Installing a Killswitch (a'la Tom Morello)

lais817 · 05-16-2006, 02:19 AM

Okay, I've been listening to heaps of Rage lately, and Tom's solo's and suff really float my boat, and, after getting myself a bass-whammy (you've no idea how hard it was to find one), a decent delay and so on, the only thing I'm missing is a toggle switch. I'm not stupid either, I know Tom plays guitar, and I play bass, but hey, I play his suff anyway.

K, my question is, and I've seen heaps and heaps of stuff on the net, and even a few forums on here dealing with the issue of installing a killswitch in your guitar/bass, but none of them help, with the exception of this one [URL="http://www.stinkfoot.se/andreas/diy/mods/killswitch.htm"]http://www.stinkfoot.se/andreas/diy/mods/killswitch.htm[/url].

The site above told me that all I had to do was route the signal going to the output jack through a switch which would bleed the signal out to ground, sort of like a volume pot does.

So I ripped my guitar apart first (a cheap strat copy, before I rip my bass apart) and got most of the way through it, but came up short when I noticed that there's infact two wires going out to the output jack. (Pictures coming soon)

So, does anybody know anything much about guitar electronics, and in particular, killswitches? Or just what to do with this wire(s)? If it helps, I've got a SPDT (Single Pot, Double Throw) switch [on, on] which has three lugs, On 1, Power In, and On 2. Any help is appreciated guys, and please, don't make me take this to the guitar forums *shudders*

Okay, this is the lead going from the volume pot to the output jack, sorry if the quality is bad, not much of a photographer...:

...and the other end of it...

Thanks in advance guys, and I know I'm not the only one looking for this....

AG · 05-16-2006, 04:28 AM

Cut the lead that is going to the output jack.

Attach the white wire of one end to the middle lug, the white wire of the other lug to the right hand lug.

Take the sheild from both ends and attach them to the left hand lug.

Done.

Akira · 05-16-2006, 05:57 AM

I'm curious, what does a killswitch actually do?

AG · 05-16-2006, 06:03 AM

It cuts the signal. Like instantly flicking between full and zero volume.

Usefull in general for stage stuff, where you can be silent in breaks and stuff. You can also use it for interesting rhythmical stuff, cutting out the sound in a certain pattern to create a riff. Like Tom Morello.

***semi*** · 05-16-2006, 06:04 AM

the way morello does it is actually he turns one pickup right down then uses the pickup selector switch to switch between the pickups.

lais817 · 05-16-2006, 06:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AG

Cut the lead that is going to the output jack.

Attach the white wire of one end to the middle lug, the white wire of the other lug to the right hand lug.

Take the sheild from both ends and attach them to the left hand lug.

Done.

Okay, which one is the sheild? The way I've been thinking I can do it is to attach the white directly from the volume pot to the "power-in" lug of the switch, and send it from the "Accesory 1/On 1" lug to the output jack, and send a wire from the "Accesory 2/On 2" lug to the trem unit to ground it. Here's the switch I'm using

I don't want to attach any grounds to the switch itself, because the whole thing is metal, and I've already been electrocuted welding, I don't want to do it again.

and Semi, I'm aware of what Tom does, but this is how I can replicate it on my guitar, and hopefully on my bass as well

Az_Holl · 05-16-2006, 06:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lais817

Okay, which one is the sheild? The way I've been thinking I can do it is to attach the white directly from the volume pot to the "power-in" lug of the switch, and send it from the "Accesory 1/On 1" lug to the output jack, and send a wire from the "Accesory 2/On 2" lug to the trem unit to ground it. Here's the switch I'm using

I don't want to attach any grounds to the switch itself, because the whole thing is metal, and I've already been electrocuted welding, I don't want to do it again.

and Semi, I'm aware of what Tom does, but this is how I can replicate it on my guitar, and hopefully on my bass as well

Ive got a secret for you, you ground your bass to stop yourself from being electrocuted.

lais817 · 05-16-2006, 06:43 AM

hehe, thanks Atomicant, I know that, I'm just not totally sure if I have to ground the out-jack to the switch, or if I can just solder a wire from it to the volume pot, like it was before I put the switch in..... I think I can, but I'd like a bit of re-assurance first

Az_Holl · 05-16-2006, 06:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lais817

hehe, thanks Atomicant, I know that, I'm just not totally sure if I have to ground the out-jack to the switch, or if I can just solder a wire from it to the volume pot, like it was before I put the switch in..... I think I can, but I'd like a bit of re-assurance first

If the switch is in the circuit then it will be grounded

TheJarve · 05-16-2006, 06:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Atomicant

Ive got a secret for you, you ground your bass to stop yourself from being electrocuted.

just so's ya know, an internet forum is not the most discreet way of telling somebody a secret.

lais817 · 05-16-2006, 06:58 AM

sweet, I'm off to do it now then. I let you's know how it goes, and maybe post pics of it. oh and...... I've just remembered that my bass is active. I think I might need a different stratagey, yeah?

lais817 · 05-16-2006, 07:01 AM

and damn, is this turning into an aussie thread or sumink?

TheJarve · 05-16-2006, 07:03 AM

no, but we can pretend for the sake of the story!!!

mayt, bugger, bluddy hell

wanna vb?

Az_Holl · 05-16-2006, 07:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheJarve

no, but we can pretend for the sake of the story!!!

mayt, bugger, bluddy hell

wanna vb?

Fuck VB, get me some Tooheys Old!

Quote:

Originally Posted by lais817

sweet, I'm off to do it now then. I let you's know how it goes, and maybe post pics of it. oh and...... I've just remembered that my bass is active. I think I might need a different stratagey, yeah?

I dont think so, i should be the same.

d-basser · 05-16-2006, 07:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by semi

the way morello does it is actually he turns one pickup right down then uses the pickup selector switch to switch between the pickups.

no he dont, his soul power guitar at least has a kill switch fitted into the bottom horn, completely seperate from the selector switch

***semi*** · 05-16-2006, 07:54 AM

oh. i read he did it that way too with the pickups. maybe that was only with his old guitars?

AG · 05-16-2006, 07:59 AM

That's how he started doing it, I think. Then he put in a Killswitch.

lais817 · 05-16-2006, 08:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Atomicant

Fuck VB, get me some Tooheys Old!

I dont think so, i should be the same.

okay, firstly, fuck Tooheys Old, get some XXXX Gold into you my son! and secondly, I think its a bit different on an active system, because it's grounded to the battery or something. I dunno, I'll ask my mate, he's a 3rd year apprentice electrician, so he might know.

oh, and can we please keep the discussion of how morello does it out of this please? sorry to be a killjoy, but that has ruined every thread that I've ever read on this subject. on his "arm the homeless" axe, its the p-up selector, on "soul power", its a killswitch, okay?

so anywho, I've soldered everything together (nearly) and stupidly just realised I need to drill a hole in the pickguard for the switch

. Meh, I'll do it tomorrow morning before work. I'll post more pictures when it's done, and give yous a report on the sound. till then.... long live the Gold!!!

***semi*** · 05-16-2006, 08:49 AM

sorry. and thanks for clearing it up.

lais817 · 05-16-2006, 08:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by semi

sorry. and thanks for clearing it up.

thats okay, just don't do it again

05-16-2006, 02:19 AM	#1
lais817 .:a bigger stick:. Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: NT, Aus Posts: 383	Installing a Killswitch (a'la Tom Morello) Okay, I've been listening to heaps of Rage lately, and Tom's solo's and suff really float my boat, and, after getting myself a bass-whammy (you've no idea how hard it was to find one), a decent delay and so on, the only thing I'm missing is a toggle switch. I'm not stupid either, I know Tom plays guitar, and I play bass, but hey, I play his suff anyway. K, my question is, and I've seen heaps and heaps of stuff on the net, and even a few forums on here dealing with the issue of installing a killswitch in your guitar/bass, but none of them help, with the exception of this one [URL="http://www.stinkfoot.se/andreas/diy/mods/killswitch.htm"]http://www.stinkfoot.se/andreas/diy/mods/killswitch.htm[/url]. The site above told me that all I had to do was route the signal going to the output jack through a switch which would bleed the signal out to ground, sort of like a volume pot does. So I ripped my guitar apart first (a cheap strat copy, before I rip my bass apart) and got most of the way through it, but came up short when I noticed that there's infact two wires going out to the output jack. (Pictures coming soon) So, does anybody know anything much about guitar electronics, and in particular, killswitches? Or just what to do with this wire(s)? If it helps, I've got a SPDT (Single Pot, Double Throw) switch [on, on] which has three lugs, On 1, Power In, and On 2. Any help is appreciated guys, and please, don't make me take this to the guitar forums shudders Okay, this is the lead going from the volume pot to the output jack, sorry if the quality is bad, not much of a photographer...: ...and the other end of it... Thanks in advance guys, and I know I'm not the only one looking for this.... Last edited by lais817; 05-16-2006 at 03:41 AM.

05-16-2006, 04:28 AM	#2
AG AG sucks. Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: England, North East Posts: 18,057	Cut the lead that is going to the output jack. Attach the white wire of one end to the middle lug, the white wire of the other lug to the right hand lug. Take the sheild from both ends and attach them to the left hand lug. Done. Last edited by AG; 05-16-2006 at 04:31 AM.

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05-16-2006, 05:57 AM	#3
Akira MX Conklin Club Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 19,229	I'm curious, what does a killswitch actually do?

05-16-2006, 06:03 AM	#4
AG AG sucks. Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: England, North East Posts: 18,057	It cuts the signal. Like instantly flicking between full and zero volume. Usefull in general for stage stuff, where you can be silent in breaks and stuff. You can also use it for interesting rhythmical stuff, cutting out the sound in a certain pattern to create a riff. Like Tom Morello.

05-16-2006, 06:04 AM	#5
*semi* ‪ Supermod Join Date: Dec 2005 Posts: 9,991	the way morello does it is actually he turns one pickup right down then uses the pickup selector switch to switch between the pickups.

05-16-2006, 06:43 AM	#8
lais817 .:a bigger stick:. Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: NT, Aus Posts: 383	hehe, thanks Atomicant, I know that, I'm just not totally sure if I have to ground the out-jack to the switch, or if I can just solder a wire from it to the volume pot, like it was before I put the switch in..... I think I can, but I'd like a bit of re-assurance first

05-16-2006, 06:58 AM	#11
lais817 .:a bigger stick:. Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: NT, Aus Posts: 383	sweet, I'm off to do it now then. I let you's know how it goes, and maybe post pics of it. oh and...... I've just remembered that my bass is active. I think I might need a different stratagey, yeah?

05-16-2006, 07:01 AM	#12
lais817 .:a bigger stick:. Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: NT, Aus Posts: 383	and damn, is this turning into an aussie thread or sumink?

05-16-2006, 07:03 AM	#13
TheJarve Registered User Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: ACT Australia Posts: 453	no, but we can pretend for the sake of the story!!! mayt, bugger, bluddy hell wanna vb?

05-16-2006, 07:54 AM	#16
*semi* ‪ Supermod Join Date: Dec 2005 Posts: 9,991	oh. i read he did it that way too with the pickups. maybe that was only with his old guitars?

05-16-2006, 07:59 AM	#17
AG AG sucks. Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: England, North East Posts: 18,057	That's how he started doing it, I think. Then he put in a Killswitch.

05-16-2006, 08:49 AM	#19
*semi* ‪ Supermod Join Date: Dec 2005 Posts: 9,991	sorry. and thanks for clearing it up.