I'm building a warmoth strat and had a question regarding the pickup selector. I noticed that on a 5 way switch I rarely ever use the pickup combination 2 and 4. Would it be possible to install a 3 way switch like on humbucker guitars? Or would I only be limiting myself with my pickups? Thanks in advance

If you don't need the positions 2 and 4 then use a threeway switch. It's pretty much the same as installing a 5way, well a little easier even because the connection is abit simpler...

All Strats originally had 3-way switches. Some players found that they could wedge the switch between positions and get an 'out of phase' sound. Leo then started installing 5-way switches and reverse winding the centre Pick-up to cancel the 'hum' in the 2 new switch positions! There's no reason why you can't install whatever switching you want!!

Another bit of guitar minutia that I did not know. Thanks, Jonesy!

You can install 3 way switch, but I recommend that you install 5 way one. It won't hurt

You should use a 5 way switch .... The neck/middle combination produce pretty cool tone.

Thanks for the information and suggestions! Now, I have a very serious decision to make!

I think 5 way is probably the way to go, but keep in mind of course that with the 5 way you can't get the bridge and neck together, like a les paul or tele. Though there are blend knobs and things that can be done I think.

Yep they use to sell them all with 3 way... Leo didn't expect that players would want more choices. But as technology quickly advanced ( and recordings and amps better represented the tones of guitars) the players wanted more tonal options...well Leo went five way. Interesting bit of info... it is the same switch (the 5 and the 3 way) it's just the 5 way has a broad "head" and 2 more stops on the way to allow what others were saying about placing the switch "in between positions" . That is why the twos witches look identical if you place them side by side. By the way my 2009 Strat came with a 3 way switch... and I'm kinda modern so I'm looking at throwing a Push/pull and a 5 way switch in to give me more sounds. I do recommend that you play with it for a bit before youss wap it out... just to make sure you don't want to keep some of those tones... but if not, tear it out You can always put it back in. I will say also that one of the reasons that I love Strat is that I feel like they are great guitars to "hot rod". A les Paul I would be less likely to take apart and rebuild... but that's just me

I'm not sure this is true. Vigier wires exactly this option you describe into position 3 of a 5-way switch. I just happened across it earlier today, oddly enough.

Quoted from that "Excalibur Original" page (and all the others like it):

You're right, I actually phrased that kind of strangely anyway. As far as I know you can't get neck+bridge on a three way switch either, unless you either have no middle pickup, or a specially wired setup like the vigier one. I've also seen some custom shop fender that had a blend knob that mixed the bridge and neck of a strat somehow.

[edit] And here is that video:



Pretty cool wiring. I've always wanted to use that wiring with a seymour duncan p rails in the bridge.

second position can be really good for funk riffs