nothing. So while the concept is similar, my wiring diagram would be zero help.

So feel free to totally ignore me. I’m used to it. :wink:
 
iblive said:
Essentially, that’s what the push button switch on my Strat does…. Only in reverse. In position 4 or 5, push the button and it adds the bridge. Pushing the button in positions 1-3 does absolutely nothing. So while the concept is similar, my wiring diagram would be zero help.

So feel free to totally ignore me. I’m used to it. :wink:
Click to expand...
Yep, that button is doing the same thing on the bridge pup.
It's an on/on switch that either goes through the 5-way blade as normal, or diverts direct to the volume pot.
You can do the same thing with a push/pull pot.

The S-1 volume knob/switch I just pulled from my Strat essentially does that too (for about $30...).

BTW, if anyone wants my S-1, let me know (significantly less than $30).
Comes with a cream knob/button, but there are black and white knobs available.
 
fitz said:
Yep, that button is doing the same thing on the bridge pup.
It's an on/on switch that either goes through the 5-way blade as normal, or diverts direct to the volume pot.
You can do the same thing with a push/pull pot.

The S-1 volume knob/switch I just pulled from my Strat essentially does that too (for about $30...).

BTW, if anyone wants my S-1, let me know (significantly less than $30).
Comes with a cream knob/button, but there are black and white knobs available.
Click to expand...
I’m not fond of push/pull pots. Just a personal prejudice. Which was why when this guitar came up in the Sweetwater catalog, I decided it was time to buy a Strat.
 
iblive said:
I’m not fond of push/pull pots. Just a personal prejudice. Which was why when this guitar came up in the Sweetwater catalog, I decided it was time to buy a Strat.
Click to expand...
P/P pots are sometimes hard to use with bell or top hat knobs.
They work better with some big chunky speed knobs.

My Strat has a high probability of getting modded further to a HSH configuration.
When that happens, I'm losing the 5-way switch entirely and custom cutting a blank pickguard with 1V/1T & 3 mini toggle switches for on/off for each pup.
I did that once with triple P-90's on my Squire.
Switching worked great - hated the P-90's...

sq-p90-2.jpg
 
Seamus OReally said:
I want add a SPST, on-off microswitch to my Strat, to turn on the neck pickup independently of the five-way switch so I can get the neck and bridge together. I’m a wiring knucklehead and have two questions (because asking you guys is easier than figuring it out myself):
Click to expand...
My brain is in guitar wiring mode, and I thought of an easier way to do this...
You can simply add an on/off switch between the volume pot input lug and the blade switch connection to the bridge pickup.

The bridge pickup will work as usual via the blade switch with the on/off switch in the off position.
With the on/off switch in the on position, there will be an always on direct connection from the pickup to the volume pot regardless of the blade switch position.

No need to cut or change any of the existing wiring, just add the on/off and 2 wires.
I hope you haven't chopped into anything yet - sorry I didn't think of this sooner.
 
fitz said:
My brain is in guitar wiring mode, and I thought of an easier way to do this...
You can simply add an on/off switch between the volume pot input lug and the blade switch connection to the bridge pickup.

The bridge pickup will work as usual via the blade switch with the on/off switch in the off position.
With the on/off switch in the on position, there will be an always on direct connection from the pickup to the volume pot regardless of the blade switch position.

No need to cut or change any of the existing wiring, just add the on/off and 2 wires.
I hope you haven't chopped into anything yet - sorry I didn't think of this sooner.
Click to expand...
Yep. Back in the 70s I knew a guy who used a full sized SPST toggle for that.
Looked wild but it worked fine.

Another option from back in the day that eliminates the need for a toggle: simply rewiring the 5-way.
One simply swaps connections at the switch - neck goes to the middle pickup's lug, and middle goes to the neck's lug.

That way position 2 gives you bridge & neck together, and position 3 is neck by itself.
Position 4 is neck & middle just like before, and position 5 is now the middle by itself.
You lose the option of bridge & middle together this way, but for many that's the least-used combination.

I still like the mini SPST option myself. Just thought I'd toss the idea into the ring.
Somebody might prefer having the bridge/middle combo available while keeping the original look, and no push-pulls.
 
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