Possible novel way of switching guitar pickups.

[guitarguy]

I'm working on a guitar and I'd like to use two push/push potentiometers as on/off switches for my (two) pickups instead of the traditional 3-way toggle switch, will this work effectively?
Thanks!

 

[Pommie]

You need to explain this better for people who don't play guitar (me) and haven't the foggiest idea what you mean. How does the 3-way traditional toggle switch work and what do you propose replacing it with?

Mike.

 

[dougy83]

You need to explain this better for people who don't play guitar (me) and haven't the foggiest idea what you mean. How does the 3-way traditional toggle switch work and what do you propose replacing it with?

3-way switch is a 3-position switch wired to connect the bridge pickup, neck pickup, or both. It appears that the pickups will be connected in parallel.

Regarding the two push-pull pots, as they contain an isolated switch, the switch can be used to connect each pickup to the output. I don't see any issue there.

 

[rjenkinsgb]

I'm working on a guitar and I'd like to use two push/push potentiometers as on/off switches for my (two) pickups instead of the traditional 3-way toggle switch, will this work effectively?

Yes, it will work fine, as long as you have switches it does not matter to the electronics how you operate them.

Just use each pot switch as an on-off switch to connect (or not) the pickup output to the volume control; electrically it would be identical to a normal three way switch schematic, just with the contacts operated differently.

 

[Pommie]

I assumed a toggle switch would select one or the other with center off or is the third way both?

Mike.

 

[rjenkinsgb]

or is the third way both

Both.

 

[eTech]

I'm working on a guitar and I'd like to use two push/push potentiometers as on/off switches for my (two) pickups instead of the traditional 3-way toggle switch, will this work effectively?
Thanks!

I have a guitar that has a pull switch on the volume control. The switch raises the volume when pulled for soloing. I don’t like it. It can easily be bumped during a performance.

Just sharing….

 

[rjenkinsgb]

The Jimmy Page wiring mods for Les Pauls are based on replacing the standard pots with push-pull switch types, to give additional pickup combinations - single coil, phase reversal etc., so there is nothing that unusual about using that style of switch on a guitar.

When I wrote my previous answer, I was thinking about how I would arrange the switches if I were to use just those for pickup selection, and could not decide if I would use pull to enable or pull to mute.

It can easily be bumped during a performance.

So that's decided - definitely pull to mute!

Or, one switch changeover and the second switch linking the two pickups - so no "dead" combination at all??

 

[eTech]

So that's decided - definitely pull to mute!

Or, one switch changeover and the second switch linking the two pickups - so no "dead" combination at all??

My guitar (Warwick 5 string Bass) doesn't mute, just changes the volume level.
But in all honesty, its pretty easy to raise or lower the volume with a quick movement of a finger.