new American Elite Stratocaster - anyone figured out what this S1 switch does?

[leevc5]

I can't seem to find out what it specifically does. Fender describes it as:

"The S-1 switch activates alternate wiring options for even more tonal variations. Discreetly placed atop the volume control, it engages or disengages at the tap of a finger for on-the-fly adjustments"

The passing lane switch also looks interesting but I am curious about how effective it really is. It seems that just bypassing the tone switch is not going to give you very much of a boost but I may be wrong.

Interesting new guitar though.

 

[pushedcrayon1]

Re: new American Elite Stratocaster - anyone figured out what this S1 switch does?

I have a Fender deluxe with the s1 switch and the bypass. The bypass to me is awesome, it's not a lot of a boost, but it's a totally different tone. Running the bridge pickup straight out gives you a really raw and powerful sound. The s1 schematic is also online somewhere, just a ton of different tonal options.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G925A using Tapatalk

 

[treyhaislip]

Re: new American Elite Stratocaster - anyone figured out what this S1 switch does?

This is the image that came with my dad's Fender Deluxe–I really didn't care for the Fender noiseless pickups so the S-1 Switch just added different bad tones to my ears. lol

View attachment 72563

 

[Mincer]

Re: new American Elite Stratocaster - anyone figured out what this S1 switch does?

Series is sort of an acquired taste, really. I have an 1982 'The Strat' that has several series options stock, and it is thicker and woolier, like running through a field with really wet boots on.

 

[ehdwuld]

Re: new American Elite Stratocaster - anyone figured out what this S1 switch does?

I have my RG2EX1 wired with a "in series" option
It has a JB / Jazz set
With the bridge split and in series with the Jazz
It gets some convincing Tele tones

Thick woody ya know Tele

 

[Funkfingers]

Re: new American Elite Stratocaster - anyone figured out what this S1 switch does?

Tried one this afternoon. Excellent playability but I wasn't blown away by any of the sounds. I would have sequenced the Switch Down sounds differently, too.

By way of comparison, the shop allowed me to try an AVRI '54 Stratocaster, through the same amp, on the same settings. Even with slightly tired strings, the AVRI had a zing to it that the 2016 Elite lacks.

 

[stevie_bees]

Re: new American Elite Stratocaster - anyone figured out what this S1 switch does?

From personal experience I've tended to find that Fender's 'modern' Strats (Plus/Plus Deluxe/Elites etc) to be more 'Strat lite'. The right ingredients are there, but there's something missing. Usually more noticeable clean rather than under driven tones. Maybe it's because they're set up to perform better with drive rather than clean...