How does a push push pot work?

[kingsxman]

I've always had push/pull pots. One source I want to use for an order (caps, resistors, etc) is only offereing a push push pot.

I take it you push it and it goes to single coil...push it again and its back to humbucker (for my purposes). Does the pot "stick up" or anything to tell you what state its in?

 

[GuitslingerTim]

Here's link to answer all of your questions on wiring:

http://www.stewmac.com/cgi-bin/haze...000&s1=Free_info_sheets&item=freeinfo/fi.html

Here's a link to a tutorial on Push/pull pots:

http://www.stewmac.com/cgi-bin/haze...G=7&s1=Free_info_sheets&item=freeinfo/fi.html

 

[RvChevron]

Originally posted by kingsxman
I've always had push/pull pots. One source I want to use for an order (caps, resistors, etc) is only offereing a push push pot.

I take it you push it and it goes to single coil...push it again and its back to humbucker (for my purposes). Does the pot "stick up" or anything to tell you what state its in?

Yes, a push/push is a spring loaded switch works much like the push/pull.

You push it, the shaft goes back down like the "push down" mode of a push/pull.

You push it again, the shaft goes up like the "pull-up" mode of a
push/pull.

Each time you push it, you can feel a "click" which is the spring loaded mechnism working to either keep the pot shaft down or up.

It's a much faster action to activate the switch then the push/pull.

 

[kingsxman]

Cool. THanks guys. I guess a push push is a good way to go then.

THanks

 

[Chiba]

Don't know if it's too late or not, but I'd stick with the push-pull. I bought a whole batch of push-push pots to use and - to a unit - they all sucked. Most of them broke within a couple weeks of installation, but some didn't even last that long.

Electronically they were fine. Mechanically, they sucked.

--chiba

 

[Clorenzo]

The ones I've tried are these: http://www.warmoth.com/hardware/parts/parts.cfm?fuseaction=include_potentiometers On one of them I used the tag at the bottom as my star-ground point for convenience and the heat of the soldering iron screwed up the mechanism. I have another one on my PRS because with the Gibson type knobs it's easier to switch a push/push than a push/pull, but over time the "click" is becoming less and less positive, I suspect I'll have to replace it soon and either live with a push/pull or go back to the original pot, rethink the whole wiring and stick with 5 coil combinations rather than the 7 I have now.

 

[kingsxman]

Thanks for the advice. I already have ordered a push push pot however. I hope it holds up. I purchased it from the Tube Store.

 

[RvChevron]

Becareful when you solder the ground contact. I have screwed up the mechanism on a push/pull pot myself.

At least two layers of foil at the back of pickguard or cavity. With a wire wrap around the shaft of the pot, solder that wire to ground instead of the back of the switch. That should give you a good contact for ground without having the soldering iron touching the push/push switch.

The ones that I've been using were made by Yamaha bought from Warmoth some years ago and they've been working just fine.

The push/pull switch on the Yamaha were the same sold by Acme and used by Tyler guitars. I think they are made by Alpha.

I've bought some real cheesy ones form allparts which I didn't even bother using them after I see how tiny they are.
!

Just like with all other things, some are dogs and some are champs.

Goodluck!

 

[Lex Luthier]

Most of the push pulls and push push pots are garbage. CTS works good just for coil tapping a pickup.

 

[kingsxman]

Here's the place I bought the push push pot. I havent got it yet but expect it this week. It'll be 2 weeks before I can put it in as I'm waiting for pickups also and going fishing for a week in between. Good advice on the soldering.


http://www.tubesandmore.com/
(go to the potentiometers section)