A question about coil-splitting (I may have gotten the wrong type of switch)

[Peccavi]

Hey guys, I'm finally getting around to finishing my baritone Iceman after about a year of running into some problems that have halted the progress of the build significantly.

I'm wanting to be able to split my neck pickup (a Seymour Duncan P-Rail) to be North-coil/Humbucker/South-coil. Every wiring diagram I've seen for this uses an On/Off/On switch, however the switch I have turned out to be an On/On/On instead. I was wondering if I would still be able to accomplish this split with an On/On/On, or did I goof up and now have to get the On/Off/On switch?

This is my first time installing any sort of splitting switch, so I'm totally a newbie at this. Thanks in advance.

 

[line6man]

DPDT On/On/On switches can be externally jumpered to SP3T switching patterns, which means that if you leave a terminal open, they can also function as SPDT On/Off/On switches.
If you intend to only split the neck pickup with the switch, a DPDT On/On/On will work fine. Conversely, if you want to do two pickups from one switch, that would indeed call for a DPDT On/Off/On.

 

[Dan025]

Yes it is possible but you need to test the switch a little.

An on/off/on switch is arranged like this...where x represents the posts being used o being open. Each half is a separate pole and don't connect within the switch.
Position 1.
xxo
xxo
Position 2
ooo
ooo
Position 3.
oxx
oxx

On/on/on usually looks like this

xxo
xxo

oxx or xxo and rarely xxx
xxo      oxx                    xxx

oxx
oxx

What you have to do is take a multi meter and find the two posts that aren't used in the middle position. You will use one of these for hot and the other for ground. The center posts will get bridged together and the series link goes there.

 

[line6man]

Yes it is possible but you need to test the switch a little.

An on/off/on switch is arranged like this...where x represents the posts being used o being open. Each half is a separate pole and don't connect within the switch.
Position 1.
xxo
xxo
Position 2
ooo
ooo
Position 3.
oxx
oxx

On/on/on usually looks like this

xxo
xxo

oxx or xxo and rarely xxx
xxo      oxx                    xxx

oxx
oxx

What you have to do is take a multi meter and find the two posts that aren't used in the middle position. You will use one of these for hot and the other for ground. The center posts will get bridged together and the series link goes there.

If you look at the switch like this:

1 2 3
4 5 6

Typically, 1 and 5 should be jumpered together to get the SP3T pattern, then leave 6 open for SPDT On/Off/On. From there, 2 is the north coil negative phase lead and south coil positive phase lead connection, while 4 is the south coil negative phase lead and ground, and 3 is the north coil positive phase lead and output.

 

[Dan025]

Thanks joey. That actually should eliminate having to analyze the switch. Never saw it done that way before.

 

[Peccavi]

Thank you guys, I thought I was gonna have to buy another switch. Now I've overcome the last obstacle and can get this guitar playing finally.