This may be a dumb question But...

[Peppercorn]

Hi again guys and gals!

I have just put the final touches to my partscaster. I have wired the P/Ups straight through a Master Volume and straight to the guitar jack, but I'm unhappy with the sound! I find it a bit too bassy and lacking in high Frequencies. Will a Tone Control help?

So, the question I have is, does a Tone Control actually "Add" higher frequencies to the sound or filter bass tones from the sound??????????????

So, if I have my Tone Control on 10 will the sound be identical to the sound that I now have coming straight from the P/ups to the Master Volume to the Amp????

Thanks for any insight here

[Keyser Soze]

Standard (passive) tone controls on electric guitars do not add treble, they are only subtractive.

If your tone is too dark right now then adding a treble bleed (standard tone control) is not going to help.

What type of pickup is it?

[woodman]

Lowering your pickup height can result in less bass (more apparent treble) ... you'd crank your amp a little higher and adjust its tone to taste. I'd try that before resorting to more extreme measures.

[Peppercorn]

I'm using Burns Signature Single Coil P/U's. The height, if anything is low not too high. On another forum a guy suggested that maybe the Volume Pot could be the trouble. I don't know the value of that Pot and don't understand it even if I did know.

Even though they are Burns PU's I have them wired like a Strat not like the guy out of Queen who wires them in series.
Interestingly though, I do remember where he had a Tone booster put into his guitar. I wonder if they are dark naturallY?

Thanks for your help I'll have to look further into it. I"ll post back here if I find anything out!

[donh]

http://www.burnsguitars.com/brianmaytrisonicpickups.php

[Peppercorn]

I think I figured out some of the problem. I had the pot wired incoreectly but..

The sound has improved a lot but still a bit dark (read deep) for me.

The biggest issue is that I can't fire off harmonics with my pick! I've never had that problem before. Even acoustically they are very difficult to fire off and if I can they are dulled. Any ideas??

[rmthatch]

Pinch harmonics ring clearer with the pickups closer to the strings, but that won't do anything for your bass troubles...

[Peppercorn]

Yea but that doesn't explain why they are really hard to pull off acooustically. I'm wondering if it may be the bridge I have??
Could my harmonics be out??

[g'ter guy]

you could try an E-H Treble booster. the Screaming bird I believe it is called.

[volowv]

sounds like old strings to me. are these fresh strings?

Originally Posted by Peppercorn

I don't know the value of that Pot and don't understand it even if I did know.

get a multimeter and check it... or don't just go to the store and buy a 500k ohm pot or a 1Meg ohm. if the 1Meg doesn't brighten the signal i don't know what to tell you.

[Peppercorn]

Thanks fellas. I am using a 250k pot. Does anyone have an idea what may be causing the lack of harmonics with the pick??? The strings are brand new btw.

[Peppercorn]

I've learned that I CAN get harmonics from picking the string IF I pick further away from the bridge.
That just means that I will have to change the way my right hand has been picking strings for the last 25 years!!.
I am using a Schaller Haines Bridge
http://guitar-bridge.com/hp188177/Ha...580ae54bXY2d64

Does anyone have any experience with these bridges?? they look nice and are nice on your right hand and feel really good, but I am thinking that this design "may" be the reason that I have to move my hand an inch to two inches forward to get harmonics.

Harmonics are a big part of my playing. To tell the truth they are about the only interesting thing about my playing.