Using three way DPDT on/on/on switch on Jazz Bass

[BAG]

I've done a search here on TB and on the wider web and can't seem to find a good diagram.
I'm wanting to use a 3-way DPDT on/on/on switch as a pickup selector on a jazz bass. I can find good diagrams for a 3-way blade like what is used on a Telecaster but can only find diagrams like the one below on how to wire a DPDT on/on/on switch instead.
My confusion is that all the DPDT on/on/on switches I've seen have 6 lugs and this diagram is just showing 3. Any help or advice is appreciated.

 

[XLunacy]

The diagram shows a 3 way on/on/on SPDT You can achieve the same functionality with a (larger) 3 way on/on/on DPDT, see attached picture (drawn on my phone, big fingers, sorry for the ugly diagram ).
Up is neck solo, down is bridge solo, middle is both.
The arrow shows the wire that would go to the volume pot on your diagram.

 

[BAG]

Thanks for that. I didn't know of the SPDT switches.
Is there any advantage of using one over the other?

 

[JTE]

Um, Single Pole Double Throw vs Single Pole Double Throw. Instead of looking at pictures, perhaps learn some basic electronics and elementary circuitry so you understand how the electrons flow.

 

[Alivefor5]

Duncan, Dimarzio, Bartolini, all have extensive wiring diagram archives on their websites. Knowing exactly what you want to do beforehand will help as you look through these types of diagrams.

 

[BAG]

Um, Single Pole Double Throw vs Single Pole Double Throw. Instead of looking at pictures, perhaps learn some basic electronics and elementary circuitry so you understand how the electrons flow.

I assume one of those should read "Double Pole Double Throw"?

Electronics is one of those things that I have had trouble wrapping my head around. I'm self taught in many area's but have not had the time or inclination to learn more about electronics. I can follow a wiring diagram and have wired nearly all my passive basses and guitars myself with good results.
By asking the question

Is there any advantage of using one over the other?

I was hoping someone who does know this stuff well might have been able to tell me in layman's terms if there is any advantage using DPDT over SPDT. If there is no advantage to going with the DPDT then why would I bother with the extra soldering of the double pole version?

The diagram shows a 3 way on/on/on SPDT You can achieve the same functionality with a (larger) 3 way on/on/on DPDT, see attached picture (drawn on my phone, big fingers, sorry for the ugly diagram ).
Up is neck solo, down is bridge solo, middle is both.
The arrow shows the wire that would go to the volume pot on your diagram.

And I really appreciate the diagram XLunacy..... even if it's not sexy!

 

[XLunacy]

Thanks for that. I didn't know of the SPDT switches.
Is there any advantage of using one over the other?

The DPDT allows for many different wirings. In your case a SPDT is sufficient, so you might as well use the simplest tool for the job But if all you have at hand is a DPDT it's fine.

As mentioned by @Alivefor5, here's a great resource for learning (see the sections dedicated to Switches) :
Guitar Wiring Diploma Course - Guitar Pickups, Bass Pickups, Pedals

 

[Crater]

There are different styles of toggle switches suitable for pickup switching:

1) the "Gibson style" pickup switch. White or black plastic knob screwed to a metal switch stalk. Underneath, the frame and switch contacts are exposed. Technically not either an SPDT nor a DPDT, it has two individual switch poles where both are "ON" in the middle position.

2) Imported "Box type" pickup switch. From the top of the guitar, these look identical to a Gibson-style toggle but the switch mechanism is inside a sheetmetal enclosure. These tend to be installed on lower end Asian-made guitars. This is the type your first diagram apparently shows, if you're looking for something that matches your picture. In my experience, these are not durable in the long term.

3) Mini-toggle switches. Use a much smaller hole than the Gibson type switch; switch handle is metal, switch body is hard plastic. If you want to install the pickup switch on your J-bass' control plate, the mini-toggle would be my choice because of it's smaller size.

 

[Rolling Thunder]

I would consider these if DPDT is what you need:

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Or

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[BAG]

Thanks for the replies folks.
Looks like I'll get myself a SPDT to keep things simple but the Carling linked by Rolling Thunder does look better than most.

As mentioned by @Alivefor5, here's a great resource for learning (see the sections dedicated to Switches) :
Guitar Wiring Diploma Course - Guitar Pickups, Bass Pickups, Pedals

I have started reading this stuff and will learn something from it, but as soon as they started on tone pots my mind is like "what?? how?? why??"
In saying that, I now have a better understanding of how the switch in a telecaster works.

 

[micguy]

A DPDT switch (2 switches operated by the same actuator) is preferred over a SPDT switch - you parallel the sections, so if one gets scratchy, the other one mitigates that for you.

 

[dwizum]

Mini toggle DPDT switches must be wired with both sets of contacts or else you won't get the intended result. For each set of three contacts, the center contact is common, and the top or bottom contacts are switched. On each side of the switch, one of the switched contacts remains connected to the common contact in two of the three on-on-on positions, and the other one is only connected in one of the three positions. The two sides of the switch are opposite in terms of which of the contacts is on in two of the three positions.

In other words, if you use a DPDT mini toggle switch, and you only wire to one set of contacts, you will never get both pickups on at the same time - you'll get one pickup in two of the three positions, and the other pickup in the third position.

In order for the switch to work correctly, you must put a jumper across each of the three pairs of contacts. Then, you wire it as it if was the single pole switch in your original diagram - hot to the pair of center contacts, and one pickup on each pair of end contacts.

Here's a diagram that shows which contacts are connected in which position:

If you were to wire this on only one set of contacts, i.e. 1-bridge pickup, 2-hot, and 3-neck pickup, with the switch centered, only the neck pickup would be on.

This is in contrast to how a SPDT on-on-on mini toggle works, where the center switch position causes the common terminal to be connected to BOTH of the switched terminals. I couldn't find a diagram for that quickly so I just scribbled on a segment of the above diagram:

 

[Supernaute]

Pardon me for resurrecting this old thread, but I had a question about this.

I'm using a 3 way switch like in the pic below, as a toggle for 2 pickups. Do these need to be grounded like a Gibson style toggle? My instinct tells me they should, but I'm not sure how. Any ideas?

 

[Matt Liebenau]

Pardon me for resurrecting this old thread, but I had a question about this.

I'm using a 3 way switch like in the pic below, as a toggle for 2 pickups. Do these need to be grounded like a Gibson style toggle? My instinct tells me they should, but I'm not sure how. Any ideas?





View attachment 5231577

There's not much to ground unless you want to put a washer over the threaded part of the switch and solder the ground to that. It probably won't change much but it won't hurt either.

 

[Supernaute]

There's not much to ground unless you want to put a washer over the threaded part of the switch and solder the ground to that. It probably won't change much but it won't hurt either.

Ok I had a feeling that was the case. This particular switch is mounted to an aluminum control plate so I guess it's fine. Thanks for the info.