HSS Guitar w/Dual Volumes, Master Tone and Coil Split 

End Sept. 2023 in Saskatchewan. Winter cometh and it's always a hard season. I wired a Crate Electra according to this tutorial in Spring. It dint work on various switch positions. I "went in" today and found two failed solder points. I'm not practiced at soldering. I repaired these and after a once over, boys this Electra works just like Don said it would. Breja Toneworks is the ONLY site I'll use for trick wiring projects because of the way Don combines pictures with speech. Thank you Breja!

Finally found it, like an oasis in the desert. Thnx 4 making this vid!!! Keep it simple.....

I was about to break my head trying to achieve the proper wiring for 5 way 2 volumes and 1 tone on a 90s charvel with 3 pots. You just saved my time, my mental health and my project, thank you.

Hi Don - I originally followed this mod. It's great but..... This is from my perspective - I find that having the neck/mid volume beneath the bridge volume pot somewhat un-natural for me as a player. So some time later I followed your video again but swopped the position of volume pots to having the neck/ mid volume on top and bridge underneath. Now these correspond better with the 5 way switch and lend themselves to a better ergonometric layout. I also put a treble bleed on the neck/ mid volume and that has really made my Strat great !!!.

WOW!! This actually worked on the first try. Except I put the bridge vol in the middle and no coil split. This is exactly what I wanted for my '97 USA Strat. Many many thanks!

This mod, wow, I spent the better part of my weekend removing the electronics of my Squire classic Vibe 50's and installing new pots and adding a Duncan JBJR in the bridge, using this wiring diagram. Have to say, it's bloody amazing. Thank you SO much!

This is a brilliant setup. I just ordered the parts and this could be a game changer.

@Breja ToneWorks .. Thank you so much for this wonderful information you provide here on RU-vid. I have found your videos so helpful and easy to understand. So once again thank you sir for this wonderful service you provide to us guitar tweakers!

This is exactly what I've been wanting to do with my 1983 Kramer Pacer Deluxe for some time now. But thought it a bit daunting. Not anymore. Thanks, Don. You easily have the best guitar wiring tutorials on all of RU-vid(the whole web, really). Clear, concise, and easy-to-understand.

Nice, the only one among a lots videos i understand. U explain calm and easy. Sweden

Great vid. Love the clear wiring diagrams

This diagram is amazing. I love this setup now!

Thank you so much for all your very helpful videos !

For the respect of the "5-way switch spirit" your HSS wiring is really nice. Plus, two volumes will seem familiar to "humbucker guys" who can play neck&bridge :). but consider this : 1 / 1st pot = volume for neck&middle 2 / 2nd pot = volume for Bridge + 3-way switch on-on-on (series/split/parallel) gorgeous for you favorite pickup ! (note : humbucker-parallel sounds so nice when overdirven and almost like single-serial without the hum ;) 3 / 3rd pot = Tone push/pull capacitor switch. (feel free to test 33nF and 15nF as well as 22nF and 47nF :) dual-tone-pots is useless on a 5-way < set and rest forever / plus single tone-pot is easier between songs) 4 / 500/250 Kohm is a choice for your pickup model in a specific play-style. I assume a superstrat is for heavier styles that push the gain, hammer and shred. So 500K for high gain superstrat guys ( dual-cap-tone and dual-volume will help in most situations) I recommend using the same resitance for all pots and choose a pair of high-outpout single-coils. If not, you might change the gain of your amp each time you toggle neck and bridge for the noise or the volume ...until you simply install additional resistors to your single coils. HSS dilemma is not a new)... So thanks a lot for your contribution Breja.

Thanks a lot, my guitar is now working the way I wanted!!!

Clever wiring, just did it and works great! Just changed the places of volume pots so the upper one now controls the singles and the middle one controls the humbucker - much better IMO. Thanks, great video!

I ended up with a separate bridge push pull coil split volume and a master volume and tone. I reverse wired the volumes like in a jazz bass. I wired the switch like a plain 3 pickup Strat. Works great.

brilliant my man, Thx, Doc

Thank you for posting this video. Using a 500k pot with a Pearly Gates at the bridge (HSS partscaster) brought the p/u alive. Before that, it was dull sounding. I am detecting less hum/buzz from the single coils... just my perception or real? - IDK. Possibly a slight change in the single coils' sound? - maybe, but hard to tell. Overall - very happy.

Love the videos!! Thanks!

Thanks . You really saved me some time .

This video is great Don! I was hoping you could give a helping hand for a slightly different configuration: I am trying to wire a HSS with: 1) 2-in-1 Volume (one being 250k and one being 500k, stacked on top of each other, NOT a push/pull) 2) 2 Tone (both separate, but one is 500k and one is 250k, for HB and SC respectively) 3) humbucker auto-splits at position 2 to work with the middle (RWRP in my case) * I am trying to avoid push/pull pots * using a 5 way switch, like the typical fender one.

Awesome video! It helps so much! I was just wondering if there was an option to add a switch to turn on the neck pickup all the time so I could have an option to use the bridge pickup and neck pickup at the same time. Thanks!

Thanks for this, just wired this up and used the additional terminals on the push pull pot to do a Gilmour mod.

Thanks for a well done, helpful video. I used this to mod my Strat Bullet by swapping out the bridge single coil with a GFS hot rail humbucker. It all seems to work OK. However I was wondering why your diagram is showing the humbucker hot wire going to volume pot rather than the 5-way switch (like the other pickups do)? Thanks.

Your videos are simply awesome! So step-by-step, so visual and so logical. I wonder how this would work with 300KΩ pots? I may try that as well. Anyway, your videos are great!

Thank you sir for all of this great info is it possible to have the coil splitter with the "pot Sensing" setup? if so how?

I would love if you could make a video of the wiring of a 2013 Modern Player HSS strat. What's special is that it has a push/pull pot for bridge humbucker coil split, 1 master volume, combined tone control for neck and middle, and tone for bridge humbucker. I just bought one that have been rewired as a standard HSS with no coil split. But I want to try and bring it back how it's supposed to be.

Hi, thanks son much for all the wiring diagrams you are doing!! do you think you will be doing a HSS 5 way switch with 1 push pull alpha pot volume, 1 tone and a jack soon?

Great instruction . I have a question . If I wanted to do a super Strat with two humbuckers and one single coil and wanted to use two tones and a master volume how would I do that ?

Hi there 👋thank you so much for your work, it's so easy to follow along! Everything seems to work fine, but the volume in position 2 is much lower than other positions. Is it expected? Can it be a soldering issue or is it rather pickup related? Second "problem", the hum with single coils really disappear only when touching the strings or any metallic part (bridge, jack socket, knobs). Do I have a ground issue, or is it just normal with single coils, I don't have much experience with this kind of pickups. Thank you to any good soul who'll see this and help! 😀

Thanks this it great. I imagine I wouldn't really have any problems trying to get a TBX tone pot and make the push pull out of phase but if you would be so kind to show us your way of doing that that would be awesome!

Thank you for another awesome video, would you be able to do a mini hum single single?

hi, i need a wiring diagram for a strat , 2 volumes, 1 tone, but with and ''inline/export'' 8 lug 5 way switch...so i can control bridge, and mid/neck volumes , but have 1 tone for all...could you point me to a solution, thanks. rob ,

Question at around 1:20 mark when talking about the Push Pull labeling, is that layout looking from the knob end of the pot or from the bottom square end as if looking from the bottom of the pickguard?

Do you have a video showing a strat with HSH, dual tone and dual volume, 5 way switch, and series parallel switch?

I dunno if you can answer this, I have been looking for a wiring diagram for hss. Position 1- bridge humbucker, 2- bridge split with middle, 3- bridge split with neck (maybe different lug from position 2), 4- middle and neck, 5- neck. I couldn't find any diagram, since I don't use middle pickup alone, I guess I prefer like this.

The Jackson SSH scheme is what im looking for. It only has 1 volume 1 tone. Idk how to wire it.

Do you have an instruction on HHH coil split? WITH a five way switch strat style guitar.

Cool but if i wanted to add a seven way switch to this setup how would i do it? Could you please help?

Can you implement an auto coil split feature to this diagram? Like using a super switch to split the humbucker in 2nd position?

Hi Dan, i have a HSS . 1 vol and 1 tone. What kind of pots should i use and what kind of capacitor? Thanks!

What kind of potentiometers should be used and what kind of capacitors?

I have an interesting mod I'm looking to do. I want to convert the schecter hell raiser hybrid from active to passive. It's an H-H setup with 2 volume pots, 1 tone pot, and a 3 way switch. I want to make both volume pots push/pull for coil splitting. Can you help?

do you have a tutorial for Telecaster single coil and humbucker?

In wonder witch push/pull pot you recommande ? Thanks Phil.

But this wiring does apply for the STANDARD MEXICAN STRATOCASTER HSS right

Hi, this might be a dumb question, can this wiring pattern be used without spitting the coils of the humbucker by using a 500k pot for the humbucker and taping off the finish wires. And a 250k pot for the single coils volume and a 500k pot for the master tone with a .022 cap?

If anyone who is clueless with electronics like me is wondering, this schematic does work if you don't want to use a pushpull coil split. You just tape off the red and white wires from the humbucker and don't use them, then everything else is the same.

Might be a dumb question, but does it matter if the middle pickup is Rw/Rp? I'm doing this to a mim Fender Strat, and I'm pretty sure the middle pickup is Rw/Rp because the black leads come out opposite of each other if compared to the neck pickup, as do the colored wires... Thanks in advance Breja!

amazing. have you a version HSS 1 volume 1 tone and coil split ? ( for Ibanez pickguard)

Hi, I have 72 thinline telecaster and I changed the pickups with gretsch dearmound pickups. I use 4 way switch(like mex baja telecaster) and I want to controll volume and tone controls seperately. So I bought concentric pots but I can not do a scheme for this. I want 2 vol 2 tone and 4 way switch. Could you help me please? Thanks.

Hi, I have a strat I built with HSS pickup configuration. I wound the neck pickup with a coil tap so I can have two tone options in the neck pickup. The middle pickup is normal and the bridge has the humbucker wired with 4 wires and the ground shielded wire. For simplicity I used the SD color code which I am familiar with. I am not interested in splitting the humbucker. I want to use 1 volume and 2 tone controls with a 5 way pickup selector switch. I have a push pull pot which I know I will need for the coil tapped neck pickup. I have wired a few strats from wiring diagrams I found online but I cannot find anything for what I want to do. What location does the push pull pot go, the volume or tone ? Do you have any suggestions on how I can make this work or where I can get a wiring diagram. Thanks.

just one question, i saw another video of yours about a 5way switch, and im just wondering why did you connect the pickups hot wires into the B side, and tones on A side, when in the other video it was opposite, the pickups went to A 123, and tones went to B 543

Hello there! Thank you for great tutorials. Im gonna install a humbucker and two singlecoils to my strat. Can I use a 500k algorithmic pot for volyme and the other two tones 250k? I aint gonna use the split-coil feature

Thanks!

Great Don but I have a question: you didn't mention the resistance of the volume pots. May I consider the humbucker volume pot being a 500k and the other one a 250k pot? If that's the idea, would they read 500 for humbucker and 250 for both single's? I have here a dual pot by fender and I'd like to use your idea from this diagram. Thanks

This is great, but what are the changes if we choose to not implement the coil split pot in lieu of a regular pot? 500k or 250K? thanks

Is it possible to set the Tone as the push pull knob? If yes than how do I wire this?

hello thanks for video, hope you help how is the wiring diagram for 3humbucker 2vol 1pushpull tone & 5way import swich?? thanks b 4

Hey, just wanted to ask what capacitor is used on the master tone? . Thank you for answering.

Will the same diagram apply for a stacked humbucker/hot rail type humbucker?

Good video. The potentiometers, volume 1, volume 2 and master tone, which potentiometers should use? 250k, 500k?

Very clear instructions! Thank you. Do you have a way to make the humbucker "see" 500k while having the single coils "see" 250k?

Hi there, epic videos!!!! I wondered if you had a wiring diagram for an HSS guitar auto coil split on the Humbucker, with 2 volumes (1 for Bridge 1 for neck and middle), and NO tone... Many Thanks

hi do you have a diagram for HSS 1v 2t .. push pull on the bridge tone

Really interesting. What kind of pots do you suggest for this mod? 250k or 500k? And what about the value of the capacitor? Thank you

I’m looking for a diagram for standard hss wiring but with coil split on a toggle switch if anyone can help?

I'm having an issue with this where I followed everything direction wise and I'm only getting signal in the 2nd and 4th postions, which are humbucker and middle together, and middle and neck also together

can u do a simple hss standard setup, 1 vol, 2tone

Hi Dan! Nice job like always! I have one ask... or maybe a challenge. I have a Fender HSS Shawbucker Strat 2015 electronics on my Peavey Predator 94. It have Fender Custom shop fat 50's single coils and a Humbucker designed by Tim Saw. I just did a duncan treble bleed mod (tricky by the way because it uses a Fender Concentric 250K/500K Solid Shaft Potentiometer) and now... I'ld like to do a split coil tap mod but using a push-pull tone pot for preserve the original look on it. Can you make a video with that information DIY? Another consideration is that the 5 way switch is a Fender 5-Position Stratocaster/Telecaster 'Super Switch'. Thanks for all!

Looking for dual volume dual tone push pull coil split, don't suppose you've done one?

Would it work the same for a coil tapping p90?

So i'm kind of new to modding, but is it posible to do this mod but also put in a gilmour switch?

Hi! Thanks for the mod, but I'm having some an issue with the middle pickup, its not audibly in the 2/3/4 positions. the neck and bridge as well as coil tap are fine. It's a RWRP SSl-1 in the middle. did i just cross my wire wrong? I assumed since it's reverse wound, the white wire ( on the different side of the hot wire on the SSL-1 in the neck) is the hot (same color, different location of the neck pup). Am I mistaken about this and should wire it with the black wire being hot? I checked continuity and solders and they're all good. Thanks in advance!

It may be a dumb question but can i split any kind of humbucker?

THANK YOU FOR THE VIDEO, Breja! Can you tell me: for the humbucker volume pot, should that be 250k or 500k?

I have a Fender Contemporary Deluxe Strat (2nd Type, MIJ) with an HSS configuration. It has 1 volume, 1 tone, a toggle coil switch, and a 5-way switch-all on the pick guard. What does the wiring diagram look like when it's a toggle micro switch instead of a push-pull? Thanks!

Wonder if all are 500k pots with hss, could you add two 470 resisters from the middle and neck switch lugs and maybe ground em to the master tone? Idk 🤷🏼‍♂️

How can I make position 2 second volume only? 2nd position uses both volumes.

So I tried to do this mod on my Kramer and for some reason the volume for the single coils kicks in full on the first quarter turn and the humbucker volume doesn't kick in until the last quarter turn I have 3 500kA pots however the push pull is a different brand . Any thoughts?

Hi Don I've looked through the other videos on your channel before I ask, but there's nothing there in regards to what I was looking for. I have a HSS strat type guitar, a Yamaha Pacifica that I need to rewire for a parts & pickup swap. It only has 1 volume pot & 1 tone pot. Taking into consideration that there's both a humbucker & single coils in the guitar, what value pots would you use for both the volume & tone? 250k for both? 500k for both? 500k volume & 250k tone? Or 250k volume & 500k tone? Or something else? Many thanks.

This is literally what I want to do with my strat. Thank you. Is there any way to add the 7-way switching to this wiring with another push/pull pot so you can also add neck to position 1 and 2?

hi how to wire this with import type switch

great video, ill be redoing my kinman x2/SD hot rail combo. Just have to decide on values, I think 250k for singles and 500k for the hot rail bridge. I have a phase reverse for middle at the moment which I,ll keep in though (might use second push pull on tone pot)

The diagram indicates connecting to the tip and ring, does this mean you have to use a stereo jack to wire this up??

Can anyone help? the lowest, the middle and the highest positions of my 5 way have no sound.

What if you have a super switch?

What would I need to do to have a pickup combination of humbucker and neck pickup and split humbucker and neck pickup

Will this work with a 4-way switch? Anyone?

Can this work with your 7-way mod?

question: volume 500 humbucker, volumen 250k singles, 250k tone? humbucker not tone potentiometer?

That's a pretty interesting wiring. A very good way of having a balanced HSS set if you use 250k vol pot for singles and tone and 500k vol pot for the humbucker. I was wondering if it's okay to connect the output to the middle lug of the tone pot instead of to the switch. Also, this is wired as the 50's old wiring, isn't it? I mean, with the tone control after volumen. Thank you very much for sharing your work and knowledge. I really appreciate it.

Don, I have a HSS Strat that I want to split the HB. I also want to to have Neck/Bridge config too. How would I do this? Perhaps you could do a video?

So this would be considered an "Independent" volume control, right?

?? Your channel rocks!! 1st off.... My configuration for my new strat build is Hot rail humbucker in the bridge, single coil in the middle and a Telecaster bridge in the bridge. Hopefully that makes sense. Here's the thing, Is it possible to wire my strat in series/Parallel wiring with a push/push Volume pot, a master tone in the middle and a blender in the 2nd tone pot position? The reason for the push/push in the volume position is I wanted to also add a coil split....Too Much? Whatcha think?

While this MOSTLY worked (thank you!) I've discovered that something about the hbucker is wired out of phase. How do I fix this? I have a Dimarzio Crunchlab and wired it as you described (translating your SD colors into Dimarzio colors). Everything works except position 2 (bridge + middle). Should I maybe use a different post on the push/push volume knob or adjust something else? I'm just trying to think of the easiest way to do this without completely undoing all the otherwise good I've done. Any ideas?

HSS w/ 5 way switch, Mastor Vol, Coil Split Master Tone. Please

Brilliant Man!How do we email/get In touch with youMcRoryCheers !Finally another Merlin of Tone.........film at Eleven.....haha

Hey Don! I’m 79 years young, and love tinkering on my guitars! I’m currently working on a super Strat, and was wondering how I could get a wiring diagram from you? Do you have a email address that I could connect with you? Thanks. Ron.