# Apex HSS: two single coils and a humbucker, five-way auto-split, one volume and two tones Canonical page: https://guitarwiring.app/wiring-diagrams/tonerider/apex-hss-five-way-autosplit-volume-two-tones Two single coils + bridge humbucker · Five-way blade (series link on the switch) · One volume · Neck and mid tones Tonerider Apex HSS sheet: Apex neck and mid single coils and a four-conductor bridge humbucker on a five-way blade whose second row carries the humbucker's series link, a 250k volume, and 250k neck and mid tones sharing one capacitor. The capacitor value is illegible on this sheet and is taken as .022µf from Tonerider's sister sheets, and the tone network is rearranged to the working form those sheets draw. Drawing: https://guitarwiring.app/wiring-diagrams/tonerider/apex-hss-five-way-autosplit-volume-two-tones.svg (back of controls) ## Parts and values - Neck pickup: Tonerider Apex neck single coil; generic (Single-coil pickup (two-conductor)) - Mid pickup: Tonerider Apex mid single coil; generic (Single-coil pickup (two-conductor)) - Bridge humbucker: Bridge humbucker (4-conductor AC / H series); generic (Humbucker (four-conductor, DiMarzio colours)) - 5-way switch: 5-way blade; compatible example (Oak Grigsby 5-Way) - Volume 250k: Volume 250k; 250k; compatible example (CTS 250k Audio Pot) - Neck Tone 250k: Neck Tone 250k; 250k; compatible example (CTS 250k Audio Pot) - Mid Tone 250k: Mid Tone 250k; 250k; compatible example (CTS 250k Audio Pot) - Tone capacitor (.022µF): Orange capacitor (label illegible); 22nF; compatible example (Orange Drop .022µF) - Output jack: Output jack; compatible example (Switchcraft \#11) - From Bridge Ground: From Bridge Ground; generic (Bridge ground wire) ## 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 1. Humbucker green → Volume casing (top solder spot) (case, green) 2. Humbucker bare → Volume casing (top solder spot) (case, bare): Drawn grey beside the green. 3. Neck black → Volume casing (top solder spot) (case, black): The neck green ends on the same spot; not drawn on the board. 4. Mid black → Volume casing (top solder spot) (case, black): The mid green ends on the same spot; not drawn on the board. 5. Volume bottom lug → Volume casing (case): Short black link. 6. Volume casing (lower solder spot) → Jack sleeve (wire, black) 7. From Bridge Ground → Volume casing (lower solder spot) (case, black) 8. Volume casing (lower solder spot) → Neck Tone casing (case, black) 9. Mid Tone middle lug → Tone capacitor (.022µf), Mid Tone leg (wire): Capacitor leg drawn grey. 10. Tone capacitor (.022µf), Mid Tone leg → Neck Tone lower outer lug (wire): MOVED: the sheet draws this grey lead from the capacitor's other leg. Rearranged per WD\_HSS\_1V2TL5AS.pdf / HSS\_Auto-Split\_Mod.pdf. 11. Tone capacitor (.022µf), free leg → Neck Tone casing (case, black): MOVED: the sheet draws this dark link from the Neck Tone's lower outer lug to its casing. Rearranged so the capacitor goes to ground, per the sister sheets. 12. Neck Tone casing → Mid Tone casing (case, black) 13. Humbucker black → Switch lower row, second lug (wire, black): Runs beside the white. 14. Humbucker white → Switch lower row, second lug (wire, white) 15. Humbucker red → Switch upper row, top lug (bridge) (wire, red) 16. Mid yellow → Switch upper row, second lug (middle) (wire, yellow) 17. Neck white → Switch upper row, third lug (neck) (wire, white) 18. Switch upper row common → Switch lower row, top lug (common) (wire, black): Jumper across the blade. 19. Switch lower row, top lug (common) → Volume top lug (input) (wire, white) 20. Switch lower row, third lug → Mid Tone outer lug nearest the Neck Tone (wire, black): Crosses the neck-tone wire with no joint drawn. 21. Switch lower row, bottom lug → Neck Tone middle lug (wire, black): Crosses the mid-tone wire with no joint drawn. 22. Volume middle lug → Jack tip (wire, white) ## What each position does - Bridge humbucker, one coil: Bridge humbucker (split to one coil). Source: As drawn, the series link is tied to the signal in positions 1 and 2, so only one humbucker coil plays here too. The sheet prints no legend; Tonerider's sister sheet with the same switch wiring is titled 'Auto-Split in Position 2'. - Bridge humbucker split + mid: Mid pickup and Bridge humbucker (split to one coil) in parallel. Source: Auto-split: one humbucker coil in parallel with the mid pickup; the Mid Tone is in circuit. - Mid: Mid pickup. Source: Mid Tone in circuit. - Mid + neck: Neck pickup and Mid pickup in parallel. Source: Both tones in circuit. - Neck: Neck pickup. Source: Neck Tone in circuit; it works as a tone only with the rearranged network (see notes). - 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. ## 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. ## Source Tinkercaster's own drawing of the Tonerider diagram 1V\_-\_2T\_-\_5\_-\_AUTO\_S-100, revision 2. Not the manufacturer's artwork and not endorsed by Tonerider. See also [all wiring diagrams]().