3 way switch wiring for a stratocaster... (please don't hurt me...)

[StevieD_FenderP2009]

Hi guys

I got myself a 3 way switch for my Squier Stratocaster to replace the 5 way one as I've building this to be a replica of (Iron Maiden) Dave Murray's original Stratocaster he got off Paul Kossof.

Anyway, after looking on the net, I can only find wiring diagrams for 8 pin 3 way switches but my one is a 7 pin one as pictured here:


The pick up config in my Strat is HSH and the controls are 1 volume and 2 tone (pretty much a typical strat set up really). Can any one out there help me out with how to wire it up please? As a side note, neither of the humbuckers are made for split coiling so they're just like a single coil pick up in the fact they have one hot wire and one earth wire.

If possible, I'd like it to be:
Pos 1: Neck pick up only
Pos 2: Middle pick up only
Pos 3: Bridge pick up only

This is the way Dave has his strat set up.

Cheers guys

Stevie

[BigRedX]

The easiest way to find out what connection does what is to get out your multimeter or circuit tester and check each pair of connections in each switch position.

BTW you do know that a three way Strat switch should be exactly the the same as a five way one except you have to balance the selector in the "in between" positions which is what all the players of pre-5-way switch Strats did?

[iiipopes]

Most famously Eric Clapton, and therefore the reason we all have 5-way switches.

[BOD2]

On an 8-way switch the two centre connectors (4th and 5th from either side) are "common" which means they're just wired together. On your 7-way switch it looks very likely that they've just changed that into one single connector (4th from either side). The fact that this connector is separated from the others with more space around it than the others would also suggest this to be the case.

That would mean the wiring for your switch would be virtually identical to an 8-way switch except that any connections to the 4th and 5th on the 8-way would just go to the 4th on your 7-way.

[Wil]

Not fond of positions 2 & 4 on my Strat. It's a bit of an 80s sound, innit?

[Dave Vader]

[quote name='Wil' timestamp='1351069056' post='1846803']
Not fond of positions 2 & 4 on my Strat. It's a bit of an 80s sound, innit?
[/quote]

Not when you stick it through a fuzz face and crank it.

[Dave Vader]

P.S. Bod is right, I have used switches like this myself. That's how they work.

[iiipopes]

[quote name='Wil' timestamp='1351069056' post='1846803']
Not fond of positions 2 & 4 on my Strat. It's a bit of an 80s sound, innit?
[/quote]
Well, it can be. But as I posted above, the first major exponent of the "in between" settings was Eric Clapton.
[url="http://www.guitartoneoverload.com/2011/01/16/the-tone-of-eric-clapton-part-2-the-fender-years/"]http://www.guitartoneoverload.com/2011/01/16/the-tone-of-eric-clapton-part-2-the-fender-years/[/url]

[StevieD_FenderP2009]

Thanks for all the help there guys!

BigRedX - I unfortunately don't have a circuit tester so I can't do that

BOD2 - Thanks so much, that really does explain a lot. Now to get on and try to get this bad boy working! If it turns out to not work out as a Dave Murray strat, i'll throw it at a wall and make it a Janick Gers tribute to go along with my incoming g*itar

Wil - it most certainly is an 80's thing! I hate the 2nd and 4th pick up positions.

Dave Vader - Cheers for clarifying that one mate

[BigRedX]

[quote name='StevieD_FenderP2009' timestamp='1351109723' post='1847566']
BigRedX - I unfortunately don't have a circuit tester so I can't do that
[/quote]

We you should probably go and buy or borrow one then. Trying to do your own guitar wiring without one is IMO a bit of a waste of time.

[StevieD_FenderP2009]

[quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1351111711' post='1847600']
We you should probably go and buy or borrow one then. Trying to do your own guitar wiring without one is IMO a bit of a waste of time.
[/quote]

I've always followed wiring diagrams and had the desired end result so I've never bothered looking in to one to be honest

[Wil]

I was gonna say, I've wired up tons of guitars without a circuit tester or a multimeter... just follow the diagram and if it buzzes horribly afterwards, throw the soldering iron in the sink and hide under the kitchen table.

[StevieD_FenderP2009]

[quote name='Wil' timestamp='1351115570' post='1847654']
I was gonna say, I've wired up tons of guitars without a circuit tester or a multimeter... just follow the diagram and if it buzzes horribly afterwards, throw the soldering iron in the sink and hide under the kitchen table.
[/quote]

Done this on many occasions! Even built a bass on the train to a gig once. I had a long journey and needed something to do. Build the bass, wired it up, filed the bridge slots (badass II bridge), intonated it, set it up and everything. Ended up playing it that night and it sounded gooooood