tele volume/tone settings, preferences

scoots · February 27th, 2008, 11:04 PM

alot of this depends what are settings are on our amps, but just curious where you guys (and gals) have your settings on your guitars. i'd say i'm better than 3/4 up on volume and about 1/2+ up on tone for clean sounds and the only difference for overdrives or distortions would be wide open on the volume and then using my foot volume. (just trying to suck your brains for tones tdpri...

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Telemarkman · February 28th, 2008, 04:13 AM

Volume and tone on about 3/4+ for rhythm/fill-in's, volume all the way up for solos, tone usually a bit off, no pedals. But I use my tone control much more than in the old days...

TG · February 28th, 2008, 06:13 AM

Both on full. Always.

I have my amp set so it sounds right and then I contol things with pick attack, the way I would with an acoustic.

Ethical · February 28th, 2008, 06:17 AM

Generally I aim for 6 on the guitar to be where the amp's just changing tone (not breaking up just starting to get warmer) then I can tweak the tone by raising or lowering the volume. The rest is in the fingers (or plectrum).

Tone control? What tone control? :~)

YMMV

Ted

maestrovert · February 28th, 2008, 08:34 AM

i'm constantly working the Tele's controls(vol/tone/switch).....

nevadacalifornia · February 28th, 2008, 09:06 AM

I usually run volume all the way. Tone backed off about 1/4 on the bridge PU and wide open tone in the middle or neck. Playing through a BJ or DRRI.

Buckocaster51 · February 28th, 2008, 09:07 AM

Let me play Devil's Advocate...

imagine that you have in your posession, an electric television, an old one that actually has knobs instead of one of those clicker things

are you going to leave that television on the same channel and same volume all of the time?

or are you going to play with the knobs so that the old electric television does what you want it to do when you want to do it?

There, I thought that would cut through the propwash.

Telemarkman · February 28th, 2008, 09:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Buckocaster51

Let me play Devil's Advocate...

imagine that you have in your posession, an electric television, an old one that actually has knobs instead of one of those clicker things

are you going to leave that television on the same channel and same volume all of the time?

or are you going to play with the knobs so that the old electric television does what you want it to do when you want to do it?

There, I thought that would cut through the propwash.

Yeah, that's what the knobs are for

...

ganzua · February 28th, 2008, 09:32 AM

The tone pot it's a frequency cut. The volume pot has a small capacitor and a resistance to avoid losing highs.

Therefore this is my view; if your amp has a dedicated eq section the equalization from the amp is going to be better than a simple pot. Besides, you can adjust volume without the tone being affected.

Anyway, whenever you play live it's better a simple turn in your guitar pots than annoying your audience while you play with your amp settings.

6942 · February 28th, 2008, 09:44 AM

Both all the way up....and let her rip..................

pengipete · February 28th, 2008, 10:00 AM

I thought the guitar was just there to control my multi-effects pedal ;-)

Truth - I use both controls as required - same with pickups.

blue metalflake · February 28th, 2008, 04:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TG

Both on full. Always.

I have my amp set so it sounds right and then I contol things with pick attack, the way I would with an acoustic.

+1 Thats exactly what I do. The only exception is when I want the sound of the bridge pickup, with the tone turned back to the "sweet spot".

Tele Fan · February 28th, 2008, 04:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by maestrovert

i'm constantly working the Tele's controls(vol/tone/switch).....

+1

viking · February 28th, 2008, 06:04 PM

Both full-on........Sometimes I roll off the volume a little , I only play lead and fills....

tboy · February 28th, 2008, 08:38 PM

Depends on the amp. Matchless and Naylor clean up nice if I'm pushing the amp and I roll back a number or two on the volume. With the Blues Jr. it just seems to lose it when I roll back so it's up all the time. Seems the same effect with either or both pups

For traditional jazz, tone 3/4 down, neck pup on only.

One more thing. With my old DynaComp, I can set it so rolling back the Tele volume a bit lessens the comp effect. Cranking the guit's volume doesn't get louder, but the comp effect gets way more pronounced for longer sustain.

graham232 · February 29th, 2008, 04:36 AM

Depends on the day of the week...

I fins myself working the tone a lot more on a Tele than on my Strats or Les Pauls. I like to control rhythm / lead with the volume control, especially with distortion.

MulliganChebichev · February 29th, 2008, 04:43 AM

Dirty - I usually play 3/4 volume and no-load on the no-load pot.
Clean - 4/5 volume and 3/4 tone.

Thats what I usually turn to.

woodman · February 29th, 2008, 09:26 AM

i turn my amp up to the sweet spot (7 or so), then set my volume pedal to the band's volume floor so that for my full-out leads, guitar vol and tone are maxed. i'll roll the treble off for jazzy stuff, ballads etc., but for cranking out, it's usually at 10.

BillyG · February 29th, 2008, 03:39 PM

NEVER all the way up (unless plugged into a tuner). No matter how many times Jeff Beck reveals his secret of leaving his volume around 6 or 7, y'all just won't listen! Give it a try with some overdrive and you'll be hooked. Also, it enables you to turn up the amp which allows it to breath a bit more.

Nick JD · February 29th, 2008, 07:30 PM

This guitar has "phantom pot" syndrome. I keep reaching for them, but they ain't there. And ya know what? Pick softer = less volume and gain. Pick closer to the bridge = more treble. Pick closer to the neck = less treble.

bradpdx · March 1st, 2008, 12:55 PM

Depends. I spent 30 years as a volume pedal junkie. I am ALWAYS tweaking levels to fit the mix appropriately. For me, a volume pedal is something you just stand on and adjust sub-consciously as required.

Also - since guitar controls are purely subtractive (less volume, less treble) I set my amp to have too much of both. That gives me room to shape my sound easily.

With pedal board (which includes an Ernie Ball volume pedal AFTER the compression/overdrive pedals):

Set amp so that everything full out is a bit too loud and bright
(65 DR with treble=8, bass=3)
Guitar volume usually full up
Tone 1/3 down for bridge, full up for neck
Adjust overall level with volume pedal to fit the mix and adjust for solos
Use guitar volume to reduce amount of compression/overdrive as desired

This gives me the full range of dynamic behaviors AND volumes - important since compressors/overdrives take away control of your level from the guitar.

Without the pedal board:

Set amp so that when guitar is full up, it's a bit too loud and bright (especially that bridge)
Guitar volume rides between full up and 1/3 down
Guitar tone 1/3 to 1/2 down for bridge, close to full up for neck

I frequently use the volume and tone controls as effects, too - volume swells and tone "wahs". So they get used ALL the time.

I almost never run my Tele bridge PU with the tone full up, except for scratchy low volume rhythm parts a la Steve Cropper.

rhinocaster · March 1st, 2008, 01:06 PM

I turn my amp up 1/2 to 3/4 of the way and then ride my volume and tone all night long.

There are a WORLD of tones in a Tele when you use all of the controls.

February 27th, 2008, 11:04 PM	#1 (permalink)
scoots Tele-Meister Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: sandstone,mn Posts: 265	tele volume/tone settings, preferences alot of this depends what are settings are on our amps, but just curious where you guys (and gals) have your settings on your guitars. i'd say i'm better than 3/4 up on volume and about 1/2+ up on tone for clean sounds and the only difference for overdrives or distortions would be wide open on the volume and then using my foot volume. (just trying to suck your brains for tones tdpri... )

February 28th, 2008, 06:17 AM	#4 (permalink)
Ethical Tele-Meister Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Norfolk, UK Age: 52 Posts: 316 1 Photos	Generally I aim for 6 on the guitar to be where the amp's just changing tone (not breaking up just starting to get warmer) then I can tweak the tone by raising or lowering the volume. The rest is in the fingers (or plectrum). Tone control? What tone control? :~) YMMV Ted __________________ If it wasn't for bad luck, I'd have no luck at all

February 28th, 2008, 08:34 AM	#5 (permalink)
maestrovert Poster Extraordinaire Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: West Branch Mi. Posts: 6,551	i'm constantly working the Tele's controls(vol/tone/switch)..... __________________ Sing the Song Bro' Play on Drummer www.godonthe.net

February 28th, 2008, 09:07 AM	#7 (permalink)
Buckocaster51 Poster Extraordinaire Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Iowa USA Age: 57 Posts: 5,602 1 Photos	Let me play Devil's Advocate... imagine that you have in your posession, an electric television, an old one that actually has knobs instead of one of those clicker things are you going to leave that television on the same channel and same volume all of the time? or are you going to play with the knobs so that the old electric television does what you want it to do when you want to do it? There, I thought that would cut through the propwash. __________________ "If you can't say something nice... don't say nothing at all." - Thumper the Rabbit "An awfully lot of time can be wasted waiting for the right time." - Gunsmoke's Doc Adams

February 28th, 2008, 09:32 AM	#9 (permalink)
ganzua Tele-Meister Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Spain Posts: 293	The tone pot it's a frequency cut. The volume pot has a small capacitor and a resistance to avoid losing highs. Therefore this is my view; if your amp has a dedicated eq section the equalization from the amp is going to be better than a simple pot. Besides, you can adjust volume without the tone being affected. Anyway, whenever you play live it's better a simple turn in your guitar pots than annoying your audience while you play with your amp settings. __________________ <º)))>-< >-<(((º> www.joseperdicion.com

February 28th, 2008, 04:13 AM	#2 (permalink)
Telemarkman Friend of Leo's Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Norway Age: 61 Posts: 4,728	Volume and tone on about 3/4+ for rhythm/fill-in's, volume all the way up for solos, tone usually a bit off, no pedals. But I use my tone control much more than in the old days...

February 28th, 2008, 06:13 AM	#3 (permalink)
TG Friend of Leo's Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Beside a bog in the west of Ireland Age: 47 Posts: 4,500 7 Photos	Both on full. Always. I have my amp set so it sounds right and then I contol things with pick attack, the way I would with an acoustic.

February 28th, 2008, 09:06 AM	#6 (permalink)
nevadacalifornia Tele-Meister Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Wisconsin Age: 41 Posts: 138	I usually run volume all the way. Tone backed off about 1/4 on the bridge PU and wide open tone in the middle or neck. Playing through a BJ or DRRI.

February 28th, 2008, 09:44 AM	#10 (permalink)
6942 Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Western Maryland Posts: 1,598	Both all the way up....and let her rip..................

February 28th, 2008, 10:00 AM	#11 (permalink)
pengipete Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Gloucester U.K. Age: 47 Posts: 1,583	I thought the guitar was just there to control my multi-effects pedal ;-) Truth - I use both controls as required - same with pickups.

February 28th, 2008, 06:04 PM	#14 (permalink)
viking Tele-Meister Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Denmark Age: 42 Posts: 411	Both full-on........Sometimes I roll off the volume a little , I only play lead and fills....

February 28th, 2008, 08:38 PM	#15 (permalink)
tboy Tele-Holic Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Chicago Area Posts: 684 8 Photos	Depends on the amp. Matchless and Naylor clean up nice if I'm pushing the amp and I roll back a number or two on the volume. With the Blues Jr. it just seems to lose it when I roll back so it's up all the time. Seems the same effect with either or both pups For traditional jazz, tone 3/4 down, neck pup on only. One more thing. With my old DynaComp, I can set it so rolling back the Tele volume a bit lessens the comp effect. Cranking the guit's volume doesn't get louder, but the comp effect gets way more pronounced for longer sustain.

February 29th, 2008, 04:36 AM	#16 (permalink)
graham232 Tele-Meister Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Burgess Hill, Sussex, United Kingdom Age: 42 Posts: 262 9 Photos	Depends on the day of the week... I fins myself working the tone a lot more on a Tele than on my Strats or Les Pauls. I like to control rhythm / lead with the volume control, especially with distortion.

February 29th, 2008, 04:43 AM	#17 (permalink)
MulliganChebichev Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Eugene, Oregon Age: 18 Posts: 1,745 3 Photos	Dirty - I usually play 3/4 volume and no-load on the no-load pot. Clean - 4/5 volume and 3/4 tone. Thats what I usually turn to.

February 29th, 2008, 09:26 AM	#18 (permalink)
woodman Poster Extraordinaire Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Mint Hill, NC Age: 62 Posts: 5,968	i turn my amp up to the sweet spot (7 or so), then set my volume pedal to the band's volume floor so that for my full-out leads, guitar vol and tone are maxed. i'll roll the treble off for jazzy stuff, ballads etc., but for cranking out, it's usually at 10. __________________ Truth is stranger than fact ... www.myspace.com/woodymitchellmusic BAND PAGES: www.myspace.com/stragglerswing (Stragglers - Western Swing) www.myspace.com/loafersgloryband (Loafers Glory - '70s country-rock)

February 29th, 2008, 03:39 PM	#19 (permalink)
BillyG Tele-Meister Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Summerville, SC Age: 41 Posts: 431	NEVER all the way up (unless plugged into a tuner). No matter how many times Jeff Beck reveals his secret of leaving his volume around 6 or 7, y'all just won't listen! Give it a try with some overdrive and you'll be hooked. Also, it enables you to turn up the amp which allows it to breath a bit more.

February 29th, 2008, 07:30 PM	#20 (permalink)
Nick JD Friend of Leo's Join Date: May 2007 Location: North NSW, Australia Age: 36 Posts: 2,597	This guitar has "phantom pot" syndrome. I keep reaching for them, but they ain't there. And ya know what? Pick softer = less volume and gain. Pick closer to the bridge = more treble. Pick closer to the neck = less treble. __________________

March 1st, 2008, 12:55 PM	#21 (permalink)
bradpdx Tele-Holic Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Portland, OR Age: 50 Posts: 877 1 Photos	Depends. I spent 30 years as a volume pedal junkie. I am ALWAYS tweaking levels to fit the mix appropriately. For me, a volume pedal is something you just stand on and adjust sub-consciously as required. Also - since guitar controls are purely subtractive (less volume, less treble) I set my amp to have too much of both. That gives me room to shape my sound easily. With pedal board (which includes an Ernie Ball volume pedal AFTER the compression/overdrive pedals): Set amp so that everything full out is a bit too loud and bright (65 DR with treble=8, bass=3) Guitar volume usually full up Tone 1/3 down for bridge, full up for neck Adjust overall level with volume pedal to fit the mix and adjust for solos Use guitar volume to reduce amount of compression/overdrive as desired This gives me the full range of dynamic behaviors AND volumes - important since compressors/overdrives take away control of your level from the guitar. Without the pedal board: Set amp so that when guitar is full up, it's a bit too loud and bright (especially that bridge) Guitar volume rides between full up and 1/3 down Guitar tone 1/3 to 1/2 down for bridge, close to full up for neck I frequently use the volume and tone controls as effects, too - volume swells and tone "wahs". So they get used ALL the time. I almost never run my Tele bridge PU with the tone full up, except for scratchy low volume rhythm parts a la Steve Cropper. __________________ ---------- Tech Geek and Sensitive Artiste String bender ordinare!

March 1st, 2008, 01:06 PM	#22 (permalink)
rhinocaster Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Oregon Age: 44 Posts: 1,370	I turn my amp up 1/2 to 3/4 of the way and then ride my volume and tone all night long. There are a WORLD of tones in a Tele when you use all of the controls. __________________ Just because I "Don't" get it doesn't mean I "Won't" get it!