If you’re a Fender guitar enthusiast, you’re certainly familiar with the S1 switch. It’s a versatile switch that allows you to access different pickup combinations and coil splits, giving you a wide variety of tones. In this article, we’ll take a closer look at the Fender S1 switch wiring diagram and how you can use it to customize your guitar’s tone to your liking.
How Does the Fender S1 Switch Work?
The Fender S1 switch is a push-pull switch that’s built into the volume knob of many Fender guitars. When you pull the switch up, it engages a hidden set of electronics that allow you to access different pickup combinations and coil splits. With the switch down, your guitar works as normal.
The S1 switch gives you the ability to access a wide range of tones that aren’t typically available on a standard Stratocaster. You can use it to select all three pickups together (instead of just the neck and bridge pickups), coil split your humbucker for a single-coil sound, or even create out-of-phase tones that can sound like a wah pedal.
So, how do you wire your guitar to use the Fender S1 switch? Let’s take a look at the wiring diagram.
Fender S1 Switch Wiring Diagram
Before you start, it’s important to understand that there are different ways to wire your guitar using the S1 switch. We’ll cover two of the most popular wiring schemes in this article. You’ll need to choose the one that’s best for you based on your desired tones and pickup configuration.
| Position | Switch Down | Switch Up |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bridge | Bridge & Middle |
| 2 | Bridge & Neck | Bridge, Middle & Neck |
| 3 | Neck | Middle & Neck |
Wiring Scheme 1: Standard Stratocaster Wiring
The first wiring scheme we’ll cover is the standard Stratocaster wiring. This wiring scheme is simple and straightforward, and it’s perfect if you’re looking for classic Strat tones.
To wire your guitar using this scheme, follow these steps:
- Connect the hot wire from your bridge pickup to the 5-way selector switch.
- Connect the hot wire from your middle pickup to the 5-way selector switch.
- Connect the hot wire from your neck pickup to the 5-way selector switch.
- Connect the ground wires from all three pickups to the back of the volume potentiometer.
- Connect the hot wire from the volume potentiometer to the first lug of the tone potentiometer.
- Connect the output wire from the tone potentiometer to the output jack.
- Connect the ground wire from the tone potentiometer to the back of the volume potentiometer.
- Connect the S1 switch to the volume potentiometer as shown in the wiring diagram above.
With this wiring scheme, you can use the S1 switch to select all three pickups together (position 2 on the switch) or to coil split your bridge pickup (position 4 on the switch).
Wiring Scheme 2: HSS Wiring
The second wiring scheme we’ll cover is the HSS wiring. This wiring scheme is ideal if you have a guitar with a humbucker in the bridge position and single-coil pickups in the neck and middle positions. With this wiring scheme, you can use the S1 switch to access different pickup combinations and coil splits.
To wire your guitar using this scheme, follow these steps:
- Connect the hot wire from your bridge humbucker to the 5-way selector switch.
- Connect the hot wire from your middle pickup to the 5-way selector switch.
- Connect the hot wire from your neck pickup to the 5-way selector switch.
- Connect the ground wires from all three pickups to the back of the volume potentiometer.
- Connect the hot wire from the volume potentiometer to the first lug of the tone potentiometer.
- Connect the output wire from the tone potentiometer to the output jack.
- Connect the ground wire from the tone potentiometer to the back of the volume potentiometer.
- Connect the hot wire from the humbucker to the second lug of the volume potentiometer.
- Connect the ground wire from the humbucker to the back of the volume potentiometer.
- Connect the S1 switch to the volume potentiometer as shown in the wiring diagram above.
With this wiring scheme, you can use the S1 switch to select all three pickups together (position 2 on the switch), to coil split your humbucker (position 4 on the switch), or to create out-of-phase tones (position 3 on the switch).
FAQ
What is the Fender S1 switch?
The Fender S1 switch is a push-pull switch that’s built into the volume knob of many Fender guitars. It allows you to access different pickup combinations and coil splits, giving you a wide variety of tones.
How does the Fender S1 switch work?
When you pull the switch up, it engages a hidden set of electronics that allow you to access different pickup combinations and coil splits. With the switch down, your guitar works as normal.
What wiring schemes can I use with the Fender S1 switch?
You can use a variety of wiring schemes with the Fender S1 switch, depending on your pickup configuration and desired tones. Two of the most popular wiring schemes are standard Stratocaster wiring and HSS wiring.
How do I wire my guitar using the Fender S1 switch?
To wire your guitar using the Fender S1 switch, you’ll need to follow a specific wiring diagram. There are different wiring schemes available, so make sure you choose one that’s best for your guitar and desired tones.
What tones can I achieve with the Fender S1 switch?
The Fender S1 switch gives you the ability to access a wide variety of tones that aren’t typically available on a standard Stratocaster. You can use it to select all three pickups together, coil split your humbucker, or create out-of-phase tones.
