The Amp Garage

I'm building a custom cabinet for a customer. We agreed on speaker switching, which I've employed a few times before, using a Switchcraft guitar style 3 way toggle. I understand those 3 way toggles, and can see how they work mechanically. The idea of the switch is to allow the guitarist to switch between speakers just as one would do for pickups - speaker A, or speaker B, or both. The customer decided that the Switchcraft guitar toggle would be too cumbersome, so I'm seeking alternatives. The rocker or slider style came to mind immediately. I am not at all familiar with the rocker style 3 way. I can see that there are on/off/on, and on/on/on... but I'm not certain whether it could be used in place of the guitar style toggle.

Can anyone here guide me to reference source material so I can see if/how a rocker can be used to switch between speakers, and to use for both? Or better yet, pamper me and show me a diagram that translates wiring from a 3 way toggle to a rocker or slider?

Another solution may be the Plug-n-Play brand input jack plate, but the customer already bought 16Ω speakers, and I'm afraid they won't be effective with that unit. If the speakers were 8Ω, yeah...

I envision using something like this fixed into a double jack plate next to a 1/4" phono plug



- or -



Here's an example of how I use the toggle for speaker switching - it's quite effective.




And here's a potential alternative, which would require some jack-play rather than flipping a switch. Unless I'm missing something, 16Ω speakers would double the values of everything printed on the plate - meaning 32Ω in mono. I don't know if they make a plate that considers 16Ω speakers...

Personally I'm not a switch guy for speakers - hard to see in low light - may just be my failing eyes. The other question I would have is having messed with switches in another hobby they used to come in two forms - make before break & break before make. I suspect the latter is the one for this application. The plug n play looks to be a good solution to me - I'd get a double jack plate and wire it mono / stereo.

Russ

If just switching between two speaker ohm choice such as 4 & 8 or 8 & 16 just use the same type of switch you would use for AC power switch DPDT 8 & 16 ohm speaker jack connections are made to the outside terminals and center lugs are used for incoming signal from OT. Or SPDT

I agree using a switch is not ideal. It could get flipped accidentally. Here's an alternative using three standard 1/4" mono jacks, two with switching contacts (Switchcraft 12A). You could use a generic two-hole jack plate and drill a third hole for the A//B mode.

Thanks for the feedback. The deal is done, however, and I'll use a mini-toggle - a DPDT on-on-on, which I think acts like the Switchcraft 3-way toggle.

A solution to avoid accidentally tripping the switch is to conceal the switch inside an acoustic guitar battery box. I tried to fit a short frame Switchcraft, and it fits alright... but there's not enough room for the toggle action to hold. So, I guess it doesn't truly fit. The size of the DPDT switch pic'd below will fit, and like the Switchcraft, I'll craft a bracket to hold it securely.

I just need to find a cross reference to translate wiring from the toggle I'm familiar with, to the DPDT. I'm simply not well versed on those kind of switches. I was hoping someone here is and could direct me to a diagram that cross references the wiring diagram of the old school guitar toggle to the lugs on the DPDT on-on-on switch. Maybe I'll look for an open view of the DPDT guts - I may be able to figure it out.

Here's the switch I ordered for this cabinet



This was my failed attempt to conceal a short-frame Switchcraft 3-way. The switch pic'd above will fit and allow full functionality of both the switch, and the swing away action of the compartment. The compartment is two parts. The frame on the left mounts into a panel. The compartment on the right - which I modified for this application - fits inside the frame and swings open to reveal a lid that opens exposing the switch.

The interior mounting bracket I made to fit:



The parts that make up the box:

on-on-on generally functions like this. Use your DMM to verify the connections on your switch.

Thanks, that's what I was looking for, and I can work with that! I'll be sure to verify the lugs on the switch when it arrives.