Guide · Guitar electronics

The Push-Push Pot Guide

How a push-push 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

Click for a coil split, click again for the full humbucker: a push-push pot hides a switch inside a knob you already have. Press the knob to change sounds, press again to change back, and your guitar still looks stock.

This guide explains how a push-push 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-push pot is

A push-push 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. Press the knob and it clicks like a ballpoint pen: the shaft pops up and the switch flips. Press again and it latches back down. Your knob setting doesn't move.

  • No extra holes: it replaces a pot you already have, so the guitar looks stock.
  • Two sounds per knob: one sound in position 1, another in position 2.
  • One press to switch: no pulling. Press to pop the knob up, press again to latch it down, so it's quick to use mid-song.
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. In position 1 the shaft is latched down and each common connects to the bottom row of lugs. Press the knob and the shaft pops up: the switch moves to position 2, connecting each common to the top row. Press again and the shaft latches back down into position 1.

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

Animation: an index finger presses the push-push pot knob. The first press makes the shaft pop up and connects the middle lugs to the top row. The next press pushes the shaft back down and connects them to the bottom row. SIDE VIEW THE SWITCH INSIDE POLE 1 POLE 2 TOP TOP COMMON COMMON BOTTOM BOTTOM
Press once: the shaft pops up and the middle lugs connect to the top row. Press again: it latches down and they connect to the bottom row.
Chapter 03 · Know the parts

Anatomy of a push-push pot

Anatomy of a push-push 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: top, common and bottom. Split knurled shaft press to switch Threaded bushing mounts the pot Pot lugs 1 · 2 · 3 DPDT switch six lugs SWITCH LUGS seen from the back TOP COMMON BOTTOM 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, one press at a time.
Common lugs
The middle row. Each one connects to the row above or below it.
Shaft
Split knurled. Press it to flip the switch. It pops up in position 2 and latches down in position 1.
Height
Taller than a standard pot because of the switch. Check your cavity depth.
Chapter 04 · Before you wire

Reading the switch

Every push-push wiring is built on one rule: the middle lug of each pole connects to one of its neighbours, and each press swaps which one.

Push-push pot switch positions. Position 1: the middle and bottom lugs are active and connected. Position 2: the top and middle lugs are active and connected. The shaft sits down in position 1 and pops up in position 2. POSITION 1 common + bottom POSITION 2 common + top White lugs are inactive. Colored lugs are active. They are internally connected to other lugs of the same color.
Position 1: shaft down, the middle and bottom lugs connect. Position 2: shaft up, the top and middle lugs connect.
SwitchPole 1Pole 2
Position 1Common ↔ bottomCommon ↔ bottom
Position 2Common ↔ topCommon ↔ top
Check with a multimeter

Switch layouts can differ between brands. Before soldering, set your meter to continuity and, with the shaft down, find which lugs beep with the middle ones. Press the knob so the shaft pops up 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 press. In position 2 the link between the two coils is grounded, 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-push pot. Black lead to pot lug 3. Red and white leads to the common lug of pole 2. The top lug of pole 2, green and bare are joined and grounded to the pot casing. Lug 1 to ground, lug 2 to the jack hot. Position 1 gives the full humbucker, position 2 a single coil. 1 2 3 TOP TOP COM COM BOTTOM BOTTOM HUMBUCKER TO JACK hot terminal Blue lugs: pole 1 Black lugs: pole 2 Top · middle (common) · bottom Each press flips top ↔ bottom WIRE KEY Black: north start White: north finish Red: south finish Green: south start Bare: shield, ground Position 1: full humbucker · Position 2: single coil
Coil split: red and white go to the common lug of pole 2. Its top 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 top 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-push pot. Black to the top lug of pole 2, jumpered to pot lug 3. White to the common of pole 2. Red to the bottom lug of pole 2, jumpered to the common of pole 1. The top lug of pole 1 to ground. Green and bare to the casing. Position 1 puts the coils in series, position 2 in parallel. TOP TOP COM COM BOTTOM BOTTOM HUMBUCKER TO JACK hot terminal Blue lugs: pole 1 Black lugs: pole 2 Top · middle (common) · bottom Each press flips top ↔ bottom WIRE KEY Black: north start White: north finish Red: south finish Green: south start Yellow: hot jumper Position 1: series (full humbucker) · Position 2: parallel 1 2 3
Series/parallel: position 1 puts the coils in series, position 2 in parallel.
  1. Black leadGoes to the top 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 bottom lug of pole 2. Run a jumper from that lug to the common lug of pole 1.
  4. Pole 1 top 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

In position 2 the switch 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-push pot. Red and white are soldered together and taped. Green to the common of pole 1, black to the common of pole 2. Pole 1 top and pole 2 bottom go to pot lug 3. Pole 2 top and pole 1 bottom go to ground. Position 2 swaps the pickup's hot and ground, putting it out of phase. TOP TOP COM COM BOTTOM BOTTOM HUMBUCKER Red + white: solder together and tape TO JACK hot terminal Blue lugs: pole 1 Black lugs: pole 2 Top · middle (common) · bottom Each press flips top ↔ bottom WIRE KEY Black: north start Green: south start Bare: shield, ground Yellow: hot jumper Black jumper: ground Position 1: in phase · Position 2: out of phase 1 2 3
Phase reverse: in position 2 the two poles cross the pickup's hot and ground leads.
  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 top and pole 2 bottomJoin them with a jumper and run it to pot lug 3 (hot).
  4. Pole 2 top and pole 1 bottomJoin 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. Pick your home position. Wire your main sound to position 1, with the shaft latched down. The knob then sits at normal height most of the time and only pops up for your second sound.
  3. Check your cavity depth. A push-push pot is taller than a standard pot, so make sure it fits before you start.
  4. Use thin, pre-tinned wire. The switch lugs are small and close together. Thin wire keeps your joints neat and avoids shorts.
  5. Be quick with the iron. Too much heat can melt the switch's plastic housing. Tin the wire, touch the lug, and move on.
  6. Test before you close up. Plug in, play, and press the knob a few times. The sound should change with every press.

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-push 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. Press the knob and the shaft pops up, flipping the switch. Press it again and it latches back down, so one knob gives you two sounds.

How is a push-push pot different from a push-pull pot?

Both use the same kind of DPDT switch and wire up the same way. A push-pull pot is switched by pulling the knob up and pushing it down. A push-push pot is switched by pressing the knob: one press pops it up, the next press latches it back down. You never have to pull on the knob.

How do I know which position the switch is in?

Look at the knob. In position 1 the shaft is latched down. In position 2 it pops up and sits higher, so you can see and feel which sound you're on.

Does a push-push 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.

Is a push-push pot the same as a kill pot?

No. A kill pot is momentary: it only acts while you hold the knob down. A push-push pot latches: each press flips the switch and it stays there until you press again.

Will a push-push pot fit my guitar?

Usually, but a push-push 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.

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-push pot, or ask us about a custom wiring layout.

Ready for more sounds?

Two sounds, one click

Shop push-push 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 push-pull and kill pot guides, or request a custom diagram.