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MORE... MOD GARAGE

The 7-Sound Stratocaster

Dirk Wacker
September 09, 2008

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Hopefully you’ve taken some time to improve the primary tone of your beloved Stratocaster following
our last installment [“Stratocaster Insight,” September ‘08]. This month we will begin talking about
some of the most popular mods for Stratocasters. We’ll start with a simple but effective one: the
seven-sound Strat. This modification is one of the oldest ones around. While its origins cannot be
confirmed, some sources claim that it was the idea of the famous Western swing guitarist, Eldon
Shamblin; others attribute the trick to one of the fathers of the Stratocaster, Bill Carson. RIG RUNDOWNS GALLERY VIDEOS
No matter where it came from, the seven-sound Strat mod addresses one of the major deficiencies
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with the Strat’s design (or any other guitar with three single-coil pickups, for that matter). A Strat
normally has three pickups but only a 5-way selector switch, limiting you to combinations like
bridge/neck while keeping other unique choices, like all three pickups simultaneously, out of reach.
With open 5-way selector switches available from companies like CRL and Oak Grigsby [now Rig Rundown - Cherry Glaz…
Glaz…
acquired by Electro Switch Corporation], it’s easy to add some of these esoteric combinations to your
guitar. Unfortunately, because the switch has only five positions, you’ll still have to give up some
options – perhaps not a terrible thing if you never use the middle/ bridge combination, for example.

But if you’re interested in having the most options available – switch limitations be damned – you’ll
want to try the seven-sound Strat mod. It will leave the 5-way selector switch combinations untouched
and will add two other combinations. But before we begin tinkering, let’s review the stock positions
you’ll find on a run-of-the-mill Fender Strat:
1. Rig Rundown: Cherry Glazerr
5-way selector switch pickup combinations 2. Rig Rundown: Joanne Shaw Taylor
position 1 Bridge pickup alone 3. Rig Rundown: Buddy Miller
4. Rig Rundown: Lukas Nelson & Promise of the Real
position 2 bridge + middle pickup in parallel
5. Rig Rundown: Arielle
position 3 middle pickup alone
position 4 middle + neck pickup in parallel
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position 5 neck pickup alone
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The concept behind the seven-sound mod is simple: add a switching device that can activate the
neck pickup. There are several solutions available to make this happen, but they all have one thing in
common: a simple on/off (SPST) switch. Simply drill a hole in the pickguard and install a small SPST
toggle switch near your existing 5-way selector switch. Wire it according to the following diagram:
Fill out my online form.
So how does it work? Position 1 of the 5-way
selector switch activates the bridge pickup
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alone; by engaging your new toggle switch, MOST RECENT MOST READ
you can activate both the neck and the
bridge pickups together. Likewise, with the 5-
Joe Satriani Demos the IK Multimedia
way selector switch in the second position
AXE I/O
and the bridge and middle pickups activated,
a flick of the toggle switch adds the neck
pickup to the equation. You can also route Sonny Landreth Demos the Komet
the bridge pickup to the toggle switch for a Ampli cation K.O.D.A.
similar effect — simply use positions 4 and 5
to get the new sounds.
Tone Talk with Seymour Duncan

So with the toggle switch added, let’s take

another look at the Strat tone chart:
Aguilar Grape Phaser Demo with
Jonathan Maron

5-way switch pickup combinations 7-sound mod

Celebrating Les Paul: The Story of a
position 1 Bridge pickup alone bridge + neck in parallel
Jersey Cop’s Unlikely Friendship with
position 2 bridge + middle pickup in parallel all three pickups in parallel a Legend
position 3 middle pickup alone
position 4 middle + neck pickup in parallel
position 5 neck pickup alone

Of course, the new combinations that arise

from this modification are a matter of taste –
I personally find the three-pickup sound to be
the least useful of the two new combinations,
although it works well for rhythms. The neck
and bridge pickups together sound great,
reminding me a little bit of a Telecaster, albeit
a lot fatter and more defined. I used to call it
the “Sweet Home Alabama” setting. Give it a
try and see what you think.

If you’re more of a traditionalist, or the

thought of drilling a hole through your
pickguard simply isn’t exactly appealing,
another option is to replace one of your pots
with a push/pull or a push/push type of pot
with a SPST or DPDT switch. If you actually
enjoy standing out in the crowd, another cool
way to perform this mod is to use a
completely new pickguard with three
individual SPST switches instead of the
common 5-way switch. Fender used this
method on the shortlived Stratocaster Elite,
which featured three small on/off push
buttons for the pickups, among other “improvements.” While the Strat push buttons were initially a
flop, it has been over 20 years since their appearance, meaning that it may be time for you to bring
them back for a bit of ironic, vintage style.

Have fun with this mod; it’s an easy one to do and it will open up a few more tonal posibilities for you
to explore. Next month, we’ll continue our Stratocaster mod efforts, turning our attention to those
famous out-of-phase sounds. Until then, keep on modding!

Dirk Wacker lives in Germany and has been a guitar addict since age 5. He’s also
a hardcore DIY-er for guitars, amps, and stompboxes and runs a website on the
subject (singlecoil.com). When not working at his guitar workbench, he plays
country, rockabilly, surf, and flamenco. Contact him at info@singlecoil.com.

RECENT ARTICLES BY DIRK WACKER RELATED ARTICLES

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Mod Garage: The Blender 7-Sound Stratocaster
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Mod Garage: “Jimmy Page” Les Paul Wiring
Mod Garage: The Pros and Cons of Plastic-Coated Wire
Phasing Out: How to get out-of-phase sounds from a
Stratocaster
Gabriel Sound Garage Releases Stinger 7 Amp
The Anatomy of the Stratocaster 5-way Switch
The Anatomy of the Stratocaster 5-way Switch, Part III

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Edwin Erst • 4 months ago

Ten years later the American Stratocaster Elite has 10-tone wiring using the versatile
S-1 switch (which also adds series and parallel pickup settings). The Deluxe Player
Strat (2004), had the single push-push switch for 7-way bridge blend, but neither of
these models include the TBX tone control which would give even more tonal
possibilities. Luckily the TBX tone pots can be bought for around $15 bucks or less
now. (The wiring diagram that comes with TBX pot is also identical to the Strat Plus
series from the eighties and nineties, sans Fender-Lace sensors).
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user34603 • a year ago

Did I miss something? I don't see how you know which way to orient the switch so
that 'up' demands on the neck pickup and 'down' disables it. The diagram does not
show the outcome (is switch up or switch down enabling the neck pickup) of wiring it
as shown... am I right ?
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Jaycifer Danielson • 2 years ago • edited

This might be a weird question but my SPST switch has a lead and a ground lug.
Does it matter which lug either one goes to or can I just not use these switches?

Would I attach the "ground" lug on the SPST to the volume lug on my 5 way?
The article doesn't say anything about their SPST having anything ground lug
1△ ▽ • Reply • Share ›

saudade • 4 years ago

Diagram is wrong since it is connecting the bridge pickup and not the neck one (small
diagram).
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Anthony • 5 years ago

Hello, The mod garage column is great! Thanks! One question – can you do the jazz
switch mod, 50's gibson wiring mod, and the 7 sound strat mod all on the same guitar
and have all the options discussed work as described? Thanks.
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Matt • 7 years ago

Am I the only one that NEVER heard Stevie get this kind of sound?
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Steve Haynie • 7 years ago

My one dealing with Analog Alien was absolutely trouble-free. They are good guys.
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Mojoseffy • 7 years ago

Nonya D. Is right. SRV could make a Squier strat and a ten watt Crate amp sound
good because he was an an amazing player. Difficult for me to hate on somebody
trying to make a buck but this product is not free from shame. Save your money and
go back to the woodshed.
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Robert French • 7 years ago

To Much WAY TO MUCH Money for that Do all these people think we are made of
MONEY!!!
△ ▽ • Reply • Share ›

Nonya Dam • 7 years ago

Jimmy (with a y) Vaughn not Jimi. This is not a tribute this is a cheep marketing ploy
that has stolen (by misrepresenting)the SRV brand in name and in caricature. Dont
we have enough half baked amps and pedals claiming they have Stevie's tone?

What they cant sell is this: Learn to play hard, fast, kill blues licks on very fat strings
and play through a tube amp. Practice day and night. Then you can pay tribute, after
you earn it. Sell that, not this B.S.
△ ▽ • Reply • Share ›

Brian D. Johnsto • 7 years ago

This is a tribute pedal, just like the FuzzBubble-45 (with Pete and Jimi). The idea is to
reproduce tones that we all love, and obviously none of us would know that it's the
tone of Mr. 'X' if it were not promoted as such. Is Jimi's estate suffering that much that
they need to sue?
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Nonya Dam • 7 years ago

You sir, are a hack. You never produced one tone? that has a SRV flavor to it.
I swear to GOD I will never buy a Analog Alien product. I hope Jimmy sue's you for
every penny you ever make. SRV? why don't you spit on his grave and get it over
with?
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John Shoemaker • 7 years ago

I have a Diaz, but this is pretty interesting.
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Sebastian • 7 years ago

Great mod on my American Standard. Sounds awesome. Tele-Sound on a Strat :-)
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Squonk • 9 years ago

Has anybody tried this mod on a Strat HSS?? Hows it sound? I was thinking the
humbucker would just overide the standard pup to the point you couldn't hear a
difference. That true?
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Paulo • 9 years ago

Sorry, i ment to say DPDT switch
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Paulo • 9 years ago

Hi, i had don this mod, but i faced a problem. when i put the 5 way switch in the
middle position without the neck pickup active, to activate only the middle pickup, i get
nothing, can anyone tell me if i did something wrong?

Ps. I used a DPTP switch, and used half of the switch, in theory is the same that use
a SPDT switch.
△ ▽ • Reply • Share ›

Joe • 9 years ago

@always difficult

If you're doing the mod to keep the neck pickup active at all times, you'll just need to
put the pickup selector switch onto the bridge setting and then put the mod switch in
the On position.

If you did this mod to keep the bridge active at all times, you'll just need to put the
pickup selector switch onto the neck setting and then put the mod switch in the On
position.

Hope that helps.

△ ▽ • Reply • Share ›

Shaun • 10 years ago

Anyone know why after performing this mod on my strat, I am experiencing a very
loud buzz that increases in volume when the strings are touched? This is my first mod
and im not sure what to make of it and how to fix it.
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Mojo • 10 years ago

I have used this mod for years, with the exception of it switching the bridge pup,
rather than the neck. It achieves the same combinations, and either way, adds to your
tone palette.
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Chet Feathers • 10 years ago

My brother and I recently completed a 3 on/off/on (On/Off/Out of Phase) toggle
switches and 3 dual concentric pots wiring on my Highway 1 Strat. Which actually
takes Fender's Elite wiring a step farther by adding the Out Of Phase option as well
as Volume/Tone control for each pickup.
△ ▽ • Reply • Share ›

andy • 11 years ago

Does any S1 Switch come in the vintage off-white colour? I would like to make this
mod but want to keep the look of my "tea-stained pups and vol/tone controls.
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Bluesdog • 11 years ago

I've done a similar mod using the tbx pot on my strat deluxe to blend the neck pickup
into any of the regular combinations so you can have neck and bridge(great)or even
all pickups (not so great), I rewired the other pots to master vol and tone. I think I got
the schemos from Chris Kinmans website.
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always difficult • 11 years ago

What if you want bridge and neck at the same time?
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Dirk • 11 years ago

hi jim, yes you are right ! the fender s1 switching system allows to place your pickups
in an individual assemblage of parallel, series and pickup-combining configurations. it
depends on the individual guitar how the fender factory wired the switch, but in
general it´s possible to rewire it for a 7-sound strat configuration. for more details,
please have a look here: http://www.fender.com/produ...
△ ▽ • Reply • Share ›

jim kendrick • 11 years ago

doesnt the s-1 switching on the american delux strat accomplish this mod?
△ ▽ • Reply • Share ›

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