Sassafrassin'

[McCreed]

Electrically, a toggle switch and a 3-way Tele switch are quite different. The toggle switch is composed of two x two-position normally-closed contacts. The traditional Tele 3-way switch is a double pole triple throw switch. The toggle switch has 4 terminals (3 for box types as two of the terminals are internally connected) and the traditional Tele 3-way has eight terminals (though some import switches cut this down to 4 or even 3 for ease of wiring a standard configuration). When used in the normal neck, neck+bridge and bridge configuration they perform the same function, but the Tele switch can be used to do more than the toggle switch if you really want it to.

So they aren’t just a different physical configuration of the same switch.

I over-simplified. But my point being I have seen teles with 3-way toggle switches instead of blade (some prefer toggle) and LP-ish 2-pickup guitars with blade switches. I still believe the addition of a push/pull pot can be configured with a a 3-way toggle to add the middle pickup. I'll work it out tomorrow on the bench.

[Simon Barden]

It depends on the control layout, and whether there's a master volume or a volume per pickup etc.

It can be as simple as passing the middle pickup output through the pot switch and connecting it to the toggle switch output.

[dozymuppet]

I over-simplified. But my point being I have seen teles with 3-way toggle switches instead of blade (some prefer toggle) and LP-ish 2-pickup guitars with blade switches. I still believe the addition of a push/pull pot can be configured with a a 3-way toggle to add the middle pickup. I'll work it out tomorrow on the bench.

I’d be keen to see if it can work, so I appreciate you taking a look.

Electronics are not my strength (yet), but when I was investigating this for the St Vincent, I couldn’t figure out how to make it work. That one was HSH. I would have been happy to only toggle between the HH, then just use a push/pull to cut out the HH and cut on the S. Seemed like no dice, but I learnt a bit more about switches.

[McCreed]

Hey dozy.

If you follow a standard schematic for 2 pickup/1V/1T but substitute a push/pull for the tone pot (or volume), then wire the push/pull between the middle pickup and toggle switch as per my sketch, you can add the middle pickup to all the standard 3 positions.

Unfortunately position 2 with p/p engaged will give you all 3 pickups on (in parallel). I've not found this very useful in strats, but it's the only simple way to achieve a "5-sound" 3-way toggle switch I can think of.

Sorry for the crude drawing. Too much coffee and I was just scratching to get something quickly.

Cheers,
Mick



Edit to add:
Of course, the ground from the middle pickup needs to be connected to where ever everything else is grounded.

[dozymuppet]

So I’d get these combinations if I’m reading that right:

- N
- N+B
- B

- N+M
- N+B+M
- B+M

But no M in isolation.

Correct?

[McCreed]

So I’d get these combinations if I’m reading that right:

- N
- N+B
- B

- N+M
- N+B+M
- B+M

But no M in isolation.

Correct?

Yes, that's correct. No way to get middle only without a 5-way switch that I can think of.

Another option could be making a custom control plate that you could mount a 5-way blade switch to. It could be recessed or top-mounted like a tele. The plate would cover any modifications to the body you'd need for the blade switch.

Just an idea...

[Simon Barden]

Hey dozy.

Unfortunately position 2 with p/p engaged will give you all 3 pickups on (in parallel). I've not found this very useful in strats, but it's the only simple way to achieve a "5-sound" 3-way toggle switch I can think of.

In contrast, I find the all three pickups on quite a reasonable sound. It's a bit thinner and honkier then the standard bridge+middle or middle+neck sound, but certainly useable in some circumstances, especially if playing something funky. Not really an all-out rock sound though. But it is a sound that should sit over the top of another guitar part and be heard clearly.

[WeirdBits]

A second push/pull would allow you to have the middle by itself as well. For example:

- Tone push/pull would select if the middle is solo or combined with the other pickups (when on).
- Volume push/pull turns the middle on/off.

So, with the Tone push/pull down, pulling the Vol up would add the middle to whatever bridge/neck combination is selected by the toggle switch. With the Vol down you just get the bridge/neck toggle output.

With the Tone push/pull up, pulling the Vol up would give you the middle by itself, and Vol down returns to just the bridge/neck toggle output. Quick sketch:



There are lots of different ways of doing the 3 pup setup, it just depends what controls you want and how many holes you’re willing to put in the body.

[Simon Barden]

Electronics are not my strength (yet), but when I was investigating this for the St Vincent, I couldn’t figure out how to make it work. That one was HSH. I would have been happy to only toggle between the HH, then just use a push/pull to cut out the HH and cut on the S. Seemed like no dice, but I learnt a bit more about switches.

You could simply pass the output from the toggle switch through one side of a pot push/pull switch and the middle pickup through the other side, (so it toggled between the two selections) which would do what you wanted. Best with a single master volume and tone arrangement.

[Rabbit]

A better idea, get rid of the two useless strings, put on a new neck and make it a 34inch scale, dump the extra pups and have just the one, wired directly to the output jack. No switches, no pots, just balls to the wall simplicity .