P bass no knobs Killswitch wiring diagram

[R-B-Y]

The knobs on my cheap squier bass broke so I was thinking about pulling them out and installing a flip switch, basically on/off. What kind of switches do I get? I did a bit of digging and I think this diagram should work:

Sorry for crappy drawing. Is there anything I got wrong？

 

[jamro217]

Yes. You have the correct switch, but in the wrong spot. The idea of the switch is to break the circuit. Cut the hot wire before it connects to the output jack and solder each end of it to a different one of the leads on the switch. If the switch has three leads the middle one goes to the output jack. Test it to see which position is which if the switch isn't labelled. Hope this helps. Merry Christmas!

 

[R-B-Y]

Like this?
Or this? It’s a SPDT switch, so this one probably won’t have any hum since it shorts out the two jack prongs. According to this site (Electronics Club - Switches - SPST, SPDT, DPST, DPDT, reversing, ON-ON, ON-OFF-ON, momentary ON-(ON), push, rotary, multiway, tilt, reed) the switch bridges the signal from the common (middle) to one of the side prongs.

 

[R-B-Y]

I got some info off of this thread too:
Non-momentary kill switch for P-Bass

 

[RobbieK]

Actually you had it right the first time. The switch is wired as a mute switch, shorting the signal on the hot wire to earth. This is exactly what a volume pot does when it is turned all the way down.

Because you have no pots, if you simply open the hot wire with the switch, the amp input will be floating and your guitar lead will act like an antenna, probably causing a buzz.

 

[R-B-Y]

Actually you had it right the first time. The switch is wired as a mute switch, shorting the signal on the hot wire to earth. This is exactly what a volume pot does when it is turned all the way down.

Because you have no pots, if you simply open the hot wire with the switch, the amp input will be floating and your guitar lead will act like an antenna, probably causing a buzz.

Will the third diagram also work?

 

[Killed_by_Death]

I'm just here to confirm that you got it right the first time.
Why not make it a momentary switch so you can do some cool effects with it?



If you just interrupt the hot signal it will be noisy when you flip the switch.
Shorting the signal to ground silences it.

 

[96tbird]

Use a switchcraft les paul type: they have such nice and smooth operation and look the part on a guitar. Just use one side of it to make your circuit break. Since it’s three position it will be on/on/off. A quick swipe of the hand to either extreme will get you where you want to be with the bonus if you don’t hit it hard enough on the fly, and it lands in the middle, you’ll still have your signal ON.

 

[micguy]

Another confirmation that tge shunt (first diagram) is the way to go. Less noise, hum, and pops when turning on and off.

 

[rashrader]

I installed an on/off volume switch like this on my fretless and I love it.

 

[Phalex]

Open that circuit and it’s going to hum. Short to ground to silence it.

 

[Fight4Bottom]

Because not enough people have said it... shorting to ground is the correct approach.

 

[ofajen]

And one more... my avatar Wishbass is currently wired as per your first diagram, other than the switch being a foot switch from an old pedal rather than a toggle.

Otto

 

[R-B-Y]

Thanks everyone, I’m ordering the electronics tomorrow

 

[fermata]

If you don't like the brittle no-pots sound, simply put a 125 K Ohm (or two 250 K Ohm) fixed resistors in parallel (between hot and ground) to load the pickup for a sweeter sound.