i played a sweet HSS American strat that was $1500 at GC. It had the button in the volume knob and also a small button near the tone controls. What are those for?

$1500 HSS Strat is a Deluxe Strat and what you are describing is the S-1 switching system. There's plenty of info on that subject on Fender's product pages.

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For full details it's best to look it up like DetroitBlues says; short answer is the button in the volume knob is the S-1 switching; that changes the wiring in some positions from series to parallel, also taps the humbucker. The pushbutton is a "blower" switch that bypasses all the tone and switch settings and gives you the humbucker straight to the output.

Press them and find out. I built a guitar with some odd electronics. I knew what they were suposed to do, but I'd never used them before. Once I had the guitar I started messing around with the controls. I learned that I could get a very accustic like sound, a really cool Cream era Clapton tone. It's not ewverything I expected, but I was able to expand my style with the new tools.

My favorite tones on my strat, I get with the S-1 switch engaged. I think it's a great system. I never use the small bridge switch. I'm sure there could be times it would come in handy. I just haven't found any need for it yet.

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