Have problem with guitar...
- Thread starter darkballa
- Start date
theblueark
New member
You say the pickup selector for the bridge is messed, then you talk about the knobs. So which is it?
Are you saying that when you choose the bridge pickup, one of the knob controls your tone, and the other controls both volume and tone?
This is a common problem with many guitars, especially low end ones. What's going on is that as you roll down your volume the highs get rolled off too. You'll need to do the treble bleed mod. It's a very very simple mod. Some guitars, usually the higher end ones, include this by default. But even some of the expensive ones don't. It's a really cheap but extremely useful mod but I guess they don't bother doing it becuase many guitarists don't know the difference or use their volume at max all the time anyway.
Just do this. All you need is a capacitor, the resistor helps retain some of the low end and is actually optional. Use it if you find your tone getting thin after the inclusion of the capacitor.
Are you saying that when you choose the bridge pickup, one of the knob controls your tone, and the other controls both volume and tone?
This is a common problem with many guitars, especially low end ones. What's going on is that as you roll down your volume the highs get rolled off too. You'll need to do the treble bleed mod. It's a very very simple mod. Some guitars, usually the higher end ones, include this by default. But even some of the expensive ones don't. It's a really cheap but extremely useful mod but I guess they don't bother doing it becuase many guitarists don't know the difference or use their volume at max all the time anyway.
Just do this. All you need is a capacitor, the resistor helps retain some of the low end and is actually optional. Use it if you find your tone getting thin after the inclusion of the capacitor.
Hmmm... a 2nd opinion here.... I like the tone when I have my volume rolled off (I use humbuckers in a mahogany guitar). It adds to the versatility of the guitar... artistes like Paul Gilbert use the vol knob extensively to alter their tone.
You might want to consider changing your tone pot cap to something with a smaller value so you don't bleed treble off so fast. I can't rem the value but you can just drop by Davis and ask them to do it for you... get the smallest value capacitor.
I have tried using larger value caps and while it bleeds off treble faster, it muds up easily, so I changed my cap to a lower value (the lowest one Davis has) and now, I have to turn my tone knob back a fair bit but there is better control plus no mud.
Anyone with a take on this?
You might want to consider changing your tone pot cap to something with a smaller value so you don't bleed treble off so fast. I can't rem the value but you can just drop by Davis and ask them to do it for you... get the smallest value capacitor.
I have tried using larger value caps and while it bleeds off treble faster, it muds up easily, so I changed my cap to a lower value (the lowest one Davis has) and now, I have to turn my tone knob back a fair bit but there is better control plus no mud.
Anyone with a take on this?
theblueark
New member
I'm using a small value cap for my tone. I prefer the finer control I have with it.
Before that I actually considered using a large value so I can use the tone knob as a mini wah wah. Haha.
Edit: I actually bought a whole lot of caps of different values at Sim Lim Tower to try out. Lots of fun experimenting.
Before that I actually considered using a large value so I can use the tone knob as a mini wah wah. Haha.
Edit: I actually bought a whole lot of caps of different values at Sim Lim Tower to try out. Lots of fun experimenting.
Actually, blueark... I don't see how a larger cap gives a tone pot a wah pedal attribute...
Wired normally, its going to bleed treble normally... nothing more right? THe larger the cap, the more it bleeds.
However, if you wired an Inductor to it, you get the makings of a varitone... now you can choose what freqs to cut depending on what cap you use... that would work as a pesudo mini wah... note, no boost (passive) only cut...
Or you can go buy the EMG SPC mid boost... up to 6dB of boost... or get a Demeter mid boost circuit (which I have which actually don't sound like a wah but of a mid boost) or the Chandler X tone control (this is supposed to mimick a mini wah).
Wired normally, its going to bleed treble normally... nothing more right? THe larger the cap, the more it bleeds.
However, if you wired an Inductor to it, you get the makings of a varitone... now you can choose what freqs to cut depending on what cap you use... that would work as a pesudo mini wah... note, no boost (passive) only cut...
Or you can go buy the EMG SPC mid boost... up to 6dB of boost... or get a Demeter mid boost circuit (which I have which actually don't sound like a wah but of a mid boost) or the Chandler X tone control (this is supposed to mimick a mini wah).
Before you do anything. It's best to understand what your Les Paul controls are meant to be.
I am assuming a standard lespaul, which is 1 selector switch, 2 vol and 2 tone controls.
The selector is a 3-way switch, which switch on either pickup or mix both pickups together (centre position).
The bottom 2 sets of volume and tone is wired to each of the 2 pickups, so you can set the pickups output individually. (ie. one set to one pickup)
The trick is when you selector both pickup together (centre position). Then all the pots will afffect the output. The 2 volume pots are used as blend mode, either one is set zero the output will be zero, so both must set up some way to blend in the 2 pickups signal. This is because both pots are activated and the both output are joined, so if one control is turn to zero (ground), the whole signal is already short to ground.
Similar thing for the tone pot, either one set to zero, the output will cut the highs totally, both set to zero should cut more highs. It may feel funny in the beginning, but you should get used to it to learn to utilise this mode.
I am assuming a standard lespaul, which is 1 selector switch, 2 vol and 2 tone controls.
The selector is a 3-way switch, which switch on either pickup or mix both pickups together (centre position).
The bottom 2 sets of volume and tone is wired to each of the 2 pickups, so you can set the pickups output individually. (ie. one set to one pickup)
The trick is when you selector both pickup together (centre position). Then all the pots will afffect the output. The 2 volume pots are used as blend mode, either one is set zero the output will be zero, so both must set up some way to blend in the 2 pickups signal. This is because both pots are activated and the both output are joined, so if one control is turn to zero (ground), the whole signal is already short to ground.
Similar thing for the tone pot, either one set to zero, the output will cut the highs totally, both set to zero should cut more highs. It may feel funny in the beginning, but you should get used to it to learn to utilise this mode.
theblueark
New member
Ya ShredCow its not really like a wah pedal. But you can have an interesting effect turning the knob quickly while sustaining a note or chord. I'm not exactly sure how to describe it. How about a mini Wooh Wooh then?