The effect of an electric guitar killswitch has been around a long time. For decades players like Tom Morello achieved a unique chopped-up tone like Rage Against The Machine’s “Bulls on Parade” solo. And of course, Van Halen fanatics tried to replicate the staccato effect with which Eddie ended his “You Really Got Me” solo. But the effect wasn’t contained in its own circuit until relatively recently. And it isn’t a pedal you put on your pedalboard. It’s a switch you install directly on your guitar. Let’s take a closer look at guitar killswitches to discover where they came from, how to use them, and how to put one on your guitar.

History of the Staccato Effect

In the beginning, and in both examples above, players achieved this stuttering effect via the controls already on their guitars.

The way they got the effect was by rolling one of their pickup’s volume controls off while keeping the other full up. Then they would either sustain a note or play using hammer-ons and pull-offs while flicking their pickup selector between the pickups. Whenever the muted pickup was selected, it would “kill” the signal and silence the guitar. Add a bit of rhythmic flair to your switching, and you get that cool staccato effect.

Many players with Gibson-type electronics in their guitars still use the toggle switch trick. Along with Van Halen and Tom Morello, Zakk Wylde used it to kick off Black Label Society’s “Phoney Smile & Fake Hellos.” And what do all of these tones have in common? They are all driven sounds with the sustenance necessary to keep the note ringing as long as they need.

But there was a problem. This technique only worked on electric guitars with independent volume controls for each pickup.

Enter the Killswitch

What do you do if your guitar only has one volume knob, but you want that classic effect? You install a guitar killswitch.

Killswitches are usually buttons installed in a guitar that, when depressed, send your signal to ground instead of your output jack. They give you the same effect of the toggle switch technique but in an easier to manipulate format. Best of all, you can install them on any electric guitar!

There are two main types of killswitches generally associated with electric guitar; momentary and latching. Though they both do the same thing, they do it differently and excel at different uses. We’ll break both of them down here.

Momentary

A momentary switch is any switch engaged or disengaged, in this instance, while the button is depressed. When used as a killswitch, your sound cuts out when you press it in and returns as soon as you let go. This switch style is the way to get the stuttering effect we’ve discussed, hence its other name, the stutter switch.

You’ll find a ton of guitarists utilizing these momentary killswitches in some pretty creative ways. Check out this live Buckethead solo, and you’ll hear what we mean. Working the killswitch on his signature Gibson Les Paul, he turns a high-gain guitar tone into something more like a DJ in outer space.

Latching

Latching switches are similar to the light switch in your home. When switched one way, you have a signal. Switch them the other, and it turns the signal off. You must physically hit the switch to select between the two settings.

Because latching killswitches don’t automatically reintroduce your signal when you let go, they’re great on/off controls. Think of them as a faster, easier way to silence your guitar than rolling your volume knob off. This makes them perfect for players who keep all their controls on 10, especially if they prefer guitars with only a single pickup. Just hit the killswitch and your guitar is off. Hit it again, and you’re off to the races.

Installing a Killswitch

Button vs. Toggle vs. Push-Pull Pot

If there is any drawback to installing a momentary killswitch, it’s that it can require some extra routing in your guitar top or pickguard. If you’re replacing one of your pots with the killswitch button, you may need to widen the hole in which you’ll install it. The other option is to route a brand new hole in your guitar or pickguard for the switch. This allows you to keep your current electronics unchanged.

Latching killswitches, on the other hand, generally aren’t used for sonic effect. That’s why they’re often found as toggle switches or hidden in a push-pull pot. These form factors make installation a breeze as they require less routing and permanent changes to your guitar.

Wiring

Once you have your killswitch installed in your guitar, wiring is a piece of cake. Soldering two wires are all it takes!

Utilizing the correct terminals on the switch itself, you solder one wire to your output jack’s ground lug and the other to its hot lug. That’s it!

Tech Tips

Make sure you wire your killswitch after your volume control. Placing it in the circuit before the volume will result in a popping sound when you engage the switch, much like pulling a cable from a guitar without turning off the amp.

It is a bit more complicated if installing a killswitch with a built-in LED. But they look great and are well worth the effort. LED killswitches are a trademark of the GuitarGuts YouTube channel. Check out their tutorial on installing them.

Let’s Talk Tone

Still searching for your perfect tone? Check out our blog for tips and tricks to help you dial in the sound in your head.

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