What is the S-1 pickup system?

[jumpnblues]

Just curious what the S-1 system is? I see it's on the new Tele Baja and I've seen it offered on other Teles as well. Thank you.

Tom

[Ringo]

It's really just a DPDT switch built into the volume pot, you can use it for phase , series etc.. wiring.
On some of the other Teles that use the S1 I think it just adds the neck/bridge series option.

The Baja Tele has a 4 way switch , which gives you the std, neck, neck and bridge in parallel, bridge pickup options, the 4th position is neck and bridge in series which is a fat humbucker tone, not the same exactly as a full size humbucker, but I like it.
On the Baja , the S1 switch allows you to get out of phase tones when using both pickups.
FWIW you can achieve the same thing with a 4 way switch and a DPDT switch , either a mini toggle or a push / pull switch on a pot.
Or with a special 5 way switch , there are some wiring diagrams here on the home page of the TDPRI.

[Wop Geronimo]

I always found it near worthless until I got my Baja. In conjunction with a 4-way switch it is quite tasty.

[tcaster68]

I had it on an American deluxe strat (which was later stolen) and really didn't care to much for it, especially playing live. It might work better on a Tele

[bajabuster]

Ditto that...

Originally Posted by Wop Geronimo

I always found it near worthless until I got my Baja. In conjunction with a 4-way switch it is quite tasty.

[tdowns]

I worked on a Fender P-Bass recently. The pickup for the G and D string is separate from the A and E string pickup. The switch selected those pickups wired in series vs. parallel. I thought the parallel position was not worth much.

The coolest part is that the switch is a push button in the top od the the knurled knob. This would be nice for applications where you wanted to have an obfuscated switch function. Of course a push-pull pot would accomplish the same thing.