Three Way Mini Toggle for Humbucker control

[sirspens]

I would like to use a three-way mini-toggle to wire a humbucker as coil splitting / off / humbucker. I don't know much about electronics, but my understanding is that this would take a DP3T switch, Am I correct about that, or could I accomplish that with a three-way DPDT?

My understand is that a three-way DPDT can accomplish coil split / parallel / series from a humbucker, but not what I am trying to do.

I would appreciate any help anyone can provide with this.

[curtisa]

Easy peasy. What you want is a SPDT (or DPDT, just use one half of it) mini toggle with a centre-off position. Should be fairly easy to get from just about any electronics component supplier:

 

 

[sirspens]

Thank you, @curtisa.

I'm going to try to wrap my head around this in the morning.

I thought it was bad to have an "off" in guitar wiring, as switching to that position would pop?

[curtisa]

No different to changing between bridge and neck pickups in any two pickup guitar.

[sirspens]

@curtisa, I hope I am not being annoying, here. Then why does a Jaguar use an "on/on" switch, instead of an "on/off" switch?

[curtisa]

Terms like "on/off" and "on/on" to describe the function of a switch tend to be a bit vague. The more common way to describe the operation of a switch is by the number of "throws" it can make. On/on would be "double throw". On/off = "single throw". That's what the "...DT" and "..ST" abbreviations refer to when a switch is described as "SPDT" or "SPST". Rather than calling a 12-position rotary switch "on/on/on/on/on/on/on/on/on/on/on/on", it's easier to simply call it "12T"

"On/on" (DT) implies that the switch connects its common lug to one lug when the actuator is over to one side, and when the actuator is moved to its alternate position the common lug gets connected to the other. Both positions can be considered to turn something "on" as both positions make an electrical connection.

"On/off" (ST) suggests that the common lug can only be connected to one other lug. When the actuator is moved to the other position the common lug connects to nothing.

There's nothing stopping you using an DT switch in place of an ST switch. All you do is leave one of the two switchable lugs unterminated. Given two identical switches from the same manufacturer, one being an DT and the other being ST, it's likely the only difference is that the manufacturer hasn't bothered installing all three lugs in the ST version. Electrically and mechanically they're identical, and provided the circuit doen't require anything more elaborate than a single on/off function the two can be interchanged willy-nilly.

[sirspens]

@curtisa, fantastic explanation. Thank you very much!