Apex HSS: two single coils and a humbucker, five-way auto-split, one volume and two tones

Parts and values

“Example part” means any part with the same value and lugs will do; the source does not name a brand. “Generic” stands in for an unspecified pickup: check your own pickup's lead colours before you solder.

Specific to this wiring

• Title: APEX HSS, 5 WAY, 1 VOLUME, 2 TONE. Pickup series: ALL 4-CONDUCTOR "AC" and "H" SERIES HUMBUCKERS w/ APS APEX STRAT PICKUPS. The sheet prints no position legend.
• Departure 1 (capacitor value): the orange capacitor's label is an unreadable blur on this sheet, and no sharper copy exists on Tonerider's site. This diagram uses .022µf, the value Tonerider prints on its sister sheets with the same layout: WD_HSS_1V2TL5AS.pdf (2024, same title block and part layout), HSS_Auto-Split_Mod.pdf (2025) and Apex_HSS_1V2T.pdf (2025) all print '.022µf'. The blurred label's length matches that text.
• Departure 2 (tone network): the sheet draws the capacitor from the Mid Tone's middle lug to a grey lead that ends on the Neck Tone's lower outer lug, and a short dark link from that lug to the Neck Tone casing. As drawn, the Neck Tone's input (its middle lug) goes straight to ground through the pot with no capacitor, so it would act as a cut, not a tone. This diagram moves the grey lead (w20) to the capacitor's Mid Tone leg and the dark link (w21) to the capacitor's free leg, so the Neck Tone's lower outer lug joins the Mid Tone wiper and the capacitor goes to ground. That is the network Tonerider draws on WD_HSS_1V2TL5AS.pdf and HSS_Auto-Split_Mod.pdf.
• Switch: as drawn, the humbucker's black and white run together to the lower row's second lug, and the lower row's top lug (its common) is jumpered to the upper row's common, so it carries the signal. That ties the series link to the signal in positions 1 and 2, which leaves one humbucker coil in both positions. This is transcribed as drawn; Tonerider's sister sheet WD_HSS_1V2TL5AS.pdf draws the same switch wiring and is titled '(Auto-Split in Position 2)'.
• Each Apex single coil is drawn with three leads: a hot (white on the neck, yellow on the mid), a black and a green. The black and green both end on the solder spot at the top of the volume casing. The board draws only the hot and black leads, because the stand-in single coil has no third lead.
• The humbucker's green and bare also end on the top volume solder spot; its red goes to the upper row's top lug.
• A white wire runs from the lower row's top lug to the volume's input lug. The volume's bottom lug is linked to the casing. The jack sleeve, the wire labelled 'From Bridge Ground' and a black wire to the Neck Tone casing share the lower volume solder spot; the Neck Tone and Mid Tone casings are joined by a black wire.
• The lower row's third lug feeds the Mid Tone's outer lug nearest the Neck Tone; its bottom lug feeds the Neck Tone's middle lug. The two wires cross with no joint drawn.
• The switch lugs are not numbered on the sheet; they are mapped by what they do. The second row is read from its common, the lug diagonally opposite the first row's common.
• The pots are drawn tilted; their lugs are named as if viewed from the back with the lugs down.

Connections

In soldering order: grounds first, then the switch, the pickups and the signal path.

What each position does

Checked with the Tinkercaster wiring engine against the switching the source describes.

• The capacitor value is not legible on this sheet; .022µf is taken from Tonerider's sister sheets.
• Two tone-network wire ends are moved from where the sheet draws them, following Tonerider's sister sheets, so the Neck Tone works as a tone control.
• As drawn, the humbucker is split in position 1 as well as position 2; this is not changed, because no Tonerider source draws a different switch wiring for this layout.
• The engine names one tone control per position; with the shared capacitor it names the Neck Tone in positions 2 to 5 and does not report the Mid Tone separately.
• The Apex single coils' green leads are not modelled; the source grounds them with the black leads.
• Pot tapers are not printed; pots are simulated with a linear track.
• Hum cancelling and phase describe the generic pickup models, not a measurement of Tonerider Apex pickups.

Before you solder

• Identify every lead on your pickups against the source's colours.
• Title: APEX HSS, 5 WAY, 1 VOLUME, 2 TONE. Pickup series: ALL 4-CONDUCTOR "AC" and "H" SERIES HUMBUCKERS w/ APS APEX STRAT PICKUPS. The sheet prints no position legend.
• Departure 1 (capacitor value): the orange capacitor's label is an unreadable blur on this sheet, and no sharper copy exists on Tonerider's site. This diagram uses .022µf, the value Tonerider prints on its sister sheets with the same layout: WD_HSS_1V2TL5AS.pdf (2024, same title block and part layout), HSS_Auto-Split_Mod.pdf (2025) and Apex_HSS_1V2T.pdf (2025) all print '.022µf'. The blurred label's length matches that text.
• Departure 2 (tone network): the sheet draws the capacitor from the Mid Tone's middle lug to a grey lead that ends on the Neck Tone's lower outer lug, and a short dark link from that lug to the Neck Tone casing. As drawn, the Neck Tone's input (its middle lug) goes straight to ground through the pot with no capacitor, so it would act as a cut, not a tone. This diagram moves the grey lead (w20) to the capacitor's Mid Tone leg and the dark link (w21) to the capacitor's free leg, so the Neck Tone's lower outer lug joins the Mid Tone wiper and the capacitor goes to ground. That is the network Tonerider draws on WD_HSS_1V2TL5AS.pdf and HSS_Auto-Split_Mod.pdf.
• Switch: as drawn, the humbucker's black and white run together to the lower row's second lug, and the lower row's top lug (its common) is jumpered to the upper row's common, so it carries the signal. That ties the series link to the signal in positions 1 and 2, which leaves one humbucker coil in both positions. This is transcribed as drawn; Tonerider's sister sheet WD_HSS_1V2TL5AS.pdf draws the same switch wiring and is titled '(Auto-Split in Position 2)'.
• Each Apex single coil is drawn with three leads: a hot (white on the neck, yellow on the mid), a black and a green. The black and green both end on the solder spot at the top of the volume casing. The board draws only the hot and black leads, because the stand-in single coil has no third lead.
• The humbucker's green and bare also end on the top volume solder spot; its red goes to the upper row's top lug.
• A white wire runs from the lower row's top lug to the volume's input lug. The volume's bottom lug is linked to the casing. The jack sleeve, the wire labelled 'From Bridge Ground' and a black wire to the Neck Tone casing share the lower volume solder spot; the Neck Tone and Mid Tone casings are joined by a black wire.
• The lower row's third lug feeds the Mid Tone's outer lug nearest the Neck Tone; its bottom lug feeds the Neck Tone's middle lug. The two wires cross with no joint drawn.
• The switch lugs are not numbered on the sheet; they are mapped by what they do. The second row is read from its common, the lug diagonally opposite the first row's common.
• The pots are drawn tilted; their lugs are named as if viewed from the back with the lugs down.
• Use a small amount of solder, heat both surfaces, and hold the joint still as it cools. Lead-free solder may have a matte finish.

Ticks are kept in this browser only, as a reminder. They are not a check of your joints. New to soldering? Read the soldering cheat sheet.

Check before plugging in

• Positions 1 and 2: the humbucker's black and white read the same as the signal (volume input), and the reading drops to one humbucker coil.
• Positions 3 to 5: the bridge humbucker is out of circuit.
• Positions 4 and 5: turning the Neck Tone down should roll off treble; positions 2 to 4: the Mid Tone should do the same.

Measure across the output jack with a multimeter on its resistance range. No exact readings are given where the source does not specify the pickups.