Push-pull Pot Mods - The Kill Switch

Have you ever wanted to make a Les Paul sound like a Strat? Engage a kill switch with the flick of the wrist? Or maybe you want to capture that killer Queen sound of Brian May. If that’s you, then keep reading! In this article, we uncover the mysteries of the push-pull pot by taking a look at how it functions and also showing you some of the cool wiring options this handy gadget is capable of.

Tom Morello of Rage Against the Machine, Eddie Van Halen, and Buckethead have all taken the kill switch to a new level. By sending your signal to ground, this mod “kills” your sound and allows you to tap out a rhythmic stuttering effect by turning your signal on and off. If you’ve ever wondered why a guitar has an arcade machine button from the 1980s on it, it’s because of this mod. But a push-pull pot will work just the same.

It’s also a quick and easy way to mute your guitar, but we think it’s more fun to push and pull out a catchy rhythmic pattern to get people’s heads bobbing. The animation below shows you how a push-pull pot can be turned into a kill switch for a single-coil pickup.