Telecaster blend knob

[jjkrause84]

I was wondering how exactly the blend knob works for a Tele....I'm in the (long) process of building a USACG Tele and I am curious as to whether or not I can have a blend knob while still retaining traditional Telecaster looks as much as possible. Is there any way a push-pull pot would do it?

I love how on my Gretsch I can blend the two pickups at different levels for a HUGE tonal variety and would really like to be able to be able t do that with my soon-to-be Tele as well

[mellecaster]

Why not just use the Stock early Broadcaster/Nocaster Blend circuit ?

[jjkrause84]

Basically I couldn't imagine having NO tone control....too vital, especially since I prefer Vox amps.

I think I'm gonna have to have extra pots put in to make it how I want....oh well. I gues that'll make it more unique!

[steve s]

Should be able to find a schematic of the blend circuit around pretty easily.

I think it is a pretty simple thing to do.

See this thread.....http://www.tdpri.com/forum/stratocas...blend-pot.html

[jjkrause84]

Thank you!

[Tele295]

How about a stacked pot - tone & blend?

[cc9cii]

If you wish to keep the tone pot then you will need another pot for the blend function. As that other thread has (and there're several other threads in TDPRI, I'm pretty sure I've posted a circuit in one of those) you can use a concentric pot and matching knob set.

[Teleblooz]

If you're careful in your choice of knobs, you should be able to slip one in between the volume & tone pots.

[jjkrause84]

I've seen Teles with three knobs and a control plate clearly built for it. If possible, I'd go that route.

Can anyone here that's used a blend knob comment on how effective/easy they are to use? I'd imagine that since Tele knobs have no real markings (I guess one can refer to where the screw is on the knob itself) that it might be kinda tricky. Does the blend pot "click" into place in the middle "balanced" position?

[cc9cii]

That thread mentioned by steve s - Deaf Eddie talks about using a "blend pot" with a middle detent. I've not tried that, and now I am intrigued...

Normally they're just the tone pots being used for a different purpose (broadcaster/nocaster).

[jaydawg]

How about a stacked pot for the tone/blend and a 4 way switch? One of the pots in the stack is wired as the tone and the other as a blend. Then use the 4th position of the switch for the blend setting.

[Larry K. Williams]

I just added a CS NoCaster to my collection. It still has the early '50s wiring with the blend pot. I have considered leaving it as it is because I really, really like the blend.

However, I had a previous AmStd Tele wired with a blend in place of the tone pot. It was a pretty dark sounding guitar so I never used the tone pot anyway. It worked out extremely well.

That being said.......I think I may try the concentric pot on the NoCaster. I would use the "bottom" section for the blend and the "top" section for the tone.

Visiting the TDPri always causes me to spend money!

[Teleblooz]

Originally Posted by jjkrause84

I've seen Teles with three knobs and a control plate clearly built for it. If possible, I'd go that route.

Can anyone here that's used a blend knob comment on how effective/easy they are to use? I'd imagine that since Tele knobs have no real markings (I guess one can refer to where the screw is on the knob itself) that it might be kinda tricky. Does the blend pot "click" into place in the middle "balanced" position?

Just make sure you get a pot with a center detent. That'll give you that "click".

[jjkrause84]

Originally Posted by Teleblooz

Just make sure you get a pot with a center detent. That'll give you that "click".

OK, thanks, man. I didn't even know they made such things!

Now the trick is finding out how to do it and retain some "Tele" looks. I've read that no one produces three-knob Tele control plates....does anyone have any suggestions as to how I might get three knobs onto Tele and keep classic looks as much as possible? Keeping in mind that it'll be a USACG I'm hoping it'll be fairly straight-forward)

(I swear I've seen a Tele with 3 knobs all on a control plate before but I can't think of where...maybe the Brent Mason Tele?)

[cc9cii]

Justin has one, see here. Around 4:12 in the clip.

[Thorpey]

dunno if anyone has mentioned this... but look at the new brent mason signature... that has a similar sort of idea i think... just a thought

[jjkrause84]

Thing is (I've mentioned it once or twice here) but I already have my dream guitar in mind (the "Tripscaster") and the only way to get it "just exactly perfect" as Bob Weir would say, is to go USACG

[Larry K. Williams]

I owned the Valley Arts Brent Mason guitar for about a year. The problem with the 3 knobs on one plate is that there is no room get your fingers between the knobs.

I like to reach down while playing and just move the knobs using only my pinky. That was very hard to do with the 3 knob setup.

[Bikersluggo]

I have one of my tele's wired up with volume, tone and a blend pot in place of the switch. I got the blend pot from Stew Mac (it has the center detent) and Guitar Fetish sells blank control plates so you can put your own holes in and adjust the spacing to suit.

I am not pleased with the blend, it does not blend smoothly between the two pickups. As I turn it just a fraction out of the center detent, it switches to one pickup only instead of gradually blending. It could be something in the way I have mine wired, there's a lot going on on that Tele - blend pot, phase switch, & series/parallel switch, HB in the neck position...


Try it and let us know how it turns out.

[19th street red]

i'm looking at these blend diagrams; the seymour duncan, the blackguard book, and the one on the provide.net site (http://www.provide.net/~cfh/bcastwir.jpg). they are all different!!
i'd love to see the old hand drawn leo fender version. i suppose fender has a version from the custom shop too. 'and there's the luxe (capacitor fabricators) version which i haven't looked at.
most importantly, which one is a correct one. i like to do it right once and be through with it. it looks "factory" that way. any input, ya'll

[cc9cii]

I think they're all the same... Some may look different because how they're drawn, but electrically the same.

Just to add, even Fender doesn't always wire their switches the same way. I have a custom classic that came wired differently to others

[19th street red]

i don't think they're the same. does anyone have experience with the blend circuit?

[19th street red]

here are the url's for seymour duncan's drawing and the blackguard book drawing:

http://www.seymourduncan.com/support...adcaster_blend
http://inlinethumb18.webshots.com/12...600x600Q85.jpg

i probably should start a new thread , but i don't know how........

[19th street red]

i'm kinda having a conversation with myself here, but just to get it straight......

by using photos from http://www.telecasterplanet.com/ i can see the "blackguard book" diagram ( http://inlinethumb18.webshots.com/12...600x600Q85.jpg ) is the same as the pictured nocaster #1735, although they do have the output jack polarity reversed on the drawing (whoops!). the http://www.provide.net/~cfh/bcastwir.jpg drawing is almost correct, but the wiper of the blend control should go to the input side of the volume pot, not the wiper of the volume pot. the schematic (picture next to the drawing) from that site is different from their drawing (???). the seymour drawing is completely different and i'm not sure if it would work or not.
a tip i read about was to put a series resistor between the .05 mf capacitor and the switch to diminish the high end rolloff in the "dark" position. 22k ohms was suggested. it was also suggested that a shunt across the 15k ohm resistor (so it would be "jumped")on the switch would improve the balance between the pickups on the blend control.
i haven't tried this yet and any input from ya'll is appreiciated..........red

[cc9cii]

Yeah - that's a good pickup on the incorrect diagram. You must have a very detailed eye (or obsessed with blend circuit? )

Still, they all work the same way. When in blend position of the switch, the neck pickup is in series with 15k resistor which is in turn in series with the blend pot. The center wipe of the blend pot is connected in parallel with the bridge pot before going to master volume.

Unless you're trying to make an exact copy of a particular '51, it doesn't matter how you wire it up (you can do it many different ways). But looks like you know which diagram is correct, anyhow.

WRT the 15k, you don't need it unless you want to keep the dark circuit (or unless you are building a replica).

[zoppotrump]

may i place a short question in between :

what exactly is the stock broadcaster/nocaster wiring with the blend pot ?

it is the first time i hear about it...
thanks for sharing.

zoppotrump
:O)