On-Off-On question

[rapfohl09]

Hey guys, for the next couple Tonemasters I am going to be using a 3 way mini switch simply because the body isn't that large and I think a full size toggle would make things a little crowded. Anyway, I have the attached schematic for wiring an On-On-On miniswitch, but while at the store today picked up a on-off-on switch. At first I kicked myself, then realized that for myself, it wouldn't matter since I dont like the middle position anyway.

So here is the question. If I wire the switch I have in the same way, will it just cut the sound in the middle position? This is what I am hoping for. If not can someone show me how to do that? So the up position would be the neck, middle would be cut, down would be bridge.

Thanks!

 

[line6man]

The middle position will simply disconnect both throws from the common. But you don't need to use both poles to do that. The diagram is for a DPDT On-On-On/SP3T switch, but with a DPDT On-Off-On, the second pole is not needed for what you are doing.

As a side note, you have a volume pot after the switch, right? The neck/mute/bridge switching only works well if you have something after the switch that reduces the output impedance from infinite, to something that will prevent "open guitar cable buzz."

 

[rapfohl09]

Sorry, I really don't know what you mean :-\. Electronics really aren't my strong suit. Are the poles referring to the set of 3 pins next to each other? As in one pole is one set of 3 pins? So in essence I could just have one pickup go to the top pin, the other go to the bottom pin, and the middle pin would go to the volume pot in regular fashion? Sorry if I completely misunderstood.

Oh and yes, the volume/tone circuit would be after the switch.

 

[Cagey]

You've got it right. But, if the switch has a middle position, you could end up with both pickups selected (on/on/on) or with the middle position not selecting either one (on/off/on). Depends on the switch design. Either way, you don't need a double pole, a single will do. A "pole" is a single common switch element.

 

[NQbass7]

Poles in a switch is kind of like flipping more than one switch at the same time.  A double-pole switch just has two sets of connectors that get switched at the same time. Think of it kinda like the switch in the picture over on the right of this page:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Switch#Contact_terminology

You only flip one thing, but you can connect multiple things.