Using push/pull pots as 3-way switch?

[OutOfYourDepth]

Hi there,

Long story short I am planning my first full build. I am doing LP inspired setup with 2 hums, 2 volume pots and 2 tone pots. BUT I really hate the look of 3-way switch on LP's.

Is it at all possible to bypass 3-way switch by using push/pull pots as selectors instead. Lets say my volumes are the p/p pots. both pots down position would be both pickups active, volumes and tones working as normal, but if I pop up first pot it would disable neck pickup. Just like when using 3-way switch. and popping the second pot would disable the bridge pickup. I am not interested in coil splitting and practicality aspect is irrelevant as this would be more of a novelty item.
I just would like to know if and how this could be achieved. Please explain it like to a child. I have extremely limited understanding of electrics. Detailed wiring diagram would be much appreciated but simple possible/not possible will also do.

Thank you

[Flyingpickels]

I imagine it would be possible. All you would have to do is wire the signal from from the volume pot through the switch in the pot instead of through the normal switch.

[fender3x]

I haven't found a diagram yet, but it's a pretty easy. You only need two of the six lugs on the push pull switch to do it. You can use the standard LP wiring chart for the volume and tone. The only real difference is that the wire that goes from the V pot to the switch will now go to the middle lug on one side of the push pull pot. Solder a second wire to the bottom lug on the same side (the bottom is farthest from the top of the pot). Solder the other end of the bottom-lug-wire to the tip lug on the jack. It's exactly the same for both pickups.

It doesn't matter which side of the push pull pot you use. It only matters that if one is on the right side, the other must be on the right side too.

[Flyingpickels]

Something like this should work. Repeat for each volume pot. *correction Lug 3 should be connected to ground.*

[JohnH]

I like this idea. I kind of swing between wanting a guitar with a hundred knobs and switches, and wanting a guitar with the bare minimum in the way of visible electronics.

[JimC]

Yes, as described. I don't know whether the possibility of a both off combination would be annoying . Might even be useful.

An alternate option might be to dispense with switches altogether and wire it with independent volume controls like a jazz bass. The disadvantage would be both tone controls acting on both pickups, at least when both volune turned up.

A variation might be to have one tone wired as a conventional treble cut and the other as something different. Maybe a more aggressive treble cut, maybe something more unusual.

Lastly don't forget the rotary switch. Given a rotary switch instead of one tone you could have two vol, selector and master tone . The rotary switch could also provide a phase option with a further position.

[Simon Barden]

You could probably also arrange it so that one pot did a neck or bridge selection, and the other did a both pickups on or 'as selected by the other pot'. That way you couldn't get an unintended and embarrassing silence.

[JimC]

Yep, that sounds smart. One switch (a) has both poles active, with volume controls connected to each pole and output to both poles, one contact unused. The other switch has one pole active, with a volume control connected to each side and the output to the centre. When a is on both pickups always sound, when off it does nothing. B will always pass one pickup only.

[OutOfYourDepth]

Thank you for ideas and advices. I'm pleased to learn the plan is doable and not even overly complicated. Then again some good points were made (of the sound of silence) and now I'm unsure which configuration I want to do so perphaps you actually made my life harder Nevertheless my LP shall be born switchless... ...in due time

[fender3x]

If you want easy, simply turning the pickup on and off with the push pull is simplest, since it requires the least soldered connections. It does have the "disadvantage" of silence with both switches up...unless you like having a kill switch in which case it is a "feature."

If you want the most intuitive then the rotary is probably best... Looks like a knob, works like a switch. No push pull's necessary. But it's a bit more complicated to do the soldering. You'd only have one tone knob, but to me that might be an advantage too ;-)

I am in the process of putting one V one T one rotary switch into a standard strat pickguard for similar reasons. I wanted to use a knob rather than micro-switches.