Skip to content
Tinkercaster

Tonerider wiring

Stratocaster wiring with a bridge tone

Three single coils · Five-way blade · One volume · Neck/middle and bridge tones

Tonerider's Strat with the bridge tone mod: three single coils on a five-way blade, a 250k master volume, one 250k tone for the neck and middle pickups and one 250k tone for the bridge, sharing one .022 µF capacitor. Every position has a tone control.

Viewed from the back of the controls, as you solder them.

Open interactive diagram ↗
Stratocaster wiring with a bridge toneStratocaster wiring with a bridge tone: Three single coils · Five-way blade · One volume · Neck/middle and bridge tones. Original Tinkercaster drawing with labelled terminals.Neck pickupMiddle pickupBridge pickup250k250k250k22nFwhiteblackyellowblackwhiteblackT1T2T3T4T5T6T7T8lug1lug2lug3lug1lug2lug3lug1lug2lug3abtipsleeveNeck pickupMiddle pickupBridge pickup5-Way BladeMaster Volume 250kNeck + Mid Tone 250kBridge Tone 250k.022 cap · 22nFOutput Jack

Open the interactive diagram to zoom, move components and try the switches.

Parts and values

In the drawingValuePart
Neck pickupSource: Neck Pickup (white and black leads)—Tonerider City Limits NeckExample partSame wiring for Tonerider Pure Vintage Neck
Middle pickupSource: Mid Pickup (yellow and black leads)—Tonerider City Limits MiddleExample partSame wiring for Tonerider Pure Vintage Middle
Bridge pickupSource: Bridge Pickup (white and black leads)—Tonerider City Limits BridgeExample partSame wiring for Tonerider Pure Vintage Bridge
5-Way BladeSource: 5-way blade—Oak Grigsby 5-WayExample part
Master Volume 250k250kCTS 250k Audio PotExample part
Neck + Mid Tone 250k250kCTS 250k Audio PotExample part
Bridge Tone 250k250kCTS 250k Audio PotExample part
.022 capSource: .022µf cap (drawn orange)22nFOrange Drop .022µFExample part
Output JackSource: Output jack—Switchcraft #11Example part

Every pickup is the maker's own. “As specified” means the sheet names that part. “Example part” means the sheet names no model: the pickup shown is one of the maker's with the same leads, and any pot, cap or switch with the same value and lugs will do. “Generic” is a plain part such as a ground wire. “Not on the sheet; stand-in” means the sheet prints no value for that part, so the value shown is the usual one, not the maker's.

Connections

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

#FromToHow
1Neck blackVolume casingTo a pot casingblack
2Middle blackVolume casingTo a pot casingblack
3Bridge blackVolume casingTo a pot casingblack
4Volume ground lugVolume casingTo a pot casingblack
5.022µf capNeck + Mid Tone casingTo a pot casing
6Neck + Mid Tone casingVolume casingTo a pot casingblack
7Bridge Tone casingNeck + Mid Tone casingTo a pot casingblack
8Jack sleeveVolume casingWireblack
9Bridge whiteSwitch front top lugWirewhite
10Middle yellowSwitch front second lugWireyellow
11Neck whiteSwitch front third lugWirewhite
12Switch front commonSwitch rear commonJumper across the blade.Wireblack
13Switch rear commonVolume input lugWireblack
14Switch rear middle lugSwitch rear neck lugShort jumper on the blade.Wireblack
15Switch rear neck lugNeck + Mid Tone middle lugWireblack
16Switch rear bridge lugBridge Tone lugWireblack
17Volume middle lugJack tipWirewhite
18.022µf capNeck + Mid Tone outer lugWire
19Neck + Mid Tone outer lugBridge Tone lugBare jumper so both tones share the capacitor.Wire

What each position does

SettingThe sourceEngine result
Bridge—Bridge pickup.
Bridge + middle—Middle pickup and Bridge pickup in parallel.
Middle—Middle pickup.
Middle + neck—Neck pickup and Middle pickup in parallel.
Neck—Neck pickup.

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

  • Pickup resistance and magnet polarity are not specified, so no numeric meter readings or hum-cancelling claims are given.

Before you solder

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

  • In each blade position, the meter across the jack should read the selected pickup, or two pickups in parallel in positions 2 and 4.
  • With the volume at zero, tip and sleeve should read as a short.
  • In position 1 (bridge), only the bridge tone should change the sound; in position 5 (neck), only the neck + mid tone.

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.