Wiring a 3 position switch

[picker]

I recently got a double neck lap steel guitar. It didn't have a switch to go between the necks, they were both on all the time. Being a basic malcontent, I couldn't just leave it alone. I bought a switch and proceeded to cobble it up to the best of myt ability, which is not exensive. To put a little FYI in here, it is a three position switch, on-on-on, with six lugs. I wired the outout lead to the center lug on one side, and the two pickup leads to the outside lugs, all on one side. The three lugs on the other side are not hooked up to anything.
Now, in the forward position I get one neck, but in the middle position I only get one neck, and in the back position, I get the other neck. I really wanted to get both necks in the center position. 
My fading memory seems to recall a wiring diagram where the two center lugs were wired together and to the output, the pickup leads were wired to opposite sides and ends. IS that what I need to do to get what I'm looking for?

[desertbluesman]

Go to the switch manufacturers website, and they should give you a wiring diagram. That is  my best advice, There may be more experienced folks that have better advice.

 

[KuruPrionz]

Use both sides of the switch and join the middle lugs with a wire. 

[desertbluesman]

Another option would be to use 3 mini off on switches which is exactly what I do when I do 3 pickup wiring like on a strat similar to the ones on the link below.

 

https://www.amazon.com/MTS-101-Position-Miniature-Toggle-Switch/dp/B0799LBFNY/ref=pd_lpo_2?pd_rd_i=B0799LBFNY&psc=1

[KuruPrionz]

36 minutes ago, desertbluesman said:

Another option would be to use 3 mini off on switches which is exactly what I do when I do 3 pickup wiring like on a strat similar to the ones on the link below.

 

https://www.amazon.com/MTS-101-Position-Miniature-Toggle-Switch/dp/B0799LBFNY/ref=pd_lpo_2?pd_rd_i=B0799LBFNY&psc=1

He's got 2 necks, would only need 2 switches. 😃

[desertbluesman]

4 hours ago, KuruPrionz said:

He's got 2 necks, would only need 2 switches. 😃

Yep and that would work well for his needs.

 

[KuruPrionz]

15 hours ago, desertbluesman said:

Yep and that would work well for his needs.

 

True but he already has a three way switch that is half wired. Might as well finish it up and go with it. 

With 2 switches you have 4 possible switch choices and 2 positions, with a single 3 way switch you have 3 possible switch choices and 1 position.

Both will do the same thing except the 2 2 way switches offer the option of turning the guitar completely off, probably not needed. 

Less is better if we just want to play our guitars. 

[CEB]

FWIW -  What Picker wants is the way I like steels wired. The stock wiring on my MSA D10 was a 3-way neck selector and a toggle switch for the onboard fuzz circuit and a volume and tone knob.   When I had it rebuilt I ditched all that and left just the 3way neck selector.  I control volume with a volume pedal and change ‘tone’ with the picking hand position.  Those pots color the sound in a way I don’t like for steel. 
 

PS How do you tune the necks, C6 and an open major of choice?  I like X6 because you get both major and minor grips and it comes with some nice voicings. 

[desertbluesman]

Off topic a bit; I never played steel, nor wanted to. It is one beautiful instrument, but I chose 6 string electric and acoustic as my instruments of choice. Later on when I got older I ditched the acoustics as something I do not need anymore. I was a good rhythm guitar songwriter on the acoustic way back in the day. Much of the stuff on my song page descended from those days.

 

Lanai Demo one of my very first recordings, single track, one take, no changes since recording it back in the late 70's at Circle Sound Studios in San Diego. https://www.soundclick.com/music/songInfo.cfm?songID=2880132

 

Here is another one from that time The Perlberg Hotel a song written on acoustic at a old hippie commune I lived in back in the mid to late 1970's (I did use an electric for the rhythm guitar on this take as I co wrote the song with another old Perlberg Hotel resident.

https://www.soundclick.com/music/songInfo.cfm?songID=11389880