Jul 10, 2009 stratocaster
Posted by
freddy1955
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Some electric guitar players are not aware that the Standard Stratocaster controls have changed over the years.
According to The Fender Stratocaster book (A. R. Duchossoir) the original Stratocaster controls configuration is:
1 master volume potentiometer
2 tone control potentiometers, for the neck and middle pickups
3 single coil pickups
3 position switch to select one of the 3 pickups
Angle mounted jack on body face
While there have been many variations of Stratocasters of the years, here are the basic changes from the original configuration:
1977
A 5 position selector switch became factory standard. This makes it easier to select “out of phase” 2 pickup combinations (neck + middle, and middle + bridge).
1983
Standard Strat loses one tone potentiometer.
Input jack is now flush mounted on the body face
1986 - American Standard Stratocaster
2nd tone pot is back. One control is the concentric ‘TBX’ that allows adjusting the tone on the middle, and the bridge pickups.
Middle pickup is now wired out of phase. This reduces hum, but the “out of phase” 2 pickup combinations are no longer out of phase.
2000
the ‘Delta tone system’ control upgrades the ‘TBX’ control. The Delta Tone system means a high output bridge pickup and no-load tone pot for the middle and bridge pickups.
Personally, I think the biggest change was the reverse wiring of the middle pickup in 1986. You just can’t get those cool out of phase sounds that the vintage Stratocasters can.
July 12th, 2009 at 00:21
[...] the original post: Guitar Time» Blog Archive » Stratocaster Controls – History Connect and [...]
August 9th, 2009 at 18:51
if i buy a brand new strat, or fumble my way into a classic, the one mod i will do ON THEM ALL is swapping the lower (mid) tone knob to global (all pups) move my volume to the middle knob position, and disabling the original volume pot.
August 10th, 2009 at 10:17
Interesting. I think there is a trend towards one-volume control, one-tone control setups.
September 18th, 2009 at 01:44
You forgot the…
1. Grease Bucket Tone control on the 2006 updated Highway One Strat
2. S1 Switching System on American Deluxe Strats. It gives you 5 more pickup tone options when you press on the S1 switch on the Volume Knob.
Although its a signature model. You can buy it now from Fender as a kit.
3. Eric Clapton Mid-range boost preamp kit.
September 18th, 2009 at 05:51
It is true there have been many different controls on Stratocasters over the years. My focus was on the Fender American Standard Stratocasters.
January 21st, 2010 at 10:15
Great Post! I personally really like