Guide · Guitar electronics

The Push-Pull Pot Guide

How a push-pull pot works, how to read its six switch lugs, and how to wire a coil split, series/parallel and phase reverse.

By Montances Guitar Wiring7 min readWiring guide

Coil splits, series/parallel, phase flips: a push-pull pot hides a switch inside a knob you already have. Pull the knob up for one sound, push it down for another, and your guitar still looks stock.

This guide explains how a push-pull pot works, how to read its six switch lugs, and how to wire the three most popular mods, with a clear diagram for each.

Chapter 01 · The basics

What a push-pull pot is

A push-pull pot is a regular potentiometer with a small DPDT (double pole, double throw) switch on its back. Turn the knob and it works as your volume or tone control. Pull the knob up or push it down and the switch flips, without moving your knob setting.

  • No extra holes: it replaces a pot you already have, so the guitar looks stock.
  • Two sounds per knob: one sound with the knob down, another with it pulled up.
  • Stays where you leave it: unlike a kill pot, the switch latches, so it holds its position until you push or pull again.
Chapter 02 · See it in action

How it works

The switch has two poles, and each pole has three lugs. The middle lug of each pole is the common. Push the knob down and each common connects to the lug at the far end of the switch. Pull the knob up and each common connects to the lug nearest the pot.

The two poles switch at the same time but never touch each other, so you can switch two separate connections with one pull.

Animation: the thumb and index finger pinch the knob and pull it up, then the index finger presses it back down. Pushed down, the middle lugs of both poles connect to the bottom row. Pulled up, they connect to the top row, nearest the pot. SIDE VIEW THE SWITCH INSIDE POLE 1 POLE 2 UP UP COMMON COMMON DOWN DOWN
Pushed down, the middle lugs connect to the bottom row. Pulled up, they connect to the top row, nearest the pot.
Chapter 03 · Know the parts

Anatomy of a push-pull pot

Anatomy of a push-pull pot: split knurled shaft, threaded bushing, the pot with lugs 1, 2 and 3, and the DPDT switch on the back. Seen from the back the switch has six lugs in two columns, one per pole, and three rows: up, common and down. Split knurled shaft pull up · push down Threaded bushing mounts the pot Pot lugs 1 · 2 · 3 DPDT switch six lugs SWITCH LUGS seen from the back UP COMMON DOWN 1 2 Columns 1 and 2 are the two poles. Each pole works on its own.
The pot on top works like any standard pot. The DPDT switch on the back has six lugs: two poles of three.
Pot lugs 1 · 2 · 3
Wire these exactly like a standard volume or tone pot.
Switch
DPDT, on-on. Two poles that switch together.
Common lugs
The middle row. Each one connects to the row above or below it.
Shaft
Split knurled. Pull it up or push it down to flip the switch.
Height
Taller than a standard pot because of the switch. Check your cavity depth.
Chapter 04 · Before you wire

Reading the switch

Every push-pull wiring is built on one rule: the middle lug of each pole connects to one of its neighbours, depending on the knob position.

Push-pull pot switch positions. Pushed down: the middle and bottom lugs are active and connected. Pulled up: the top and middle lugs are active and connected. PUSH (DOWN) POSITION PULL (UP) POSITION White lugs are inactive. Colored lugs are active. They are internally connected to other lugs of the same color.
Pushed down, the middle and bottom lugs connect. Pulled up, the top and middle lugs connect.
KnobPole 1Pole 2
Pushed downCommon ↔ bottomCommon ↔ bottom
Pulled upCommon ↔ topCommon ↔ top
Check with a multimeter

Switch layouts can differ between brands. Before soldering, set your meter to continuity, pull the knob up and find which lugs beep with the middle ones. Then push it down and check again.

About the wire colours

Our diagrams use Seymour Duncan colours: black = north start, white = north finish, red = south finish, green = south start, bare = ground. Other brands use different colours, so match each lead by function using your pickup's colour chart.

Chapter 05 · Mod 01

Coil split

Turn a humbucker into a single coil with one pull. Pulling the knob up grounds the link between the two coils, so only one coil plays. You get a brighter, thinner single-coil sound. Like any single coil, it will pick up some hum.

01Wiring

Coil split wiring on a push-pull pot, side view. Black lead to pot lug 3. Red and white leads to the common lug of pole 2. The up lug of pole 2 goes to the pot casing (ground), as do green and bare. Lug 1 to ground, lug 2 to the jack hot. Pushed down gives the full humbucker, pulled up gives a single coil. 1 2 3 UP UP COM COM DOWN DOWN HUMBUCKER TO JACK hot terminal Blue lugs: pole 1 Black lugs: pole 2 Top row: up · middle: common Bottom row: down WIRE KEY Black: north start White: north finish Red: south finish Green: south start Bare: shield, ground Pushed down: full humbucker · Pulled up: single coil
Coil split: red and white go to the common lug of pole 2. Its up lug goes to ground with green and bare.
  1. Black leadGoes to pot lug 3, as on a standard volume pot.
  2. Red and white leadsSolder both to the common (middle) lug of pole 2.
  3. Pole 2 up lug, green and bareSolder them together and run a short ground wire to the pot casing.
  4. Pot lugsLug 1 goes to ground and lug 2 to the jack's hot terminal.
Chapter 06 · Mod 02

Series / parallel

A humbucker's two coils are normally wired in series for a full, thick sound. Switching them to parallel gives a brighter, lower-output tone that stays hum-cancelling, because both coils still play. This mod uses both poles of the switch.

01Wiring

Series and parallel wiring on a push-pull pot, side view. Black to the up lug of pole 2, jumpered to pot lug 3. White to the common of pole 2. Red to the down lug of pole 2, jumpered to the common of pole 1. The up lug of pole 1 to ground. Green and bare to the casing. Pushed down the coils are in series, pulled up they are in parallel. UP UP COM COM DOWN DOWN HUMBUCKER TO JACK hot terminal Blue lugs: pole 1 Black lugs: pole 2 Top row: up · middle: common Bottom row: down WIRE KEY Black: north start White: north finish Red: south finish Green: south start Yellow: hot jumper Pushed down: series (full humbucker) · Pulled up: parallel 1 2 3
Series/parallel: pushed down the coils are in series, pulled up they are in parallel.
  1. Black leadGoes to the up lug of pole 2. Run a jumper from that lug to pot lug 3.
  2. White leadGoes to the common (middle) lug of pole 2.
  3. Red leadGoes to the down lug of pole 2. Run a jumper from that lug to the common lug of pole 1.
  4. Pole 1 up lugGoes to the pot casing (ground).
  5. Green, bare and pot lugsGreen and bare go to the pot casing. Lug 1 goes to ground and lug 2 to the jack's hot terminal.
Chapter 07 · Mod 03

Phase reverse

Pulling the knob up swaps a pickup's hot and ground leads, putting it out of phase with your other pickup. You'll hear it with both pickups on: a thin, hollow, nasal tone. On its own, the pickup sounds the same either way.

01Wiring

Phase reverse wiring on a push-pull pot, side view. Red and white are soldered together and taped. Green to the common of pole 1, black to the common of pole 2. Pole 1 up and pole 2 down are joined and go to pot lug 3. Pole 1 down and pole 2 up are joined and go to ground. Pulling the knob up swaps the pickup's hot and ground, putting it out of phase. UP UP COM COM DOWN DOWN HUMBUCKER Red + white: solder together and tape TO JACK hot terminal Blue lugs: pole 1 Black lugs: pole 2 Top row: up · middle: common Bottom row: down WIRE KEY Black: north start Green: south start Bare: shield, ground Yellow: hot jumper Black jumper: ground Pushed down: in phase · Pulled up: out of phase 1 2 3
Phase reverse: the two poles cross the pickup's hot and ground leads when the knob is pulled up.
  1. Red and white leadsSolder them together and tape the joint. They connect to nothing else.
  2. Green and black leadsGreen goes to the common lug of pole 1, black to the common lug of pole 2.
  3. Pole 1 up and pole 2 downJoin them with a jumper and run it to pot lug 3 (hot).
  4. Pole 2 up and pole 1 downJoin them with a jumper and run it to the pot casing (ground).
  5. Bare and pot lugsBare goes to the pot casing. Lug 1 goes to ground and lug 2 to the jack's hot terminal.
Needs a 4-conductor pickup

Phase reverse only works if the pickup's ground is a separate lead from its shield. Single-conductor pickups with a braided shield can't be phase-switched this way.

Chapter 08 · Before you solder

Install tips

  1. Check the switch first. Use a multimeter to confirm which lugs connect in each position before you solder anything.
  2. Check your cavity depth. A push-pull pot is taller than a standard pot, so make sure it fits before you start.
  3. Use thin, pre-tinned wire. The switch lugs are small and close together. Thin wire keeps your joints neat and avoids shorts.
  4. Be quick with the iron. Too much heat can melt the switch's plastic housing. Tin the wire, touch the lug, and move on.
  5. Test before you close up. Plug in, play, and pull the knob a few times. The sound should change cleanly in both positions.

Rather not solder? Choose our pre-wired solderless kits, or let us do it with our wiring services.

Help

Frequently asked questions

What does a push-pull pot do?

It's a normal volume or tone pot with a DPDT switch built in. Turn the knob to use the pot as usual. Pull the knob up or push it down to flip the switch, so one knob gives you two sounds.

Does a push-pull pot change my tone?

No. The pot works like any standard pot of the same value and taper. Your sound only changes when the switch is wired to do something, like a coil split.

What's the difference between push-pull, push-push and kill pots?

A push-pull pot is switched by pulling the knob up and pushing it down, and it stays where you leave it. A push-push pot toggles each time you press the knob. A kill pot is momentary: it only acts while you hold the knob down.

Which lugs connect when the knob is pulled up?

The middle lug of each pole is the common. Pushed down, it connects to the lug at the far end of the switch. Pulled up, it connects to the lug nearest the pot. Confirm this with a multimeter before soldering, as some brands differ.

Will a push-pull pot fit my guitar?

Usually, but a push-pull pot is taller than a standard pot because of the switch on the back. Check that your control cavity is deep enough before you buy.

What knob do I need for a push-pull pot?

Use a knob that grips the shaft firmly, since you'll be pulling on it. A loose knob can slide off instead of lifting the shaft.

Can I do a coil split and series/parallel on one pot?

Not with one DPDT switch, since each mod needs its own switching. Use a second push-pull pot, or ask us about a custom wiring layout.

Ready for more sounds?

Two sounds from one knob

Shop push-pull pots, or send us a photo of your wiring and we'll tell you exactly how to fit one.

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More switching ideas: see our kill pot and push-push pot guides, or request a custom diagram.