Guide · Guitar electronics

The Shadow Kill Pot Guide

How a kill pot works, what lugs A and B do, and how to wire one as a volume or tone control.

By Montances Guitar Wiring6 min readWiring guide

Tom Morello-style stutters, machine-gun rhythms, instant silence between riffs: a kill switch lets you cut your signal on demand. A Shadow kill pot hides that switch inside a normal volume or tone pot, so you get the effect without drilling a single new hole.

This guide explains how a kill pot works, what its extra lugs do, and how to wire it as a volume or tone control, with clear diagrams for each setup.

Chapter 01 · The basics

What a kill pot is

A kill pot is a regular potentiometer with a momentary push switch built in. The pot still works as your volume or tone control when you turn it. Hold the knob down and your signal cuts out. Let go and your sound comes straight back.

  • No extra holes: it replaces a pot you already have, so the guitar looks stock.
  • Turn and press: the pot and the kill switch work independently, so your knob settings stay where you left them.
  • Momentary action: the guitar is silent only while you hold the knob down, which makes fast, rhythmic stutters easy.
Chapter 02 · See it in action

How it works

On the back of the pot is a small switch with two lugs, marked A and B. A and B are open (not connected) while the knob is at rest, so your signal passes through. Hold the knob down and A and B connect, shorting your signal to ground until you let go.

Animation: at rest lugs A and B are open and the signal passes; holding the shaft down connects A and B, shorting the signal to ground so the guitar goes silent until the knob is released
At rest, A and B are open and your signal passes. Hold the knob down and A and B connect, shorting the signal to ground, so the guitar goes silent.
Knob released
A and B are open. Your signal passes normally and the guitar plays as usual.
Knob held down
A and B connect. The signal is shorted to ground and the guitar goes silent until you let go.
Chapter 03 · Know the parts

Anatomy of a kill pot

From the back, a kill pot looks like a standard pot with an extra switch housing mounted on top.

Anatomy of a kill pot seen from the back: steel can, mounting holes, kill switch housing with lugs A and B, and three pot lugs A B Mounting holes Hold the switch to the pot Steel can Ground wires solder here Kill switch housing Momentary switch inside Pot body Works like a standard pot Switch lugs A & B Open at rest, closed when pressed Pot lugs Normal volume or tone pot
A kill pot from the back: a standard pot with a kill switch housing on top.
Pot lugs
The three normal lugs. Wire them exactly as you would any volume or tone pot.
Switch lugs A & B
The kill switch. One goes to ground, the other to the signal you want to cut.
Steel can
The pot's casing. Make sure it's connected to ground, like every pot in your guitar.
Chapter 04 · Planning

Volume or tone?

Because the switch is separate from the pot, you can put the kill on whichever knob suits your playing. Both positions kill the signal the same way.

On the volume pot

The most common choice

Best for
Fast stutters with your picking hand
Why
The volume knob is usually closest to the strings
Wiring
Switch across the signal lug and ground

On the tone pot

Keep the volume knob stock

Best for
Players who ride the volume knob
Why
Your volume swells stay untouched
Wiring
Switch from ground to the output signal
Choosing the pot value

Pick the same value and taper as the pot you're replacing: usually 250K for single-coils and 500K for humbuckers, both in audio taper. See our Potentiometer Guide for the full details.

Chapter 05 · Wiring

Wiring as a volume pot

The pot lugs are wired like any volume control. For the kill switch, connect A to the outer signal lug and B to the ground lug, with a jumper from B to the pot casing.

01Standard volume wiring

Signal in goes to the outer lug, and signal out goes from the middle lug to the output jack. This is the usual layout for most guitars.

Kill pot as a volume control, standard wiring: signal in on the outer lug, signal out on the middle lug, ground on the other outer lug; switch lug A to the signal lug and B to ground A B SIGNAL IN From pickup or selector switch SIGNAL OUT To output jack hot terminal GROUND To output jack ground terminal SEEN FROM THE BACK
Standard volume wiring with the kill switch.

02Reversed volume wiring

Signal in goes to the middle lug, and signal out leaves from the outer lug. This layout is common with dual-volume controls, such as a Jazz Bass or PJ Bass, and in 1950s Les Paul wiring.

Kill pot as a volume control, reversed wiring: signal out on the outer lug and signal in on the middle lug; switch lug A to the outer signal lug and B to ground SIGNAL OUT To output jack hot terminal SIGNAL IN From pickup or selector switch GROUND To output jack ground terminal SEEN FROM THE BACK A B
Reversed volume wiring with the kill switch.
Either way works

In both layouts, the switch connects the outer signal lug to ground, so the kill cuts your sound completely. Make sure the metal casing of the pot is connected to ground.

Chapter 06 · Wiring

Wiring as a tone pot

The tone pot is wired as normal: signal to the outer lug and the tone cap from the middle lug to ground. The kill switch runs separately, with A to ground and B to your output signal.

01Modern tone wiring

The tone pot takes its signal from the volume pot's input lug or the selector switch. This is the typical tone control wiring.

Modern tone wiring, seen from the back: the tone kill pot's signal wire goes to the volume pot's input lug, the same lug as the pickup wire; tone cap from the middle lug to ground, switch lug A to ground and B to the output jack hot A B SIGNAL OUT To output jack hot FROM PICKUP or selector switch TO JACK hot terminal Tone signal taken from the volume pot's INPUT lug TONE KILL POT VOLUME POT Both pots seen from the back TONE CAP V
Modern tone wiring with the kill switch.

021950s style tone wiring

The tone pot takes its signal from the volume pot's output (middle) lug instead. The kill switch is wired exactly the same.

1950s style tone wiring, seen from the back: the tone kill pot's signal wire goes to the volume pot's output (middle) lug; tone cap from the middle lug to ground, switch lug A to ground and B to the output jack hot A B TONE CAP V SIGNAL OUT To output jack hot FROM PICKUP or selector switch TO JACK hot terminal Tone signal taken from the volume pot's OUTPUT lug TONE KILL POT VOLUME POT Both pots seen from the back
1950s style tone wiring with the kill switch.
Where should B go?

We recommend running B to the volume pot's output lug or straight to the output jack's hot terminal. That way the kill cuts the final signal, so it works at any volume or tone setting.

Chapter 07 · Before you solder

Playing & install tips

  1. Test before you close up. Plug in, play, and press the knob a few times. The sound should cut while you hold it down and return the moment you let go.
  2. Silent all the time? Check that A and B are on the correct lugs and that no switch wire or bare lead is touching the casing or a ground lug.
  3. Kill doesn't work? Check both switch wires. One must reach ground and the other the signal. A cold solder joint on either will stop it working.
  4. Keep switch wires tidy. Use thin, insulated wire and keep it clear of other lugs, so nothing shorts against the casing.
  5. Practise with a metronome. Tap the knob in time over a sustained chord, starting with quarter notes, then move to eighths and sixteenths.

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 kill pot do?

It's a normal volume or tone pot with a built-in momentary push switch. Holding the knob down shorts the signal to ground, which mutes the guitar instantly. Let go and the sound comes back.

Does the kill stay on when I let go?

No. It's a momentary switch, so the guitar is silent only while you hold the knob down. Let go and your signal returns instantly.

Does a kill pot change my tone?

No. The pot works like any standard pot of the same value and taper, and the switch only acts while you hold the knob down.

Should I put the kill switch on the volume or tone pot?

Either works. The volume pot is usually closest to your picking hand, which makes fast stutters easier. Use the tone pot if you want to keep your volume knob stock.

What are lugs A and B for?

They are the two sides of the kill switch. They are open (not connected) while the knob is at rest. Holding the knob down connects them, which shorts the signal to ground and cuts the sound.

Why is my guitar silent after installing a kill pot?

Check that A and B are wired as shown, and that no switch wire or bare lead touches the casing or a ground lug. If the signal lug is shorted to ground, the guitar will be silent all the time.

Do I need to solder to install a kill pot?

Yes. If you'd rather not, choose our pre-wired solderless kits or let us do it with our wiring services.

Ready to add a kill switch?

Get stutter effects without new holes

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