Electronic – Route multiple analog (audio) signals using a single switch

analogaudioswitches

I'm working on a guitar wiring project (=> I'm confined by space and I'm working with high impedance, low voltage & current signal) – it's a router for pickup wires (there will be 5 "banks" that will connect the pickups in a certain way). There are 10 wires from the pickups + 2 (ground and hot lead from output jack).

These 12 wires will need to be switched by a 5-way switch (in each position, they will be connected to a single bank) – essentially, I need a 12 pole 5-way switch.

It doesn't seem like it's possible to buy these anywhere (for understandable reasons) – I was thinking about using a set of multiplexers – that would, however, require power source which I'd like to avoid.

What are some other possibilities? Does multiplexer work with analog signals without introducing delay or distortion?

Best Answer

Don't give up on mechanical switches yet.

enter image description here

Figure 1. A selection of stackable switches (and some non-stackable).

Stackable switches generally have "decks" made of twelve outer contacts with 1, 2, 3, 4 or 6 wipers enabling switch configurations from 2-way to 12-way with any number of poles subject to the mechanical limitations of the frame.

The regular sized ones I'm familiar with (top right) may be too large for the guitar body but the PCB type pictured may work for you. There may also be a miniature version of the one on the top right.