One of the biggest improvements on the Fender American Deluxe Stratocaster is the versatile S-1TMSwitching System. The S-1 Switching System solves a problem that has plagued Strat players. For years Strat players have been looking for additional sounds out of the 3-pickup configuration featured on the Stratocaster. The search began with the very first production of the Fender Stratocaster when players discovered that they could turn on the bridge-and-middle pickup or the middle-and-neck pickup by placing the original 3-way selector switch in-between the pickup selector settings. This gave players not only two new sounds but also two hum-cancelling settings for their Stratocaster.
Click here to search for an American Stratocaster with an S-1 Switching system.
The 5-Way Switch Was The First Big Change To Switching
Fender responded by creating the 5-way blade style pickup selector switch with a permanent 2 and 4 position for using the bridge/middle or middle/neck pickup settings. The search for pickup selection options didn’t end there. Many players wired in additional switches to have access to other pickup combinations such as bridge/neck or bridge/middle/neck pickup settings. These wiring’s can get very complex especially with the addition of noiseless pickups and their additional wire leads. Players had asked Fender for years to create a production model that included these pickup wiring’s but it was always too costly for Fender to produce.
The S-1 Switching System is Introduced
Fender finally responded to Stratocaster player’s wishes with the introduction of the S-1 switching system in 2003. With a simple press of a button the S-1 switch gives you five additional pickup settings with the standard 5-way blade switch. It’s a very simple and elegant switching design on the surface of the guitar with no change made to the Stratocaster’s overall cosmetics.
The wiring itself is very complex although the S1 switch makes wiring the guitar much easier than installing a rotary switch or multiple push-pull switches. With the S-1 switch makes it so the wires from the pickups only have to route to the S-1 switch at the volume knob and to the 5-position blade selector.
The S-1 switching system increases production costs but the additional pickup selections really make it worth the cost. If you would like to take a look at the wiring in the 2010 series American Deluxe Stratocaster you can check out this pdf of the wiring diagram. Fender American Deluxe SSS S-1 Switch N3 Pickups Wiring Diagram (2010).
With the S-1 switch used in tandem with the 5-position blade switch you now have pickups wired in series, parallel, parallel and series simultaneously as well as being able to have all pickups turned on at the same time.
The “Special” Capacitor Explained
As you can see from the wiring diagram Fender has included what they call a “special” capacitor into the American Deluxe Stratocaster’s wiring. Fender’s reason for including this capacitor is to give the guitar a more radical change in sound in some positions on the pickup selector.
What is this “Special Capacitor” you may ask? It’s a very tiny iC 503Z capacitor. It’s approximately a 0.05uf capacitor but it has a design tolerance of +80% / -20%. So that means the “Special” capacitor can be anywhere between 0.09uf to 0.04uf on any guitar. So you could have two Stratocasters both with Special Capacitors on their S-1 switch and they could sound quite different when that S-1 switch is engaged with the Special Capacitor. It does mean your own guitar will probably make some of it’s very own unique sounds.
So what pickup combinations are available on guitars equipped with the S-1 switch?
On the 2004-2009 series Fender Deluxe Stratocaster the pickup switching works as follows:
5-Position Blade and 2-Position Push/Push S-1TM:
S-1 Switch Up (off):
Position 1. Bridge Pickup
Position 2. Bridge and Middle Pickup in Parallel
Position 3. Middle Pickup
Position 4. Middle and Neck Pickup in Parallel
Position 5. Neck Pickup
S-1 Switch Down:
Position 1. Bridge Pickup in Series with Middle Pickup
Position 2. Bridge Pickup in Parallel with Special Capacitor and in Series with Middle Pickup
Position 3. Bridge/Middle/Neck Pickups with Neck and Bridge Pickups in Parallel and in Series with Middle pickup
Position 4. Neck Pickup in Parallel with Special Capacitor and in Series with Middle Pickup
Position 5. Neck Pickup in Series with Middle Pickup
On the 2010 series Fender American Deluxe Stratocaster the pickup combinations with the S-1 switch are as follows:
5-Position Blade and 2-Position Push/Push S-1TM:
S-1 Switch Up (Off):
Position 1. Bridge Pickup
Position 2. Bridge and Middle Pickup in Parallel
Position 3. Middle Pickup
Position 4. Middle and Neck Pickup in Parallel
Position 5. Neck Pickup
S-1 Switch Down (On):
Position 1. Bridge, Middle and Neck Pickups in Series
Position 2. Bridge and Middle Pickup in Series
Position 3. Middle and Neck Pickup in Series
Position 4. Bridge and Neck Pickup Out-Of-Phase, and in Series with Special Tone Capacitor
Position 5. Bridge and Middle Pickup in Series and Out-Of-Phase, and in Parallel with Neck Pickup
Click here to download a PDF of the 2010 Fender American Deluxe S-1 Switching Combinations. This diagram was created by Scott Bessell. Thanks Scott!
There have also been reports of a new S-1 switching layout for the 2013 Fender American Deluxe Stratocaster. To see a picture of the new switching diagram and read about the new options please see the 2013 Fender S-1 Switching Changes post.
Here’s a list of the 2013 5-Position Blade and 2-Position Push/Push S-1TM:
S-1 Switch Up (off):
Position 1. Bridge Pickup
Position 2. Bridge and Middle Pickup in Parallel
Position 3. Middle Pickup
Position 4. Middle and Neck Pickup in Parallel
Position 5. Neck Pickup
S-1 Switch Down (On):
Position 1. Bridge pickup in parallel with Neck & Middle pickups in series
Position 2. Neck pickup in parallel with Middle & Bridge pickups in series
Position 3. Middle and Bridge pickups in Series
Position 4. Neck & Middle pickups in series
Position 5. All pickups in series
In 2015 the Fender American Elite Stratocaster replaced the American Deluxe Stratocaster as the top of the line production model. Here’s a list of the 2015 Elite Stratocaster 5-Position Blade and 2-Position Push/Push S-1TM:
S-1 Switch Up (off):
- Position 1: bridge pickup only
- Position 2: bridge and middle pickups wired in parallel
- Position 3: middle pickup only
- Position 4: middle and neck pickups wired in parallel
- Position 5: neck pickup only
S-1 Switch Down (On):
- Position 1: all three pickups wired in series
- Position 2: bridge and middle pickups wired in series
- Position 3: middle and neck pickups wired in series
- Position 4: bridge and neck pickups wired out of phase, with a special tone capacitor
- Position 5: bridge and middle pickups wired in series and out of phase, in parallel with neck pickup
Starting in 2019 the Fender American Ultra Stratocaster replaced the American Elite Stratocaster as the top of the line production model. Here’s a list of the 2019 series American Ultra Stratocaster 5-Position Blade and 2-Position Push/Push S-1TM:
S-1 Switch Up:
Position 1. Bridge Pickup
Position 2. Bridge and Middle Pickup in Parallel
Position 3. Middle Pickup
Position 4. Middle and Neck Pickup in Parallel
Position 5. Neck Pickup
S-1 Switch Down:
Position 1. Bridge Pickup and Neck Pickup in Parallel
Position 2. Bridge Pickup, Middle Pickup and Neck Pickup in Parallel
Position 3. Middle and Neck Pickup in Parallel
Position 4. Middle and Neck Pickup in Parallel
Position 5. Neck Pickup
Finally, if you want to determine which S-1 options you have on your guitar you can perform this simple test. Plug your guitar into your amp and depress the S-1 switch. With the blade selector in position 1 take a small flat blade screwdriver and lightly tough a magnet on each one of the pickups. A loud pop from your amp means that the pickup is currently turned on. Do this with the blade selector in each position. This will let you know which pickup is turned on in each position. Then you can match your pickup selection with one of the diagrams listed above.
19 responses to “The Fender American Deluxe Stratocaster S-1 Switching System”
you wouldn’t happen to have the wiring schematic for 5-Position Blade and 2-Position Push/Push S-1? I bought a strat and someone has boogered with the wiring on the switch and the tone controls don’t function in any configuration…. would love to have it : )
Do you know if the S-1 pickup combinations changed after 2010? I bought a 2013 American Deluxe Strat, and the controls information sheet shows some different combinations. For instance, position 4 with S-1 is not the bridge and neck, it says it’s the middle and neck in series.
That’s interesting Eric, that’s the configuration found on the 2004-2009 series. You may have gotten an old configuration sheet in your guitar. You can always take a flat blade screwdriver and lightly touch each pickup to hear which ones are actually on in each position. You will hear the screwdriver tap the magnets through your amp when the pickup is on. Try that and let us know if that’s really the pickups that are switched on your guitar.
Very interesting – Does anyone know why the neck pick up would suddenly start to sound much louder and muffled compared to neck & middle in this setup (or it could be neck & middle sound quiet and tinny compared to neck)?
On my fender start S-1 switching system I have a problem when I plug in the guitar and before I press the S-1 system. When I select position one and two it’s ok. When I select the middle pickup the volume drops. There is a hum and it’s a very treble-like sound. When I select 4 and 5 it’s ok. When I switch on the S-1 switching system the volume drops on all pickups and I hear the humming trebly sound again. Does anyone know what the problem is? Or has anyone had the same probnlem? IF you solved it, how did you do it? Thanks.
Hello, stratosphere sells just the wiring and the pots for the S1 system. Would this work in a 2000 American Deluxe Stratocaster?
Does anyone know if ANY 2006 60th Anniversary Strat Deluxes came WITHOUT the S1 Switch?
I’m looking at one to buy and the Seller says “Pls Note! This guitar DOES NOT have the S1 Switch”!
Did it come that way or did HE CHANGE?
Thank you,
ErnieSC
ErnieSC, the 2006 60th Anniversary Strat Deluxe all had the S1 switch. That one sounds modified or it could just be an American Strat and not a Deluxe. -Matt-
Are you familiar with wiring at all? I currently have a loaded pickguard with SCN’s and an S1 switch. I’d like to rewire it for a master tone set up. Here’s the diagram from Fender https://p4.zdassets.com/hc/theme_assets/549136/200076499/010-1400_02A_SISD.pdf
I think, the only change I need to do is to remove the two white wires that connect the two tone pots to the super switch, and then wire up one of the tone pots to the volume pot like it normally would be, but I’m not certain.
Hello, you are wrong about the years of introduction of the S-1 switch. I own one and the Serial number is starting by Z3. It’s a USA build Fender Stratocaster HSS maybe FSR color butterscotch with the S-1 switch. Z3 means 2003 and you wrote that Fender introduced this switch in 2004…
Jeff I have a Deluxe pickguard with S1 switch, previous owner says it is a 2003. Did you ever get any info on this?
Jeff and Victor you’re right the S1 was introduced in 2003. I edited the post to reflect that. Thanks for the correction!
This is a good description for the SSS Deluxe; what about the HSS? It’s very different from the SSS when S-1 is on.
Hi!
I’m searching for a reference for how the Tone controls function wth the S1 switch engaged on a 2010 to 2012 American Deluxe Strat. When I bought it, I was told it was a 2014, but the pickup configuration is the same as the 2010.
With S1 Up, T1 controls the Neck PU while T2 controls both the Middle and Bridge PU’s. However, with S1 Down (engaged), T2 does not seem to control the Middle PU when it’s in series with the Neck PU.
There’s a diagram that includes the Tone controls for the 2013 American Deluxe at the link given above. Is there a similar diagram for the 2010 American Deluxe? To confirm what I’m hearing, or rather not hearing?
It s odd that Fender would change the S-1 switching configurations from year to year. I can t seem to find any clear information online describing the S-1 switching settings for each year. Also, it seems like it s possible to buy a new American Deluxe Strat from a store where the guitar has been sitting around for a few years, so it could be hard to tell what type of S-1 switching it has. I d be a bit nervous ordering one online now without knowing what I m going to get.
What exactly is the “special capacitor”? Type? Value?
Jack Hoagland, the “Special Capacitor” is a very tiny iC 503Z capacitor. It’s approximately a 0.05uf capacitor but it has a design tolerance of +80% / -20%. So that means the “Special” capacitor can be anywhere between 0.09uf to 0.04uf on any guitar. Post updated to reflect this.
[…] Manual. This manual has the Ultra Stratocaster wiring diagram that shows you just how the pickups, S-1 switching system and treble bleed circuit are wired […]
High, I’m looking for the wiring of the 2013 Deluxe. I’ve found a lot, but not a 2013. Can anyone help me ? Thanks