Using push-pull knobs to 'tame' the highs?

After reading another post about someone trying to tame the high frequencies on their tele (I've posted a few of them myself), and reading more advice from people urging the poster to turn the volume/tone knobs down for general playing, I wonder if anyone's found a way to 'set' their knobs where they want? I mean there's no numbers on most tele knobs, so how do you know where to go? My usual tactic is to turn it to 10, then back it off 'a bit', and I suspect many people employ a similar tactic.

But this all got me to wondering about using push-pull knobs on the volume and/or tone knobs to be able to keep things where you want for general playing. Now, I've not thought the electrics through, but say you could activate a switch which ran your volume output to ground, via a 200 Kohm resistor, to give you a (guessing) 10% reduction in volume, and a slight reduction in tone due to the CR filter that happens. You could use this for normal playing, and pop the switch over for a louder, brighter lead tone. You could even use a pcb variable resistor for fine tuning.

I'm pretty sure this is doable. But does it sound useful?

a resistor (experiment with values, suit to sonic taste) to ground, within the signal path and activated by a switch (push/pull pot) will attenuate the volume - and also attenuate high end treble, which makes any vol pot into a tone pot, of sorts.

a .001uf cap across the vol pot's input and wiper lugs will retain the high end as the volume level is turned down - just did that to two of patrick's (veara) guitars.

doable? yes. functional? perhaps.

What Rob said.

Or you could use numbered knobs, or line up the set screws so they give a little indication of position, or mark the tops of the knobs.

I simply position my set screw on the knob so it points up w. full tone or, more importantly by far, about straight down when rolled back for the bridge pup. Thats my bridge pup 'starting point'. I like it way more than a knob w. numbers or whatever cuz I can adjust it w/o looking at it during a performance; I can feel it.

I mean there's no numbers on most tele knobs, so how do you know where to go?

As humans, we are blessed with a pair of wonderful devices on the sides of our head.:cool:

After reading another post about someone trying to tame the high frequencies on their tele (I've posted a few of them myself), and reading more advice from people urging the poster to turn the volume/tone knobs down for general playing, I wonder if anyone's found a way to 'set' their knobs where they want? I mean there's no numbers on most tele knobs, so how do you know where to go? My usual tactic is to turn it to 10, then back it off 'a bit', and I suspect many people employ a similar tactic.

But this all got me to wondering about using push-pull knobs on the volume and/or tone knobs to be able to keep things where you want for general playing. Now, I've not thought the electrics through, but say you could activate a switch which ran your volume output to ground, via a 200 Kohm resistor, to give you a (guessing) 10% reduction in volume, and a slight reduction in tone due to the CR filter that happens. You could use this for normal playing, and pop the switch over for a louder, brighter lead tone. You could even use a pcb variable resistor for fine tuning.

I'm pretty sure this is doable. But does it sound useful?

Sounds silly almost, but just turn the guitar's and the amp's knobs until it sounds good. Chances are that the sound you want is going to change throughout the gig anyway.

As humans, we are blessed with a pair of wonderful devices on the sides of our head.:cool:

LOL, that's the first thing that came into my mind too. What happened to ears. Simpler and more efficient measuring tools than anything else I've ever found and two come stock with every head. :wink:

It's right when it sounds right.

As humans, we are blessed with a pair of wonderful devices on the sides of our head.:cool:
I know what you guys mean, but the other guys in the band hate it when we've spent 20 minutes sound checking, put our instruments at the side of the stage, get on stage to play, and then I start going [CHANG] (fiddle with knob) [CHANG] (fiddle with knob) etc. And that's what 'turn it till it sounds right' gives you. Sure, things may well change during the set when EVERYONE starts turning their **** up, but it's good to have visual cue that your settings are ok to start the set.

Marking the knobs, or making sure the screw hole is visible would be a good start, yeah. This push-pull knob thing is probably not something I'll do.

I have struggled with this same issue, since getting a tele a year ago. I love the heavy feel of the metal knurled knobs, so much so that I put a set on my strat too; but after decades of playing Gibson-style guitars, the lack of numbers is something I can't adjust to.

What I've just done, a few days ago, is cut some thin strips of heavy aluminum foil (sprayed with Locktite adhesive) to fit the circumference, put those strips at the bottom of the knobs, and marked "neatly" with a black Sharpie the numbers, using a speed knob from my Heritage as reference. [I like 0-10, not 1-10 as per strats.] Also I put pointer washers on there, as I had the axe apart for something else. I bought a big stock of those a few years ago.

Easy. Cost; maybe 10c? Long-term viability; feh. If one wears out I can make a replacement in no time. Hardly, or not, noticeable to the audience.

I thought this up myself, but as it is so obvious, I'm sure scads of others have done this also. I guess you could also just put marks right onto the knob, but if you err, fixing it is a pita.

Another thing, I've seen in web searches, is replacement tele knobs that have a sort of pointer on the top, like a little dot or something. A good bit more $$ than my "solution", but maybe more "elegant".

As a visual cue I like to have the screws pointing to the switch when turned all the way up. Turned down a quarter it's then pointing at me.

I know what you guys mean, but the other guys in the band hate it when we've spent 20 minutes sound checking, put our instruments at the side of the stage, get on stage to play, and then I start going [CHANG] (fiddle with knob) [CHANG] (fiddle with knob) etc. And that's what 'turn it till it sounds right' gives you. Sure, things may well change during the set when EVERYONE starts turning their **** up, but it's good to have visual cue that your settings are ok to start the set.

Marking the knobs, or making sure the screw hole is visible would be a good start, yeah. This push-pull knob thing is probably not something I'll do.

If you familiar with your sh....tuff, you'll already know:

TVMA
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There are no shortcuts, no magic bullet. All the switches and pedals and mods in the world can't replace a good set of ears and knowledge. Get to know your sh...tuff.

If you familiar with your sh....tuff, you'll already know:

So I guess you put numberless knobs on your amp, too?

So I guess you put numberless knobs on your amp, too?

ooooo ... ouch! :twisted:

So I guess you put numberless knobs on your amp, too?

All of my amps are based on a 5e3 or 5d4. I just turn everything all the way up.:twisted:

As a visual cue I like to have the screws pointing to the switch when turned all the way up. Turned down a quarter it's then pointing at me.Using the set screws as a visual reference works better than you might think...

All of my amps are based on a 5e3 or 5d4. I just turn everything all the way up.:twisted:

ding! ding! ding! we have a correct answer!!! :twisted:

So I guess you put numberless knobs on your amp, too?Well, Hughes & Kettner was nice enough to do it for me...

ding! ding! ding! we have a correct answer!!! :twisted:

My 5f1 has no volume control. Just a tone knob.:lol:
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