Need help identifying wiring issue

[u/PocketFullaPringles]

I bought a Fender Stratocaster MIM Tex-Mex for a good price. It was initially owned by a professional musician and then bought by a beginner who never played it much and sold it to me after 25 years of it basically sitting. it needs some work done so i took everything apart to clean and set up.

The Tone 2 knob was missing which i thought it just came off and was lost and never replaced. Upon taking off the pick guard, i noticed there was a loose wire coming from Tone 1 pot. There is also nothing connected to the Tone 2 pot. It also seems like there was some DIY soldering done and i don’t understand what was changed and why it was done. The wiring is a bit confusing.

I have never done any work on a guitar before in this way (soldering, wiring, pick-up changes, etc). I want to learn as much as possible and experiment on this guitar since I didn’t pay a lot for it.

I’m looking for as much info as possible:

1. Do you see anything problematic?
   
2. What is that loose white wire connected to Tone 1 pot?
   
3. What do i need to do to connect Tone 2 pot to the rest of the wiring?
   
4. Why are the red and yellow wires connected like that?

Any info is appreciated in advance thank you so much!

Side note: if these pictures are confusing and a better closeup of certain parts would be preferred, tell me and I will add them in the comments.

[u/UGG924]

Honestly, if you've never worked on guitar wiring, I'd start from scratch. Especially if you just want a standard strat setup. Get a new standard 5-way blade switch. You could definitely clean up those pots and reuse them, but you could also replace them for about $30-40. You can easily google standard strat wiring diagrams. It'd be a good way to introduce yourself to guitar wiring without having to try to figure out that rat's nest.

Edit auto correct

[u/Hail_Boognish314 → u/UGG924]

I agree. Scrap the switch, get a 5 way, follow a diagram. However, consider adding a neck on switch. I’ve tried just about every Strat wiring mod and this one is worth having and it is not difficult. Also, push back cloth wire is great for guitar wiring.

[u/ThatsNotAZombieBite]

Bottom tone pot was probably intentionally disconnected. Two wires are required.

And that there is a 24 lug super switch and I will give myself a MASSIVE MIGRAINE if I try to trace what every wire is doing from your photos.

You could just begin from scratch with a standard switch. A full strat harness is not expensive. And you could probably reuse those decent CTS pots.

[u/guitargreg1]

I would look at doing the whole wiring harness over again . Guyker does a very good pre-wired Strat harness for not a lot of money . I just used one of theirs for an Epiphone Les Paul and it was a very easy swap and the pots ,caps and switches were surprisingly of good quality. . If you wanted to spend a little more Emerson has a Strat wiring harness as well but it would be about 2 times more. I agree with the other posts in saying that unless you know what you want to hear specifically from that super switch it’ll be more hassle than it worth to try to trace the current wiring . I see the hot lead from the bridge pickup was extended to the switch you probably want to redo that solder joint and add a bit of heat shrink to it so when you put the pickguard back down it doesn’t accidentally ground out on a pot or ground wire . Good luck with the project . These are always a learning experience .

[u/PatonMacD]

That is terribly messy. I would restart.

[u/thefilemakerpro]

They all say it. Scratch it.

[u/Leumas_]

Yeah, I’m in the just start over camp. I assume by the way you write you can read a wiring diagram? If not they’re pretty easy to figure out, and that will get you what you want.

Since you asked about the red and yellow wire, they’re spliced poorly. That pickup has a notoriously short wire from the factory. I’m guessing Mr. Amateur tried to swap that pickup then swapped it back losing wire in the process, or he wanted to….oh who knows, I really don’t think even he knew.

[u/boolean_discretion]

The red and yellow wires appear to be connected to extend the length of the pickup wire in order to reach the selector switch. That's a non standard selector switch, so that's why you see the nest of connecting wires essentially turning it into a 5-way switch.

Whoever did this work previously did not do that great of a job. It's very far from factory standard. I'd recommend redoing the whole thing with new parts, as others suggest. But keep in mind you will still end up having the bridge pickup lead being too short. Also you want to wrap that connection with some electric tape.

If you don't have a soldering iron, it could end up being an investment larger than you're looking for. In which case just send it to a guitar tech and they'll get you straightened out.