Can I use a 3-way switch as a kill switch?

[Shadow13]

I'm building a guitar and I'd like to use a 3-way switch as a kill switch.
Is this possible?

When the switch is in the "up" & "down" positions, I'd like the signal to be hot.
When in the "middle" position, I'd like the sound to be muted (killed).

I wired the "up" & "down" positions to the hot output on the guitar jack and 5-way pickup selector switch.
And I wired the "middle" position of the to the ground.
But when tried playing the guitar afterwards, I couldn't get any sound from any of the positions.

What am I doing wrong?

 

[ehdwuld]

Re: Can I use a 3-way switch as a kill switch?

a simple two position switch ( on-off ) would suffice
but be sure you have a
on-off-on
not a
on-on-on

 

[Shadow13]

Re: Can I use a 3-way switch as a kill switch?

a simple two position switch ( on-off ) would suffice
but be sure you have a
on-off-on
not a
on-on-on

It's gotta be a 3-way switch, a 2-way won't work.
Here's why:
With a 3-way switch, the sound can be toggled from on-off-on in one fluid motion. Just throw the switch into the opposite position.
But a 2-way switch requires a back & forth motion to go from on-off-on, which is too much work.

Are you saying that there are two different kinds of 3-way switches?
1) on-on-on
2) on-off-on

Or are those for 2-way switches?

 

[Kam]

Re: Can I use a 3-way switch as a kill switch?

A momentary switch could work wonders for you.

And yeah, there's two different kinds of three-ways. You need the on-off-on kind.

ON-OFF-ON
SPDT Centre Off
A special version of the standard SPDT switch. It has a third switching position in the centre which is off. Momentary (ON)-OFF-(ON) versions are also available where the switch returns to the central off position when released.

EDIT: That wouldn't be the momentary switch I would recommend, obviously. One that automatically returns to the on position would be a lot more useful, I think.

 

[ehdwuld]

Re: Can I use a 3-way switch as a kill switch?

It's gotta be a 3-way switch, a 2-way won't work.
Here's why:
With a 3-way switch, the sound can be toggled from on-off-on in one fluid motion. Just throw the switch into the opposite position.
But a 2-way switch requires a back & forth motion to go from on-off-on, which is too much work.

Are you saying that there are two different kinds of 3-way switches?
1) on-on-on
2) on-off-on

Or are those for 2-way switches?

sorry
wasnt sure how you planned to do your trick

A momentary switch could work wonders for you.

And yeah, there's two different kinds of three-ways. You need the on-off-on kind.
EDIT: That wouldn't be the momentary switch I would recommend, obviously. One that automatically returns to the on position would be a lot more useful, I think.

yea momentary

bump along with the beat

I like that

 

[dominus]

Re: Can I use a 3-way switch as a kill switch?

A standard three way switch hooked up to a single input and output would be:

On-On-Off

 

[ehdwuld]

Re: Can I use a 3-way switch as a kill switch?

ok
I have an on-off-on miniswitch from GF right here

\
on-on-off

l
off-off-off

/
off-on-on

with two rows of terminals

and when it says mini it means that
the threaded shaft is 0.227 inch or 5.77mm

 

[ehdwuld]

Re: Can I use a 3-way switch as a kill switch?

lets see an on-on-on would be like the pickup selector switch on a Les Paul

neck
both
bridge

on-on-off
on-on-on
off-on-on


EDIT

lets see
in two postion
you have

on-off
and
on-on

on-off
would just have two terminal like a light switch
hot on one side and what ever to be heated on the other

on-on
would have three terminals
center common
on-on-off
in on direction
and
off-on-on
in the other

 

[Shadow13]

Re: Can I use a 3-way switch as a kill switch?

That wouldn't be the momentary switch I would recommend, obviously. One that automatically returns to the on position would be a lot more useful, I think.

Yeah, using a switch seems a little counterintuitive, but I can flip a switch much faster than I can push a button.

Also, instead of using the volume knob to mute the guitar, I can just leave the switch in the "off" position.

The switch that I installed looks like this:

Is this an on-on-on switch?

 

[ehdwuld]

Re: Can I use a 3-way switch as a kill switch?

That wouldn't be the momentary switch I would recommend, obviously. One that automatically returns to the on position would be a lot more useful, I think.

exactly like a momentary pushbutton

Yeah, using a switch seems a little counterintuitive, but I can flip a switch much faster than I can push a button.

Also, instead of using the volume knob to mute the guitar, I can just leave the switch in the "off" position.

The switch that I installed looks like this:

Is this an on-on-on switch?

ahhh
kinda use it like a whammy
I got ya


if you have a meter you can test this one
by putting one lead on the center lug
and test to the outer lugs in all three positons

ya really cant tell by looking unless it says on-on-on or on-off-on on the side

 

[Kam]

Re: Can I use a 3-way switch as a kill switch?

Actually meant something like this.

But either will work and as you said, with a normal on-off-on you can leave it in the off position for as long as you like.

 

[Joel Grant Huggins]

Re: Can I use a 3-way switch as a kill switch?

On/Off/On is twice as fast (stutter)..Like muse..You can't do that with a momentary. It's twice slower..That's the point missed

sorry
wasnt sure how you planned to do your trick



yea momentary

bump along with the beat

I like that

 

[ehdwuld]

Re: Can I use a 3-way switch as a kill switch?

From 8 years ago

Awesome
Thank you


Welcome to the forum

 

[Artie]

Re: Can I use a 3-way switch as a kill switch?

I drew this up for someone, using a standard LP 3-way, but I can't seem to find the pic. I'll keep looking.

 

[dr0]

Re: Can I use a 3-way switch as a kill switch?

Buckethead has two "arcade type" kill switches on his guitar, and uses them all the time. It's not obvious always what is going on, until you know what they are.
The switches look just like the ones you'd find in a arcade game like Missle Commmand or something.
Gibson actually makes a signature model of this white Les Paul with two "arcade type" kill switches, for aspiring Buckethead Tribute players.

In this video you can skip to 1:50 seconds and hear them about 7 seconds later.



Having watched him play this I'm pretty convinced that a toggle switch would be slower, although when you can do stuff as fast as he can, perhaps it's not applicable to normal humans.

The guitar is oversized, as is Buckethead, who is about 6'7. The Gibson web page says The Buckethead Signature Les Paul features a 27" Scale length that increases neck tension for improved accuracy and precision.
. Take that Strat-a-holics! ALSO: fret markers are for losers.

YMMV. Enjoy!