How to wire/connect a 3 Way Rotary Pickup Selector Switch

[Chasjazz]

Hello, PLEASE  PLEASE...can anyone tell me how to connect a 3 way Rotary Selector Switch in my Fender

Jazzmaster.  I want to replace the 3 way toggle switch ASAP !

 

Please send me a diagram or instructions in as simple a form as possible, I'm no rocket scientist, ha! ha!

 

I have a 3 way rotary switch that I bought from Pickers Parts:  12 terminal/lugs around the backside edge and 4 terminal/lugs centered around the switch's back side as well.

 

peace & kindness

 

[Quarter]

"12 terminal/lugs around the backside edge and 4 terminal/lugs centered"

You are most of the way to figuring it out yourself. What you bought is a 3 position 4 pole switch. That means that the grouping is that 1 of the 4 center lugs controls a group of 3 of the outer lugs, (3 x 4 = 12). Knowing that, you can take a multimeter / continuity tester and pin it out.

What I do is first mark out / divide / and label my switch with a fine tip sharpie. The below pic is a 4 position 3 pole switch, but should give you an idea of what I'm talking about. In my case, being a 3 pole, the 3 center lugs control groups of 4 on the outer ring. I first rotate the switch all the way counter clockwise as in my application that is position 1. Then with the multimeter you probe one center lug and go around the ring with the other probe to find the lug its connected to. Once found, I mark the outer lug #1 and mark the connected center lug with a letter, A B C D, etc. Then I do the same for the other center lugs finding their corresponding #1. Once all #1's are found, rotate the switch shaft 1 notch to the next position and go through the same above process and find lug A's #2, lug B's #2, etc, etc. Rotate the shaft one notch and find all the 3's, then in your case, once again for the 4"s.

Now that you have a switch all marked out, grab a piece of paper and draw a circle, cut the pie in 4, draw the lug layout for each section of pie. From there, its just a matter of connecting the dots. In your case with a simple 2 pickup 3 position switching, you only need to use half of the switch. Use 2 of the inner lugs for your pickup hot leads and use the outer lugs to connect out to the volume control. Again draw it out on paper and then just connect the dots. If the bridge is lug A, then section A's - #1 goes to the volume. If position #2 is both pickups combined, then section A and section B's - #2's go to the volume, that leaves position 3, the neck pickup, or if your following along, section B's - #3 to the volume.

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