Mini toggle switch question

I have a Telecaster Acoustasonic, which has a passive electric pickup in the neck, and a piezo in the bridge. They both run through a blender system which requires battery power. The annoying thing is that it's impossible to run the neck pickup alone without the battery connected, even though the pickup is passive. What I plan to do is to wire a second pickup directly to the jack via a mini toggle switch, so that I can either remove the pickup from the circuit when I'm using the blender setup, or switch it in so that I can use it as a standard electric guitar without the need for a battery.

Most of the mini toggles that I see for sale have at least 3 connectors, but all I need is something that is either on or off. Would it be a problem to use one of these 3 connector switches rather than a 2 connector one?
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Comments

  • FunkfingersFunkfingers Frets: 14324
    You need an on-on switch with a minimum of three terminals. (SPDT, DPDT et cetera.)

    The centre terminal takes the signal from the magnetic pickup. The other two terminals determine the destination of the signal - either through the buffer/blender pre-amp or direct to independent controls and a separate output jack socket.
    Be seeing you.
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  • victorludorumvictorludorum Frets: 999
    It'll be for a second pickup, independent of the original one that is in the blender circuit.
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  • ICBMICBM Frets: 71963
    The one with the odd wooden Tele bridge that covers the normal bridge pickup cavity? Or the older one with the Lace Sensor at the neck and a normal acoustic guitar bridge?

    If it's the second, don't fit another pickup and jack, they're quite a rare and unique guitar. All you need is a DPDT switch to bypass the preamp and send the neck pickup directly to the jack, and you can do that with a push-pull on one of the existing controls.

    If it's the first, fitting a standard bridge pickup fitted through the wooden plate might be possible, and you can still use the existing jack with a switch to bypass all the rest of the electrics.

    "Take these three items, some WD-40, a vise grip, and a roll of duct tape. Any man worth his salt can fix almost any problem with this stuff alone." - Walt Kowalski

    "Just because I don't care, doesn't mean I don't understand." - Homer Simpson

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  • victorludorumvictorludorum Frets: 999
    It's the wooden bridge model. I'll be putting the extra pickup in the neck and it's a Lace Dually, so it has 2 separate outputs. Routing out the bridge area is tricky, as it's hollow under there, so I thought the easier and safer option would be to enlarge the neck pickup rout to take a humbucker.
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  • victorludorumvictorludorum Frets: 999
    I've just learned something. What I'm looking to do is called a 'blower switch' I believe. You learn something new every day they say!
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  • ICBMICBM Frets: 71963
    I've just learned something. What I'm looking to do is called a 'blower switch' I believe. You learn something new every day they say!
    Exactly - you don’t need another pickup, just a switch to send the existing one straight to the jack.

    "Take these three items, some WD-40, a vise grip, and a roll of duct tape. Any man worth his salt can fix almost any problem with this stuff alone." - Walt Kowalski

    "Just because I don't care, doesn't mean I don't understand." - Homer Simpson

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  • victorludorumvictorludorum Frets: 999
    ICBM said:
    I've just learned something. What I'm looking to do is called a 'blower switch' I believe. You learn something new every day they say!
    Exactly - you don’t need another pickup, just a switch to send the existing one straight to the jack.
    Something like this?

    https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Switch-toggle-Positions-2-DPDT-ON-ON-2A-250VAC-5A-28VDC-IP67-C-K-7201SCWZBE/292712624864?hash=item44270832e0:g:2LgAAOSwQR9bj7Ok

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  • ICBMICBM Frets: 71963
    victorludorum said:

    Something like this?
    Yes. Although if the pots are not mounted on a PCB, you could also replace one of them with a push-pull and even avoid drilling a hole in it.

    "Take these three items, some WD-40, a vise grip, and a roll of duct tape. Any man worth his salt can fix almost any problem with this stuff alone." - Walt Kowalski

    "Just because I don't care, doesn't mean I don't understand." - Homer Simpson

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