2 Pickup & 3 Controls - What is your preference?

[PFDarkside]

If you have a 2 pickup guitar with 3 controls, what is your preference? Volume/Volume/Tone? Volume/Tone/Tone? Volume/Blend/Tone? Single Volume/Master Volume/Tone? Anything else?

Bonus question: Any preferences on which position is which pickup? For tones, logical placement works for me but for volumes it’s just weird for me to reach for the 2nd knob to mute the bridge, when I’m on it over 75% of the time.

I’m on the precipice of ordering another body, I don’t want an extra hole that I find useless.

 

[jeremy]

i have a few of these. i have v, v, master tone in some cases, v, v, bridge only tone in one guitar, and mv, mt, with mini switch for splitting

 

[PFDarkside]

i have a few of these. i have v, v, master tone in some cases, v, v, bridge only tone in one guitar, and mv, mt, with mini switch for splitting

Volume/Volume/Bridge Tone is interesting, definitely slipped my mind to only have a single tone if you never roll one back, and it’s still preset for a switch like a Les Paul/SG.

 

[jeremy]

i have a hamer monaco elite and wanted to be able to dial down the highs on the antiquity bridge without messing up the seth neck (i think, or pgn, cant remember at the moment since its covered) and the neck pup sounded great without a tone control. once both pups are on, you have a tone control again.

 

[GuitarStv]

My vote goes to one volume, and two tones. I like having a single volume that controls all the pickups, and often like to use different capacitor values on the neck (usually a regular .033 or .022 for knocking off highs) vs bridge (really small - .015 to .01 which ends up giving kind of a mid boost when turned down) for tone.

 

[PFDarkside]

Volume
Volume
Concentric cut/boost active bass/treble

Interesting thought.

What about Master Volume / Midrange / Bass & Treble?

 

[PFDarkside]

Funny thing about two volumes: It seems natural on a Gibson, but I played a KH-602 the other day, and it kept throwing me off. I think I have come to expect a Fender-shaped guitar to have one volume.

It was looking at that guitar that made me ask the question. I think it’s the placement of the bridge volume that is odd to me. Same with the Explorer or V.

I would fiddle with it too much. I have one guitar with master volume and the dual-concentric active bass/treble, and it is just about right for me if I am using active pickups.

What pickups/electronics?

 

[Artie]

I'm the one who voted for the V/B/T setup. I like the idea of a blend control. I think I'm going to try it in my 3-pot Vantage VP795. I've got the EMG ABC control that might work nicely in there.

 

[PFDarkside]

That is a nice guitar. Surprise touch: The battery cover is held on with machine screws that go into threaded body inserts.



EMG 85 neck, 81 bridge, 9 volts, 3-way toggle, EMG BTC Control. It is made for bass, but it you might like for guitar; I do.

It’s like you are reading my mind.

 

[donaldr]

Guitar: V/T/T
Bass: V/V/T

 

[eclecticsynergy]

Bridge vol > Neck vol > Tone is best for me. My DGT is the most convenient arrangement to allow balancing in middle position.
Even after nearly forty years with a Moderne and later on Explorers too, having the second knob control the bridge seems unnatural.

 

[hamerfan]

I never touch the tone on the neck pickup. In fact I disabled them and hooked it off in most of my guitars. So V/V/ Bridge tone for me.

 

[Lucius Paisley]

One pickup, one volume. At least connected. Anything else can sit in the body or if it doesn't look too ridiculous, I'll take it out and leave the cavity.

 

[Juanhanglo]

I'm assuming strat?

i voted other due to that.

i like master volume/master tone/midboost.


v/v/t is cool too

 

[PFDarkside]

I'm assuming strat?

i voted other due to that.

i like master volume/master tone/midboost.


v/v/t is cool too

Any HH, 3 pickup guitar. Super Strat, Explorer, V, Hamer, etc.

I intended V/T/EQ to encompass what you are proposing. Like Clapton mid boost or EMG w/SPC.

 

[Mr. 80's]

V/T/S (switch). I always ditch the 3rd control for a mini toggle for coil splits or a kill switch in the 3rd spot. Outside of say an LP or SG I like 1 master volume and 1 tone. I can do without the tone at all.

 

[Artie]

I'm surprised that there's not more "blend pot" love, given the number of times that people ask how to wire 'em up. o

 

[Chris Pile]

In general - I don't like knobs. I like switches. But I do have a master volume on most guitars and basses.

 

[Mincer]

I'd probably opt for vol/tone/master coil cut switch.

 

[jeremy]

i like the blend knob for basses but less so for guitars for whatever reason