Stereo split A/B/Y with no popping?

In the next month or so, I'll be having a Graphtech Ghost system put in my Tele. It puts the magnetic pickups and the preamped acoustic signal on either side of a stereo 1/4" jack.

Rather than use the 6" splitter cable they suggest, I plan on running a stereo guitar cable to my pedalboard and splitting there. I'd like to build (what seems to me to be) a simple stompbox that splits the two signals and allows for selectively muting either side. I'd also like to be able to have a dedicated tuner output (from the mag pickups), but that's not critical.

Doing everything passively is obviously the simplest to wire up, but I'm also thinking that indicator LEDs might be nice. I have lots of extra power points available on my board.

I've got a lot of questions, but I'll start with the easy ones:

1. How do I avoid popping when muting/unmuting? Sound guys get really cranky about pops running direct into their PA. Something about blowing tweeters. :)

2. If I wire it passively, do I have to worry about signal loss from the dedicated tuner jack?

Thanks all!

One easy way to avoid popping is to install 1 megohm "pull-down"resistors.Take a look at the A/B Switch Box at http://www.generalguitargadgets.com/ If you combine example 1 with example 3 and add the resistors you might get what you are looking for. I am sorry that I have to go to bed right now,but I hope smarter (and more awake ) members will help you.

2. If I wire it passively, do I have to worry about signal loss from the dedicated tuner jack?


Yes.

Depends on how you wire it.If you use the passive A/B box from GGG as model for your box you won´t have any signal loss since the tuner will not be in the circuit except while you are tuning (silently).

I thought he meant running the tuner constantly. Disregard my previous post, then.

I actually did mean running the tuner constantly, but I suppose there's no real reason to do so. I can leave the tuner on, and just A/B the mag signal into it as part of muting that side.

Now that I've had a chance to really think about this, the whole thing seems pretty simple to do. The signal side can be all passive, but I do want indicator LEDs. So I'll use DPDT switches, with one pole for the signal and one for the indicator. The LED circuits seem dead simple.

So forgive a couple more basic questions:

1. Since I'm muting the acoustic signal (as opposed to A/B switching), should I switch the tip to ground, or leave it open?

2. Do the pulldown resistors go on the input or output? Are there any concerns about creating crosstalk between the acoustic and mag sides if both have pulldown resistors from signal to ground? Or is 1M enough resistance to prevent any real signal from passing?

Thanks everybody!