I picked up a wiring harness for a Strat awhile ago and tonight I was looking at it and I noticed this metal wire that goes across two lugs. What is it for? And if I remove this switch because it's a 5-way and I like to use 3-way switches, will I have to resolder in this metal wire? I've enclosed a photo.
What is the purpose of this metal wire?
- Thread starter 357mag
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playas
Well-known member
It's a jumper wire.
The pic is too close up to tell much more, but it is to ensure that whatever is connected to the upper of those two lugs, is also connected to the lower of the two.
Typically on a 5-way blade switch eg in a strat, you often have each pickup connected in two positions: on its own, and with another pickup. i.e. neck alone & neck and middle etc.
The switch itself will have a wiper blade on each side connecting the hot wire to each pickup. If you look carefully as you move the switch you can see the physical connections it is making.
The pic is too close up to tell much more, but it is to ensure that whatever is connected to the upper of those two lugs, is also connected to the lower of the two.
Typically on a 5-way blade switch eg in a strat, you often have each pickup connected in two positions: on its own, and with another pickup. i.e. neck alone & neck and middle etc.
The switch itself will have a wiper blade on each side connecting the hot wire to each pickup. If you look carefully as you move the switch you can see the physical connections it is making.
eclecticsynergy
Well-known member
He means the lug next door, the one the jumper's connected to.
Lower number if you're counting the terminals, not a different edge of the switch.
playas
Well-known member
When I mention the upper and lower lugs, I´m referring to what´s in your photo; the two lugs that are almost in focus and have the jumper connected to them at the centre of your picture.
the "upper" one that has what I´d guess is the white pickup cable and the jumper, and the "lower" one which appears to just have the jumper connected.
(No, it doesn´t appear to be conventional stat wiring.)
Again if you move the switch from position to position and look at what´s happening inside, you´ll almost certainly see the physical connections that are being made.
Bear in mind from the text and the photo, there is not a lot of info to go on but replacing a 5-way with a 3-way should be straightforward.
PFDarkside
of the Forum
The guitar is a Blackmore Strat. When the selector switch is in the middle, both neck and bridge pickups are on. I do not ever play with both pickups on. Plus with my guitar being wired this way I have to solder the neck hot wire to a lug that is facing away from me making the connection a little more difficult to make. I was thinking of just rewiring the guitar to have normal Strat wiring. If memory serves me correctly, I don't ever recall seeing this metal jumper wire before on any of my standard wired Strats.
G
Guest
Guest
Here's the wiring schematic for Richie's two pickup setup. It's a three way switch. With just front and rear pickups, no middle in use. It's probably still going to be bridge and neck pickup in the middle position. It makes sense since he used to play an ES-335. It's what he used to record Machine Head. 
https://www.premierguitar.com/diy/mo...atocaster-mods
https://www.premierguitar.com/diy/mo...atocaster-mods
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Well, his initial Japanese Strat didn't have a middle pickup, and had a 2 way switch. His later 70s 3bolt version had a dummy pickup- just a bobbin with a cover. He never used either guitar! But they are both still cool. I think his later signature strat had a 3 way switch in it.