The Switchcraft Straight Toggle Guide
How the Switchcraft Straight Toggle works, how to read its lugs, and how each toggle position connects your pickups.
What the Switchcraft Straight Toggle is
The Switchcraft straight toggle is the classic American 3-way pickup selector, the switch found in Les Paul and SG-style guitars. It's made in the USA and built to take years of flipping.
Its contacts stand straight down from the bushing, which suits the deep switch cavity of a solid-body guitar.
- Type
- 3-way toggle, straight frame
- Poles
- 2, one per pickup
- Positions
- 3: rhythm, both, treble
- Lugs
- 5: two pickup, two output and one ground
- Made in
- USA
Reading the lugs
Inside, a 3-way toggle is two simple on/off switches side by side, one for each pickup. The toggle lever decides which of them is closed.
- Pickup lugs (A1 and B1). The two outer lugs on one side, one for each pickup.
- Ground lug (GND). The wider tab between the two pickup lugs. It connects to the switch frame.
- Common lugs (A0 and B0). The two lugs on the other side. They're usually bent together into one output connection.
How the three positions work
The bat rocks on a ball inside the bushing, so its inner end moves the opposite way to the tip. In the middle position both contacts are closed, so both pickups play together. Throw the toggle one way and the inner end pushes one outer contact blade away from its partner. Throw it the other way and the other contact opens.
| Position | Pole A (A0 to A1) | Pole B (B0 to B1) | Les Paul example |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 (up) | Closed | Open | Rhythm: neck pickup |
| 2 (middle) | Closed | Closed | Both pickups in parallel |
| 1 (down) | Open | Closed | Treble: bridge pickup |
Before you solder, check with a multimeter which pickup lug connects when the toggle is up. Wire your neck pickup to that lug and your bridge pickup to the other.
How it's wired in a Les Paul
- Pickup lugs from the volume potsEach pickup has its own volume pot. Run a wire from each volume pot's output to its pickup lug on the switch.
- Output lugs to the jackBend the two output lugs together, solder them, and run one wire to the output jack's hot terminal.
- Ground lug to the potsConnect the ground lug to the back of a pot so the switch frame is grounded.
Want a diagram for your exact setup? Request a custom diagram and we'll draw it for you.
Install tips
- Find the pairs first. Use a multimeter on continuity to see which lugs connect in each toggle position.
- Don't bend the contact blades. The springy contacts set how the switch feels and closes. Solder only to the lug ends.
- Be quick with the iron. Too much heat can soften the phenolic wafers. Tin the lug and wire first, then make each joint fast.
- Use shielded wire for long runs. The toggle often sits far from the controls. Shielded cable keeps hum down.
- Test before you close up. Tap each pickup with a screwdriver in all three positions.
Rather not solder? Choose our pre-wired solderless kits, or let us do it with our wiring services.
Frequently asked questions
What does each position of a 3-way toggle do?
Up is usually the neck pickup (rhythm), middle is both pickups together, and down is the bridge pickup (treble).
Which lugs are the outputs?
The two lugs on the row opposite the pickup lugs. They're normally bent together and soldered, then wired to the output jack.
What is the thicker lug for?
It's the ground lug. It connects to the switch frame, and you wire it to ground so the switch doesn't pick up noise.
How do I test the switch?
Set a multimeter to continuity. Touch the output lugs with one probe and each pickup lug with the other, and flip the toggle through all three positions.
Is the straight toggle different from a right-angle toggle?
Only in shape. Both switch the pickups the same way, but the right-angle version has its contacts turned sideways to fit a shallower cavity.
Get the right diagram for your switch
Tell us your switch, pickups and controls, and we'll draw a wiring diagram made for your guitar.
Request a diagramAsk us a questionMore switches: see our switch guide, or request a custom diagram.