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chickenpicker · November 22nd, 2005, 05:09 AM

For years, I have been reluctant to back off tone controls (generally on strats). It's a psychological thing - if I back this off, I'm not getting the full sound of the guitar.

Anyway, now I'm a Tele player, I've been reading posts by people who actually use the tone pot, many of whom believe that the type of capacitor in the circuit is important (perhaps someone could post an explanation).

So I decided to turn the tone knob anticlockwise...and it's great! I'm now free to explore the full range of Tele tones.

I'm finding that the best position for the tone knob with the bridge pickup is slightly different than that for the neck pickup though. I did read a post about concentric knobs, but I have another idea: I always have my guitar at full volume (using floor gadgets to boost as necessary), so why not have no volume control, and independent tone circuits.

Does anyone know of a diagram showing this configuration? I'd be grateful.

ruger9 · November 22nd, 2005, 07:09 AM

Are you sure you want to get rid of the volume knob? Man, I couldn't imagine life w/o it! Alot of people here use the volume knob for tone & drive adjustments as well as the tone knob. Do a search on "using volume knob" and you'll be surprised!

Not to mention the fact that if you have no volume, you can't turn the guitar "off"- very bad for a gigging situation, unless you have a muting tuner or something.

If you're that interested in "using" the tone knob, try to get as interested in "using" the volume knob- like you said about the tone knob, you'll be "free to explore the full range of Tele tones. "

chickenpicker · November 22nd, 2005, 07:36 AM

Hi Ruger9

I have a volume pedal (on a Boss GT6) so I can use that to reduce volume to zero if necessary.

jpkusa · November 22nd, 2005, 07:45 AM

Try doing a gig without your pedals, using only the volume knob on the Tele - it'll change your life. You'll never go back.

I disconnect the neck pup from the tone knob on my Teles, so the neck pup is as bright as possible all the time. That allows me to tame the bridge pup with the tone knob a bit, and switch pups without having to adjust the tone. It's an easy mod.

chickenpicker · November 22nd, 2005, 08:02 AM

Thanks jpk. That sounds like a sensible idea. And I would still have the volume control.

November 22nd, 2005, 05:09 AM	#1 (permalink)
chickenpicker Friend of Leo's Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: UK Posts: 3,060 14 Photos	Tone Control Idea - any advice? For years, I have been reluctant to back off tone controls (generally on strats). It's a psychological thing - if I back this off, I'm not getting the full sound of the guitar. Anyway, now I'm a Tele player, I've been reading posts by people who actually use the tone pot, many of whom believe that the type of capacitor in the circuit is important (perhaps someone could post an explanation). So I decided to turn the tone knob anticlockwise...and it's great! I'm now free to explore the full range of Tele tones. I'm finding that the best position for the tone knob with the bridge pickup is slightly different than that for the neck pickup though. I did read a post about concentric knobs, but I have another idea: I always have my guitar at full volume (using floor gadgets to boost as necessary), so why not have no volume control, and independent tone circuits. Does anyone know of a diagram showing this configuration? I'd be grateful.

November 22nd, 2005, 07:09 AM	#2 (permalink)
ruger9 Friend of Leo's Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Hackettstown, NJ Posts: 2,051	Are you sure you want to get rid of the volume knob? Man, I couldn't imagine life w/o it! Alot of people here use the volume knob for tone & drive adjustments as well as the tone knob. Do a search on "using volume knob" and you'll be surprised! Not to mention the fact that if you have no volume, you can't turn the guitar "off"- very bad for a gigging situation, unless you have a muting tuner or something. If you're that interested in "using" the tone knob, try to get as interested in "using" the volume knob- like you said about the tone knob, you'll be "free to explore the full range of Tele tones. " __________________ "I've got callouses, from all those nights, spent playin' a Telecaster, 'till my fingers bled Bud Light" - Travis Tritt

November 22nd, 2005, 07:36 AM	#3 (permalink)
chickenpicker Friend of Leo's Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: UK Posts: 3,060 14 Photos	Hi Ruger9 I have a volume pedal (on a Boss GT6) so I can use that to reduce volume to zero if necessary.

November 22nd, 2005, 07:45 AM	#4 (permalink)
jpkusa Tele-Holic Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Nowhereseville Posts: 585	Try doing a gig without your pedals, using only the volume knob on the Tele - it'll change your life. You'll never go back. I disconnect the neck pup from the tone knob on my Teles, so the neck pup is as bright as possible all the time. That allows me to tame the bridge pup with the tone knob a bit, and switch pups without having to adjust the tone. It's an easy mod.

November 22nd, 2005, 08:02 AM	#5 (permalink)
chickenpicker Friend of Leo's Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: UK Posts: 3,060 14 Photos	Thanks jpk. That sounds like a sensible idea. And I would still have the volume control.

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