Telecaster Wiring Diagram

The standard wiring for two single coil pickups, a 3-way switch, one volume and one tone. Use the full circuit to rewire or modify a guitar, or see how our TL-style kits plug together with no soldering.
  • 2 single coils
  • 3-way switch
  • 1 volume, 250K
  • 1 tone, 250K

Full circuit diagram

Swipe sideways to see the whole diagram.

Full circuit diagramNeck pickupBridge pickupNeckBridgeCommon3-wayswitch123Volume250K B123Tone250K ACapOutputjackTipSleeveBridge ground: bridge plateShared ground: one connection, usually the back of the volume pot
  • Hot (signal)
  • Ground
  • Tone capacitor, typically 0.022–0.047 µF

Pots are shown from the back, with the lugs on top and numbered 1 to 3. Volume and tone are 250K, B for volume and A for tone. Wires in your guitar may not match the red and black used here, so follow what each wire does. The order of the lugs varies between switch makers, so check yours with a multimeter before soldering.

Left-handed guitar? The circuit is the same: only the positions of the parts change.

Telecaster wiring diagram: two single coil pickups, 3-way switch, one 250K volume and one 250K toneOpen the diagram as an image

What each switch position does

PositionPickups onTone control connected
1: BridgeBridgeTone
2: Bridge + neckBridge and neckTone
3: NeckNeckTone

How a TL-style kit plugs together

Our TL-style kits are solderless. The control plate arrives with the switch and pots already wired, and three leads come out of it. Each one has a plug that matches a part of the guitar. There is also a ground wire for the bridge.
How a TL-style kit plugs together: three plugs from the control plate to the neck pickup, the bridge pickup and the output jack, and a ground wire under a bridge screwControl plateNeck leadNeck pickupon the pickguard1Control plateBridge leadBridge pickupon the bridge plate2Control plateJack leadOutput jack3Ground wire: under abridge screw, no solder4How a TL-style kit plugs together: three plugs from the control plate to the neck pickup, the bridge pickup and the output jack, and a ground wire under a bridge screwControl plateNeck leadNeck pickupon the pickguard1Control plateBridge leadBridge pickupon the bridge plate2Control plateJack leadOutput jack3Ground wire: under abridge screw, no solder4
  1. Connect the neck pickup. Run the long lead from the control plate to the plug on the neck pickup, under the pickguard.
  2. Connect the bridge pickup. Push one short lead into the plug on the bridge pickup.
  3. Connect the jack. Push the other short lead into the plug on the output jack.
  4. Attach the ground wire. Fix the ground wire under a bridge screw. No soldering needed.
  5. Test before closing. Plug into an amp and gently tap each pickup with a screwdriver in each switch position. If there is no sound, swap the two short leads.
Electronics of a TL-style kit: bridge pickup on its plate, output jack, neck pickup on the pickguard and pre-wired control plate
The electronics of a TL-style kit, with the red plugs. The wires in your kit may look different.

Parts for this wiring

Need help?

No sound or a loud hum? See our wiring and electronics answers, or read how to wire a guitar. Spotted a mistake in this diagram? Please tell us. See all wiring diagrams.

Telecaster is a trademark of its owner. The Guitar Fabrik is not affiliated with or endorsed by the trademark owner. The name is used only to describe the wiring layout.