Selector switch confusion.

Having recently entered the world of teles and strats, I find myself second guessing myself on what is the correct 'configuration' or description of the pickup selector switch positions.

I have Fender literature (comes with certain guitars when new) which refers to 'position 1' as being the position when the switch is pushed towards the neck (this, regardless of whether we have three, four or five-way switches). When the switch is then pushed in the other direction i.e. towards the bridge, the switch will now be in 'position 3, 4 or 5' depending on the type of switch.

I would normally have expected the neck switch position (1?) to be for the 'neck' pickup, and so on, however other Fender diagrams indicate the opposite, with the switch position nearest to the neck as being 'position 3, 4 or 5' and for the selection of the 'bridge' pick-up. Could it be that the soldering connection diagram switch position labels are the reverse of the visible switch positions due to the design of the switches, and that I may be confusing the soldering schematic with the actual visible switch positions?

I have tried hitting the 'search' function for some clarification but I am still a little confused. Although I do not intend to rewire any guitars at this time I would like to better understand the guitars that I own.

Thank you for any help.

Fender wiring diagrams usually refer to the position toward the bridge as 1, although I have seen a few the other way around. I have adopted their numbering even though I tend to think left to right.

The wiring connections underneath are the reverse of the positions when playing.

I suggest calling position 1 the position back towards the bridge. That seems to be the most common.

Thanks for the explanation Phostenix - I wonder why Fender are not consistent .... or are they...?

Why do they cal tremolo vibrato and vibrato tremolo?

After years of observation, I have concluded that Teles have always been, bridge is #1 - probably because of the evolution from the Esquire - the "second" pup is the neck pup.

But on Strats, the #1 throw USUALLY refers to the neck pup. There's two reasons for that: Gibson has always referred to the neck pickup as the "front pickup" - so I would count, front to back; and, if you simply look down at the selector switch and number the throws from left to right from the PLAYER'S perspective, #1 is the neck-end...

Why do they cal tremolo vibrato and vibrato tremolo?

The world will never know..... *laughter*

Why do they cal tremolo vibrato and vibrato tremolo?

The story I've heard is that Leo, not being a musician, confused the terms.

As for position numbering, it's not standardized, so it can get confusing. It seems like bridge=1 is most common though.

Oh wait, I see what you're saying now. The lug on the switch is opposite the lever position. So with the lever back towards the bridge, the lug closest to the neck is active. Just a result of the lever switch design; underneath, it's all backwards to the lever.

But on Strats, the #1 throw USUALLY refers to the neck pup. There's two reasons for that: Gibson has always referred to the neck pickup as the "front pickup" - so I would count, front to back; and, if you simply look down at the selector switch and number the throws from left to right from the PLAYER'S perspective, #1 is the neck-end...

I've always thought of #1 as the forward (neck) position, but just about every Fender wiring diagram shows #1 as the bridge position. I'm learning to re-train my brain. :lol:

Oh wait, I see what you're saying now. The lug on the switch is opposite the lever position. So with the lever back towards the bridge, the lug closest to the neck is active. Just a result of the lever switch design; underneath, it's all backwards to the lever.

Yeah, underneath, it makes sense. :lol:

Just wish Fender was consistent, that's all.

I have a set of fairly current Fender instructions that contradicts itself in mid stream :sad:, which is no big deal if we go through the 'tapping' on the pickups with the pick procedure, in order to see what's active and what isn't, for each switch position.

I recently purchased a non Fender 'tele' with a four-way switch, and was informed that the first three positions were to 'standard' Fender configuration with the fourth position for 'both pick-ups in series'. I was left wondering if the 'first three positions' were meant to start at the neck - or at the bridge, and why do they not clarify to us 'numpties' when they are referring to 'soldered connection positions' as opposed to the actual knob on the switch position. I mean they are the same circuit aren't they? Why do the numbers seem to change, if indeed they do?

As I say no biggie, but still ..... my wife thinks I bought a bloody woodpecker rather than a guitar. ..... tap...tap, tap....tap... And yes, there may be even more differences between Strats and Teles... !!

Something so simple, and yet made so complicated ... ?? Unless of course I am totally missing something here.

I just call the position back towards the bridge position 1 now. That seems to be the most common. On the 4-way Tele, position 4 (forward towards the neck) is the pickups in series. The next 3 are just like a normal Tele - 3: Neck, 2: Neck & Bridge in parallel, 1: Bridge.

Just wish the folks at Fender could have stated it as simply as you have Phostenix.

Thanks folks! I just get these bees in my bonnet at times.