If you’re a fan of moding your own gear or just a tone chaser looking to unlock the full potential of your Stratocaster, you’ve likely heard of the "Gilmour Mod" (often called the Seven-Tone Strat mod).
Named after David Gilmour’s legendary “Black Strat,” this modification is one of the most effective ways to expand your guitar’s sonic palette without drilling giant holes in your pickguard or changing its classic look.
What is the Seven-Tone Mod?
A standard Stratocaster offers five pickup combinations. By adding a small toggle switch (or a push-pull pot), you can engage the neck pickup regardless of where the 5-way selector is set. This unlocks two “secret” modes:
Neck + Bridge: Gives you that mid-position Telecaster “twang” and “cluck.”
All Three Pickups: Provides a rich, thick, and unique “wall of sound.”
The Gilmore Mod Bridge/Neck Combo: Allows for bluesy, versatile sounds similar to a Telecaster, which are not usually available on a standard Strat. While it adds versatility, the, changes can be subtle, especially in high-gain settings.
Tools and Parts Needed
Before you heat up the iron, make sure you have the following:
A mini-toggle switch (SPST or SPDT) OR a 250k Push-Pull Pot.
22 AWG wire (Cloth covered or PVC).
Soldering iron and 60/40 solder.
Philips head screwdriver (to remove the pickguard).
Step-By-Step Wiring Guide
To perform this mod, you are essentially creating a “bypass” that sends the neck pickup signal directly to the output, jumping over the 5-way switch.
Full list below
1. The Wiring Logic
You will connect one terminal of your toggle switch to the input of the neck pickup on the 5-way selector. You will connect the other terminal of the toggle switch to the common lug (output) of the 5-way selector.
2. Soldering the Switch
Identify the Neck Pickup Lug: On a standard 5-way switch, this is usually the first lug where the hot (white) wire from your neck pickup is soldered.
Identify the Common Lug: This is the lug that connects the switch to the Volume pot.
Bridge the Gap: Solder a wire from the Neck lug to one side of your toggle switch. Solder another wire from the other side of the toggle switch to the Common lug.
3. Mounting the Switch
David Gilmour famously used a tiny recessed toggle switch. However, for a cleaner “no-drill” look, I highly recommend using a Push-Pull pot for your bottom Tone control. This allows you to “pull up” on the knob to activate the extra tones and “push down” to return to stock Strat settings.
I’m right there with Ted Woodford on this one—Gerry Hayes’ Complete Guitar Wiring is hands-down the best book out there for anyone looking to dive into guitar electronics. Whether you’re a seasoned pro or just starting to mod your gear, this book is an absolute goldmine of information.
Ready to Master Your Guitar’s Electronics?
If you want to move beyond basic mods and truly understand how your gear works under the hood, I highly recommend following the gold standard of DIY guides.
How to Use Your 7-Tone Strat
Once you’ve tucked the wires away and screwed the pickguard back on, here is your new map of the 5-way selector when the mod is engaged:
| 5-Way Position | Standard Tone | With Mod Engaged |
| Position 1 | Bridge | Bridge + Neck |
| Position 2 | Bridge + Middle | All Three Pickups |
| Position 3 | Middle | Middle + Neck (Redundant) |
| Position 4 | Middle + Neck | Middle + Neck (Redundant) |
| Position 5 | Neck | Neck (Redundant) |
Final Thoughts
The beauty of this mod is its simplicity. It doesn’t change your existing tones; it simply adds more versatility to the instrument. Whether you’re chasing that Comfortably Numb lead tone or just want a Telecaster-style bite from your Strat, this is the way to do it.
Gilmour Mod Supplies List (the stuff I use)
mini-toggle switch (SPST or SPDT) or 250k push-pull pot
22 AWG wire (cloth covered or PVC)
soldering iron and 60/40 solder
philips head screwdriver
helping hands tool (optional but recommended)
multimeter to check connections I usually just use an amp to check everything. If it makes noise, its working.