Two Volumes and No Tone Contols???

garymaddox · April 20th, 2009, 03:20 PM

I was speaking to a fellow Tele player and he mentions that he wires his guitar with 2 volume controls and no tone control. I thought this sounded like and interesting mod.

Has anyone done this?

ne4tt · April 20th, 2009, 09:40 PM

How does his Tele sound? Did he install a tone pot?

I'm sure you're familiar with the Jazz bass having two volume controls, plus master tone.

Leo Fender also used two volumes, no tone pot,
with the G&L second style SB-2 Bass.

Jamie

Warren Pederson · April 22nd, 2009, 06:14 AM

Why not just have one control. Eliminate the tone control altogether. I wouldn't mind one with no controls whatsoever.

BAW4742 · April 22nd, 2009, 06:42 AM

I think that would work fine.

When I play my LPs I hardly ever touch the tone controls. I use the two volume controls and the PU selector switch. Gets me most any tone I need out of the LPs. Play my Ric the same way and add the blend control.

Ricky D. · April 22nd, 2009, 06:53 AM

On a Tele with vintage-style pickups, I need the tone control. Sometimes all the way up for that cut, sometimes rolled back a little for a thicker sound.

I get where BAW4742 is coming from, though. I always play humbuckers with the tone dimed.

BAW4742 · April 22nd, 2009, 08:17 AM

That's how I play my Teles too. I had one wired for a while with a volume and a 3 way rotary switch. Had 3 different sets of caps and resistors wired in it to function like the 3 different settings on the tone pot.

I still wonder how two volume controls would work in a Tele.

bendecaster · April 22nd, 2009, 08:52 AM

I have a Franken-Tele with 2 volumes. The pot nearest to the switch controls the bridge & Neck pickup. the other pot controls Mike Christian/Graph Tech acoustic saddles. I play spankin' rock/country/blues gigs, and can add a smidge of acoustic tone(usually with the neck pickup), or I play an acoustic gig easily sounding like a flattop(its more comfortable than my J200, or my very thin Ovation). Gene Parsons installed a P/W B Bender in it in '98. He gave me an authentication paper, stating that is is #1, the first time he ever tried to install a bender on a Tele with Graphite/Acoustic saddles. It IS my #1. Everyone should have one monster! Especially a beautiful monster!

SatelliteOrders · April 22nd, 2009, 09:19 AM

I recall the John 5 Tele being wired for two volumes and no tone control. The thing you can do that you can't do with a standard Tele is roll one volume off and toggle the switch for an on-off effect.

Encinitastubes · April 22nd, 2009, 11:58 AM

I find that I need the tone knob on the Tele. I set my amp for a perfect neck pickup sound, which leaves the bridge pickup too trebly. When I switch to that pickup, I roll the tone down to about 7. Also, with a tone knob, you can get those great Roy Buchanan tone swells.

Having said that, Richard Thompson plays a hybrid guitar with a P-90 in the neck, Strat in the middle, and Broadcaster in the bridge. He has three volume knobs and no tone. He just dials in whatever to get the sound he wants and always gets a great sound.

UncleJarmo · April 22nd, 2009, 12:05 PM

When I had a tele with 2 humbuckers I had to volumes and no tone. I could mix the volumes in the middle switch position.
I don't think I'd like a tele with the regular single coils without a tone control, though.

garymaddox · April 22nd, 2009, 12:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by UncleJarmo

When I had a tele with 2 humbuckers I had to volumes and no tone. I could mix the volumes in the middle switch position.
I don't think I'd like a tele with the regular single coils without a tone control, though.

That's what he has, a pair of rail Seymore Duncan HB's. I haven't heard it. We were corresponding over e-mail.

scoots · April 22nd, 2009, 01:14 PM

i find the tone control pretty important for that bridge pup, don't think this mod would be for me

April 20th, 2009, 03:20 PM	#1 (permalink)
garymaddox Tele-Meister Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Foat Wuth, Texus Posts: 486	Two Volumes and No Tone Contols??? I was speaking to a fellow Tele player and he mentions that he wires his guitar with 2 volume controls and no tone control. I thought this sounded like and interesting mod. Has anyone done this?

April 22nd, 2009, 08:52 AM	#7 (permalink)
bendecaster Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: maine Posts: 1,175	I have a Franken-Tele with 2 volumes. The pot nearest to the switch controls the bridge & Neck pickup. the other pot controls Mike Christian/Graph Tech acoustic saddles. I play spankin' rock/country/blues gigs, and can add a smidge of acoustic tone(usually with the neck pickup), or I play an acoustic gig easily sounding like a flattop(its more comfortable than my J200, or my very thin Ovation). Gene Parsons installed a P/W B Bender in it in '98. He gave me an authentication paper, stating that is is #1, the first time he ever tried to install a bender on a Tele with Graphite/Acoustic saddles. It IS my #1. Everyone should have one monster! Especially a beautiful monster! __________________ The Demented 7th

April 22nd, 2009, 09:19 AM	#8 (permalink)
SatelliteOrders Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Lafayette, IN Age: 39 Posts: 1,066 15 Photos	I recall the John 5 Tele being wired for two volumes and no tone control. The thing you can do that you can't do with a standard Tele is roll one volume off and toggle the switch for an on-off effect. __________________

April 22nd, 2009, 12:05 PM	#10 (permalink)
UncleJarmo Tele-Meister Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Brookings, SD, USA Posts: 230	When I had a tele with 2 humbuckers I had to volumes and no tone. I could mix the volumes in the middle switch position. I don't think I'd like a tele with the regular single coils without a tone control, though. __________________ There are two kinds of people in this world; those who think there are two kinds of people and those who are smart enough to know better" --Tom Robbins

April 22nd, 2009, 01:14 PM	#12 (permalink)
scoots Tele-Holic Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: hinckley,mn Posts: 547	i find the tone control pretty important for that bridge pup, don't think this mod would be for me __________________ ...took the tube out of the v1 spot and replaced it with a dilithium crystal (like on star trek)...

April 20th, 2009, 09:40 PM	#2 (permalink)
ne4tt Friend of Leo's Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: North Cackalacky Posts: 2,236 4 Photos	How does his Tele sound? Did he install a tone pot? I'm sure you're familiar with the Jazz bass having two volume controls, plus master tone. Leo Fender also used two volumes, no tone pot, with the G&L second style SB-2 Bass. Jamie

April 22nd, 2009, 06:14 AM	#3 (permalink)
Warren Pederson Tele-Meister Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Kelowna B.C. Posts: 194	Why not just have one control. Eliminate the tone control altogether. I wouldn't mind one with no controls whatsoever.

April 22nd, 2009, 06:42 AM	#4 (permalink)
BAW4742 Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Maryland's Eastern Shore Age: 52 Posts: 1,225 4 Photos	I think that would work fine. When I play my LPs I hardly ever touch the tone controls. I use the two volume controls and the PU selector switch. Gets me most any tone I need out of the LPs. Play my Ric the same way and add the blend control.

April 22nd, 2009, 06:53 AM	#5 (permalink)
Ricky D. Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Maryland Age: 58 Posts: 1,888	On a Tele with vintage-style pickups, I need the tone control. Sometimes all the way up for that cut, sometimes rolled back a little for a thicker sound. I get where BAW4742 is coming from, though. I always play humbuckers with the tone dimed.

April 22nd, 2009, 08:17 AM	#6 (permalink)
BAW4742 Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Maryland's Eastern Shore Age: 52 Posts: 1,225 4 Photos	That's how I play my Teles too. I had one wired for a while with a volume and a 3 way rotary switch. Had 3 different sets of caps and resistors wired in it to function like the 3 different settings on the tone pot. I still wonder how two volume controls would work in a Tele.

April 22nd, 2009, 11:58 AM	#9 (permalink)
Encinitastubes Tele-Meister Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Encinitas, California Age: 42 Posts: 156	I find that I need the tone knob on the Tele. I set my amp for a perfect neck pickup sound, which leaves the bridge pickup too trebly. When I switch to that pickup, I roll the tone down to about 7. Also, with a tone knob, you can get those great Roy Buchanan tone swells. Having said that, Richard Thompson plays a hybrid guitar with a P-90 in the neck, Strat in the middle, and Broadcaster in the bridge. He has three volume knobs and no tone. He just dials in whatever to get the sound he wants and always gets a great sound.

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