By Ed Malaker
Posted 04/12/2022
Question
Hi there,
There was a Squier Strat made in China in 1996 (called an NC6***) that has an odd 5-way switch. I have not figured out the wiring diagram and the odd switch with 7 tabs and not 8. I generally use a jumper from the unused tone tab for the bridge pickup and wire it to the neck pickup tone tab, but it cannot be that way on this odd switch…
I want to wire the switch to make the neck pickup tone control also control the bridge pickup. But this old switch is not a Fender type nor an 8-in-line-tabs type. So I do not yet see how to add a small jumper wire to have the neck tone pot also control the bridge pickup. The attached single pic is from inside the house and it is 34 degrees outside today, so I am not willing to try to take photos outdoors in sunlight.
– Doug in VA
Answer
Hello Doug, thank you for the great question. The Squier Affinity and Stagemaster series guitars have a seven-tab five-way switch like the one you mentioned. It’s quite rare, and it isn’t easy to find diagrams for it. I think I have the solution for you, but I can’t diagram it because my program doesn’t have this switch. Here is the standard configuration for this switch:
- Lug 1 – Middle Hot
- Lug 2 – Neck Hot
- Lug 3 – Jumper to Lug 4
- Lug 4 – Output To Volume
- Lug 5 – Neck Tone
- Lug 6 – Middle Tone
- Lug 7 – Bridge Hot
I believe the jumper wire you are looking for will go from lug 7 to 5.
Let me know how it works out for you and if you have any other questions. Thanks for reading Humbucker Soup!