Bright/Dark/Bridged Input with One jack and One Toggle?

[jhaas]

I've built a few 5e3 amps with one input jack and two mini-toggles used to select between the bright channel, normal channel or both (bridged).

I've used one DPDT toggle and one SPDT toggle as per the attached schematic.

I'd like to reduce it down to one jack and DPDT center-off toggle if possible, but after lots of doodling and head scratching, I don't think there is a way.

Anyone have a creative solution I may be overlooking?

[Firestorm]

You want to switch three "circuits" with only two poles. No, that should not be possible.

God, I hate switches!

[M Fowler]

Ask colossal he is a wiz at switches.

Look at his 3 way bright switch as an example.

[Dr-Joned]

Don't think it's possible because you have 4 combinations:

Single/Normal
Single/Bright
Bridged/Normal
Bridged/Bright

You could do it with a rotary switch.

[Zippy]

Why not just leave it bridged and adjust the mix with your volume controls?

No switch!

[LOUDthud]

What you need is called an ON-ON-ON switch. (The more common center off switch is called ON-OFF-ON.) You can find them at most industrial parts suppliers like Mouser, Allied, Newark etc. It will accomplish the same thing as the pickup switch on a Les Paul, except in reverse. It will allow you to get channel 1 alone, channel 2 alone, or Both channels.

[Firestorm]

What you need is called an ON-ON-ON switch. (The more common center off switch is called ON-OFF-ON.) You can find them at most industrial parts suppliers like Mouser, Allied, Newark etc. It will accomplish the same thing as the pickup switch on a Les Paul, except in reverse. It will allow you to get channel 1 alone, channel 2 alone, or Both channels.

Use 'em all the time for power/standby. Still only two poles.

[HeeBGB]

What about a Telecaster 3-way pickup selector switch? Not your run of the mill amp install but it could work

[jhaas]

Thanks for the suggestions. I'll look into the ON-ON-ON switch. The reason I don't want to omit the toggle and go with both on all the time is so I can maintain the 5E3 quirk where you can turn the off channel's volume up to 9 or 10 to clean up the channel that's on. If it were a plexi build, for example, I wouldn't bother with the toggles.

Thanks again,

John

[Reeltarded]

Just use one channel and a switch that dumps signal at the mixer.

Ten ways to skin a cat. Meouch.

[JazzGuitarGimp]

As Dr-Joned pointed out, two 2-pisition toggle switches gives you four options. You're not going to be able to do that with a 3-position switch, not even an ON-ON-ON 3-position switch.

[jhaas]

OK, I think I cracked it...kinda, See attached. The only problem is the grid connected to lug 4 isn't grounded when the switch is in the "Down" position.

Edit: Uploaded a new version, I removed the manufacturer's recommended "external connection" and came up with a way to ground the unused channel in both cases. Anyone see a problem with this?

[martin manning]

Looks good! The thing that was confusing is that one of the four combinations available in your original two-switch arrangement is redundant.

[JazzGuitarGimp]

Looks good! The thing that was confusing is that one of the four combinations available in your two-switch arrangement is redundant.

Which two, Martin?

[martin manning]

Bridged/normal and bridged/bright... Bridged is bridged, right?