Alternative 3 Way Toggle Uses

[JaySwear]

So I have a body arriving with a HH configuration, 2 volume, 2 tone, and a gibson style 3 way toggle. I think I want to put a 5 way rotary switch into the guitar (had one in my short-lived PRS CE24 and really liked the options it gave me). However, I don't know what to do with the 3 way toggle now. Is it possible to wire is as a tone? Have "bridge" be no tone, "middle" position be maybe a .022 cap, and "neck" be maybe that .022 combined with another to make that position .044 total. Is this possible?

If not then does anybody have any other suggestions? I know I could just do push pull pots, but I've always hated those. They just feel cheap to me. Plus with the toggle selecting exact tone amounts I could dial in certain tones instantly, instead of getting just sort of close by rolling the tone knob down.

Any help or suggestions are greatly appreciated!

 

[line6man]

The traditional 3 way pickup selector is SPDT Center-On, which means that it's uses are rather limited.

You could use it to select between two capacitances for a tone control or fixed filter, with the center position being the sum of the two values.

Less desirable, but entirely possible, you could select between two capacitances for a Rickenbacker style bass-cut circuit, with the center position bypassing the filter.

 

[drewfx]

Just fill in the toggle hole and re-drill it and put the rotary switch there.  :icon_thumright:

 

[JaySwear]

Just fill in the toggle hole and re-drill it and put the rotary switch there.  :icon_thumright:

I thought about that! But I want it to look like a fairly traditional SG/Les Paul setup but be more versatile.  :icon_biggrin: I guess I've gotta be difficult with something! Haha

 

[mgaut051]

Freeway switch from Stewmac in the upper bout. Rotary switch to select which cap is used on your tone circuit.

 

[stubhead]

I wired my 5-string high-C fretless exactly that way - a .015 cap on one side, a.033 on the other and the center sums to .048. So what it does is give you three different switched tones at any setting of the tone control. However, fretless bass has so many different tonal things you can do with just your hands, it's really not needed. I imagine the effect would be more pronounced on a brighter-spectrum instrument, like a guitar with frets.