How do I make it so the tone knob on my strat works for the bridge position?

[GuitarInnovations]

I'm assuming it's a pretty easy mod. Anyone have a quick diagram?

 

[DrewB]

Since you're gonna have to look at the switch to do the work anyway, I would just look at the switch. With the lever in the bridge position, find the lug that the bridge pickup is wired to; it'll be the one toward the neck end of the pickguard. Then look at the wiper contact around the pivoting center of the switch and you'll see that it's contacting the bridge-pickup lug. The tone control should be wired to the other side (not the other end) of the switch and make contact with the wiper when the switch is in the middle position. Find the lug it's contacting and move that tone control's wire one lug toward the neck end of the pickguard. You now don't have a tone control on the middle pickup. If you want a tone control on the middle pickup, you either move the neck-pickup tone control to the middle position or run an extra wire to one of the tone pots so you'll have a tone control active on every pickup.

 

[scottlr]

If you want a tone control on the middle pickup, you either move the neck-pickup tone control to the middle position or run an extra wire to one of the tone pots so you'll have a tone control active on every pickup.

Actually, if that's what you want, you can just run a 1 inch jumper from one lug to the other making them both active for the tone control. Most of mine are with the middle and bridge on the same tone control. I just jumped the two together. Took 10 minutes.

TIP: Instead of pulling all the strings off, I have a piece of broom handle about 6 inches long. I just loosen the strings on a strat enough to slip that under them at about the 19th or 20th fret, and that is out of the way enough to get the guard off.

 

[DrewB]

Actually, if that's what you want, you can just run a 1 inch jumper from one lug to the other making them both active for the tone control. Most of mine are with the middle and bridge on the same tone control. I just jumped the two together. Took 10 minutes.

TIP: Instead of pulling all the strings off, I have a piece of broom handle about 6 inches long. I just loosen the strings on a strat enough to slip that under them at about the 19th or 20th fret, and that is out of the way enough to get the guard off.

The thing about that approach that doesn't work for me is that the middle pickup is now rolled back, too, so if I switch from 5 to 4, it's muddy. I'd rather have the other tone control on both the neck and middle, which I'm less likely to be rolling back. I don't like having no tone-cap loading on the middle pickup, which I use a lot.

Good tip on bridging the strings up!

 

[scottlr]

Understood, but the same jumper technique would work there, too, no?

 

[DrewB]

Sure it would. Either way works. I was concentrating more on his original question and threw that out as a just-in-case without really thinking about the easiest way to do it.

 

[Seegs]

fwiw I like the middle pup without a tone control it sounds killer like that and it helps articulate the in-between positions better...

Chow,
Seegs

 

[scottlr]

fwiw I like the middle pup without a tone control it sounds killer like that and it helps articulate the in-between positions better...

Chow,
Seegs

I have a couple like this and a couple with it tied to the bridge. I "think" next time I am under the hood, I'll put them all like this. The more I think about it, the more sense it makes to me. I rarely use the middle pup alone anyway, and when I have, I never rolled back the tone, so..

 

[gkoelling]

I have a couple like this and a couple with it tied to the bridge. I "think" next time I am under the hood, I'll put them all like this. The more I think about it, the more sense it makes to me. I rarely use the middle pup alone anyway, and when I have, I never rolled back the tone, so..

Exactly. I'm working on a parts strat now and have no use for a tone control on the mid pup. I run it with the tone full-on anyway.

I'm using the diagram for the JV strat off Fender's web site except I'm going with a .047 cap instead of a .022.

 

[Dana Olsen]

fwiw I like the middle pup without a tone control it sounds killer like that and it helps articulate the in-between positions better...

Chow,
Seegs

Ain't that the truth. That's how I have mine setup - no tone on the middle pickup at all. It really does help the split positions brighten up.

Thanks, Dana

 

[CS'56]

I just finished moving my tone from the middle to the bridge pickup on my CS '56 Strat. I had previously added a baseplate and a volume kit. These all made big changes to the versatility of my Strat. Before the baseplate, my bridge pup was unuseable. Now that i just added the tone pot it is great! Makes me wonder how it would sound if I swapped out the bridge pup for something slightley hotter.

I highly recommend adding a baseplate and volume kit for those that have not made those mods. I would by the volume kit from http://www.acmeguitarworks.com/ not from Fralin. I tried the Fralin kit and it added highs as the volume was rolled back. The acme kit is perfect. At least for my Strat.