Individual pickup volumes + master vol...anyone done this?

[CTN]

A thought popped into my head just now.

I know it would be feasible, and even useful, to have individual pickup volumes as well as a master volume on the same guitar. For example, in a two pickup guitar with a 3-way toggle, pickups go to their individual volume pots, then to the 3-way switch, the output of the switch goes to a master volume, which then goes to a tone pot and output jack.

But I'm wondering how much of an effect on tone this would have on the pickups, essentially being loaded down by two volume pots in series. Anyone done this before and have something to say about it?

[RorySquier]

Re: Individual pickup volumes + master vol...anyone done this?

A thought popped into my head just now.

I know it would be feasible, and even useful, to have individual pickup volumes as well as a master volume on the same guitar. For example, in a two pickup guitar with a 3-way toggle, pickups go to their individual volume pots, then to the 3-way switch, the output of the switch goes to a master volume, which then goes to a tone pot and output jack.

But I'm wondering how much of an effect on tone this would have on the pickups, essentially being loaded down by two volume pots in series. Anyone done this before and have something to say about it?

I don't know if that would even make sense to have it wired that way. Having two volumes for each pick up and then adding a master volume is not going to make the guitar sound twice as loud. I find in more cumbersome, especially if you have to deal with an extra volume knob which seems futile. It could have some effect on the tone, but not very noticeable. It all depends if they are 250 kohm or 500 kohm pots. I just don't see this kind of circuit being very practical IMHO.

[ArtieToo]

Re: Individual pickup volumes + master vol...anyone done this?

It would not be much different than any regular LP wiring scheme as long as you used 1-meg pots all around. One pickup would "see" a 500k load. Both pups on at once would see a 333k load, which is actually a bit better than a "normal" LP sees. (250k)

If you use 500k pots . . . things get much worse.

[CTN]

Re: Individual pickup volumes + master vol...anyone done this?

I don't know if that would even make sense to have it wired that way. Having two volumes for each pick up and then adding a master volume is not going to make the guitar sound twice as loud. I find in more cumbersome, especially if you have to deal with an extra volume knob which seems futile. It could have some effect on the tone, but not very noticeable. It all depends if they are 250 kohm or 500 kohm pots. I just don't see this kind of circuit being very practical IMHO.

I dunno, I think it could be pretty useful.. but each pickup sees two volume pots TOTAL, not 2 volumes plus a master vol. You could set the bridge pickup for dirty tones and the neck for cleans, and keep that setting while using the master vol to clean up the bridge for less dirty tones or silence the guitar entirely between songs etc, without changing the relative volume settings on either pickup.

It would not be much different than any regular LP wiring scheme as long as you used 1-meg pots all around. One pickup would "see" a 500k load. Both pups on at once would see a 333k load, which is actually a bit better than a "normal" LP sees. (250k)

If you use 500k pots . . . things get much worse.

Interesting... What about 500ks for the individual volumes and a 1M for the master?

I was thinking about this for an upcoming build, but I think it might prove to make better sense if I tested this whole thing out before going and drilling holes in the body.

[ArtieToo]

Re: Individual pickup volumes + master vol...anyone done this?

Interesting... What about 500ks for the individual volumes and a 1M for the master?

500k + 1Meg will be like a 333k pot. When both pups are on it will be like a 200k pot. Not critical, but there will be some hi-freq loss.

[agentzero12]

Individual pickup volumes + master vol...anyone done this?

Gretsch does it on most of their models. It allows you to have your mix between the two pickups and control your overall volume for swells and such. I never thought about it for an lp but I can see it being kinda cool. Not a whole lot different than using the individual volumes but it would be most useful in middle position.

[RorySquier]

Re: Individual pickup volumes + master vol...anyone done this?

I dunno, I think it could be pretty useful.. but each pickup sees two volume pots TOTAL, not 2 volumes plus a master vol. You could set the bridge pickup for dirty tones and the neck for cleans, and keep that setting while using the master vol to clean up the bridge for less dirty tones or silence the guitar entirely between songs etc, without changing the relative volume settings on either pickup.

I just read the previous post where Gretsch actually does that kind of wiring on their guitars, so maybe you have a point. I just haven't really come across that kind of wiring before, so maybe there's something to it. I love the 4-knob configurations on my Gibby SG and my Les Pauls with a volume for each pick up. I tend to use & adjust the volumes a lot because I feel they shape the tone to a certain degree. That third volume might just give a little extra control over the dynamics of the pickups which could be a good thing. But what value of pots to use is a whole other story.

[GuitarDoc]

Re: Individual pickup volumes + master vol...anyone done this?

Yeah, I was going to say that Gretsch has been doing it for decades.

[Boogie Bill]

Re: Individual pickup volumes + master vol...anyone done this?

Uh...Gretsch...Rics...and my late '60s Gibson ES-150DCN had this type of overall master. Personally, I didn't find it very usable in any of the guitars I've owned.

Bill

[Chocklit_Thunda]

Re: Individual pickup volumes + master vol...anyone done this?

But gretsch also have a kill switch and don't have tone pots.... With 2 individual volumes, there's kinda no point to a master volume...you could just roll down the volumes or use a kill switch

[the renard]

Re: Individual pickup volumes + master vol...anyone done this?

A thought popped into my head just now.

I know it would be feasible, and even useful, to have individual pickup volumes as well as a master volume on the same guitar. For example, in a two pickup guitar with a 3-way toggle, pickups go to their individual volume pots, then to the 3-way switch, the output of the switch goes to a master volume, which then goes to a tone pot and output jack.

But I'm wondering how much of an effect on tone this would have on the pickups, essentially being loaded down by two volume pots in series. Anyone done this before and have something to say about it?

Well i was thinking about this too for my guitar. I am thinking though why use a toggle? like a jazz bass has no toggle. i have 3 pickups and am considering maybe 3 volume pots and master tone and a master volume so that to activate a pickup you just turn it up. this way you can blend all 3 pickups or any combo of pickups plus have a master to do blends and turn up for solos and down for strumming. Maybe since basses usually stick to one tone for a whole song and its very important to cut through the mix for basses they need more freedom to dial in a tone and then just play its less cumbersome where a guitar can have a few different tones in one song for example you solo with the bridge and do rhythm with neck it may be too much to be twisting knobs on the fly... any thoughts on this? Do you think you could eliminate a toggle and just switch pickups by cranking up the volume of one and and turning down the volume of the others? Is that dumb?