Wiring a left handed Strat

[zeggs]

Hi Everyone,

I am wiring my left handed strat, and am a little confused how to wire it. All the diagrams i have and instructional videos are for a right handed guitar. I was wondering if the fact that i am a lefty matters at all in terms of wiring. Meaning, should the wires still go to the EXACT same terminals as a right handed guitar.

Here is a diagram of right handed strat setup.

http://www.stewmac.com/catalog/images_2lg/5600_2lg.jpg

As a reference to myself, i mirrored the image so it had the lefty setup, but then that changes which terminals the wires go to. Not sure if that makes sense or not, but if you have any comments or input into this, i would greatly appreciate an answer.

Also, when shielding, do you shield the output jack cavity?

-Greg

[www]

Looking at this Strat wiring diagram looks like is laid out left handed. Read thru some of this link to help guide you in your wiring. Here

I've never had to shield the output jack cavity! You can disregard the large yellow capacitor, but it is good for a shock resistance! Good luck.

[scott from _actual time_]

As a reference to myself, i mirrored the image so it had the lefty setup, but then that changes which terminals the wires go to. 

that is exactly what you want to do, for the volume and tone pots at least -- you need to have the wires mirrored and the terminals different in order to make the knobs turn the right way for a left-handed player. mirroring the 5-way switch is probably the way to go as well, give it a shot and see.

www's diagram does not look left-handed to me, it looks like a view from the underside of the pickguard. the right-handed wiring would look different if the picture was drawn from the the bottom vs. the top, even though in 3D it's not different.

and if you're shielding the whole guitar, i'd go ahead and shield the Strat jack cavity as well. if you're having noise problems, and/or if you're using lots of single coils, it can only help.

[zeggs]

that makes sense to wire the pots mirrored so that the knobs turn the right way for me, but i was just taking a look at the diagram, and i think for the 5 way switch, i should wire it EXACTLY like a righty, except install it in the pickguard so the spring is FACING the pots, not away from them. Otherwise, if i put the switch away from the pots, when in first position, instead of the bridge neckup playing, it would be the neck pickup. Is that an accurate conclusion?

-Greg

[scott from _actual time_]

i think for the 5 way switch, i should wire it EXACTLY like a righty, except install it in the pickguard so the spring is FACING the pots, not away from them.  Is that an accurate conclusion? 

yes, i think that would work, because what you'd be doing is wiring it like righty and then turning the switch around. you could also not turn the switch and wire it as mirror image, both of those are going to be equivalent i think.

as always with wiring, try it out to see if it works, and if it doesn't, go back to the drawing board and try something else!

[zeggs]

Yeah, but to avoid having to go back in, i would love to get it right (or should i say left) the first time.

i am going to do what you said before, which is wire the pots mirrored, and do the 5 way switch righty, but face the spring towards the pots.

i'll let you know how it goes.

thanks for the input

[zeggs]

i just realized something else, my knobs have numbers on them going in one direction. if i mirror the wiring of the pots, then my knobs will have 1 as the highest and 10 being the lowest. So finally, i have concluded, that i will wire everything as a righty, EXCEPT face the spring of the 5 way switcher towards the pots, instead of away. I'd rather have my switcher going the right direction. and this way 10 will be the highest on my knobs, instead of the lowest.

wow, no wonder lefties don't live as long.