The Bright Switch
The Bright Switch is an easy modification you can add to any guitar that will make you say “wow!” as soon as you activate it. To install it, you only need basic soldering skills and a Push-Pull Pot with the appropriate value (250K or 500K) for your guitar. You can find more information about Pots and their values here:
What does the Bright Switch Do?
Technically, the Bright Switch eliminates the additional load from your volume and tone pots. We define “load” as anything that consumes electricity. Even when your volume pot is set to 10, it still draws some of your signal. By removing this load, the pot no longer affects your signal. It’s similar to connecting your pickups directly to the output jack, bypassing the electronics entirely.
When you pull up, your guitar’s tone becomes brighter, fuller, and more aggressive. It’s akin to having a boost pedal connected to your guitar. You’ll notice increased definition, pick attack, and a stronger growl.
Sold? Here’s how you wire this mod up:
When your Push-Pull pot is in the down position, the wiring functions exactly like that of a Stratocaster or Telecaster. The signal enters Lug 1 of the volume pot, while Lug 2 connects to the input of the tone pot and the output jack. When the switch is down, your signal passes through the capacitor connected to Lug 3, which grounds the high frequencies, just like a standard volume pot would.
When you pull up the push-pull, the load (ground) is removed from the capacitor, the Push-Pull tone pot, and the Volume Pot. Essentially, this allows your pickups to connect to the output jack without any load.
Bright Switch Version 2
What happens if you don’t have a tone circuit in your guitar? You can use the Bright Switch on your Volume Pot only. Keep in mind that this won’t be as noticeable as removing your Volume Pot and your Tone Pot as well. Here’s how to wire it up:
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I’m totally lost on how to put this in my Lespaul. Both ground and hot from the pickup are wired directly to the volume pot so if I were to do this mod, where would those pickup connections go?
Hey Chandy, you have to separate the ground lug from the pot – otherwise this mod won’t work. If your “Lug 3” is soldered to the casing of the pot, heat that solder joint and remove it. Then, run a separate wire from Lug 3 to the push pull part of the pot. The Pickup wire can stay where it is.