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How to Wire a Push-Pull Potentiometer

A push-pull potentiometer is and electrical component used in guitars as an alternative to standard potentiometers used for the volume and tone controls. It is a combination of a potentiometer and an on/on double-pole/double-throw switch, which is activated by pulling the potentiometer upwards. A common method is to wire the push-pull potentiometer so that it serves as both a volume and a tone control, depending on whether it is pushed down or up.

Things You'll Need

Soldering iron
Solder
Wiring
.020 - .050 micro farad capacitor

Instructions

- 1
  Hold the potentiometer with the pins facing in front of you. There are three pins along the top, then three pairs of pins moving down the component. For reference, the top three will be labelled A, B and C, and the three pairs will be labelled one to six, from left to right. The layout is like this:
  
  A B C
  1 2
  3 4
  5 6
- 2
  Use the wiring to connect the following pins together by wrapping a bare section of wire around the pin:
  
  A connects to 3.
  B connects to 2.
  C connects to 6.
  
  Be careful that the wire touches no pins other than the ones indicated.
- 3
  Connect the capacitor to pins one and five, again by just wrapping the wires.
- 4
  Connect the hot lead from the pickup you want the potentiometer to control, or from the selection switch if your guitar has one of these, to B.
- 5
  Connect four to the hot connector on the output jack, usually marked in red or with a ̶0;+̶1; sign.
- 6
  Plug in the guitar and test the potentiometer. Lift the control knob up, and it should control the tone. Push it down, and it should control volume. If it does not work, ensure all connections have been made to the right places, and that no loose wire is touching any connector that it should not.
- 7
  Plug in the soldering iron and let it heat up. After a few minutes, hold the iron to one of the connections for a few seconds. Then press some solder against the heated connection. It will melt, then use the iron to shape it around the pin, to make a secure connection. Repeat for all pins.

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