How to put in a tone control without a hole...

Diocletian

Diocletian

BrandNewGlossologist
My Jackson KE3 Kelly has no tone control.

4039916935_2dc43e49e6_b.jpg





I'd like one.

But I don't want to drill any holes in the guitar. So...how can it be done?
I imagine it's not possible to use a push/pull pot with push being volume and pull being tone? I'm sure that won't work, although I don't know the exact reasons why. Besides, the single pot that's in there already is a push/pull I use to split the coils on both pickups for a really nice clean sound in the middle position.

I just find the neck pickup is always too bright for my tastes and would like to be able to tone it down a bit.

If it wasn't such an odd colour I'd just do away with the neck pickup and fill in the hole, but as it is, I'd like to make the neck pickup more useable.
 
Re: How to put in a tone control without a hole...

Grumpy said:
They make stacked pots but I think your music is a little to high energy for such on the fly precision.
Click to expand...

Is that a compliment?! :bigok:

I don't need precision, and I agree, especially with this guitar, I don't need to be tweaking things too much. It's metal baby. :headbang:
I just want to be able to turn down the highs on the neck pickup, without doing anything permanent or drastic, so I can turn it back up without too much hassle.
 
Re: How to put in a tone control without a hole...

Put a trimmer into the electronics cavity's cover.

You can use a small one which requires a screwdriver or a bigger one using a coin.

Or put it into the guitar cable.
 
Re: How to put in a tone control without a hole...

What I meant is make the smallest possible metal box that holds a pot, then plug that into the guitar and the cable into the box.

Kind of replacing the plug on the cable with a bigger plug that has a pot.

In case it isn't obvious, if control from the guitar isn't required it works as well in an effect box on the floor. As long as it is before the first rig stage that is active (and impedance changer).
 
Re: How to put in a tone control without a hole...

Grumpy said:
Could he put a resistor or a cap on it on the neck pickup?
Click to expand...

That's what I don't want to do, cos it would be stuck then. I don't need much flexibility, but I don't want it to be fixed permanently.

Grumpy said:
It was a compliment... Not many people play southern rock, country, blues or Jazz on a kelly :)
Click to expand...

They don't know what they're missing! :laughing:
 
Re: How to put in a tone control without a hole...

uOpt said:
Put a trimmer into the electronics cavity's cover.

You can use a small one which requires a screwdriver or a bigger one using a coin.

Or put it into the guitar cable.
Click to expand...

Not so keen on the cable idea, but fitting something in the cavity appeals. Smaller the better, since there's not a lot of room in this guitar's control cavity as you can imagine.
Do you have a link to something suitable? I'll find something myself in the UK, but it'd be good to have an idea what sort of thing I'm looking for.
Thanks!
 
Re: How to put in a tone control without a hole...

I'm not aware of anyone having done that, except for some recessed Brian May switches I've seen in some LP's backside.

Basically you'd just have to drill a hole into the cover, mount it, add a capacitor and you are done.
 
Re: How to put in a tone control without a hole...

How about modifying a volume pedal?
 
Re: How to put in a tone control without a hole...

Funkfingers said:
How about modifying a volume pedal?
Click to expand...

Nah, I want something onboard the guitar.
I think uOpt has got it - I can mount something on the cavity cover, as long as I make it small.
I'll need to look into it.
What's the smallest size tone pot you can buy?!
 
Re: How to put in a tone control without a hole...

uOpt said:
I'm pretty sure volume pedals are active.

You would have to find a pedal with 250 or 500 Kohm pot.
Click to expand...

I'm pretty sure a volume pedal won't fit in my control cavity. :bigok:
 
Re: How to put in a tone control without a hole...

I just found this (sorry, can't select this on its own, you need to scroll down a little bit to get to it)
http://www.axesrus.com/axeElectronicsPots.htm


Artec Sounds Concentric Solid Shaft Alpha Pots

Great little pots for use with on board effects. Combine Tone and Volume into one. Basically, two pots in one body. 1 3/4" Total Shaft Length 9MM and 6MM Shaft Width

Available in 500k


Would this do what I want? The "onboard effects" part is putting me off.
 
Re: How to put in a tone control without a hole...

Diocletian said:
I just found this (sorry, can't select this on its own, you need to scroll down a little bit to get to it)
http://www.axesrus.com/axeElectronicsPots.htm


Artec Sounds Concentric Solid Shaft Alpha Pots

Great little pots for use with on board effects. Combine Tone and Volume into one. Basically, two pots in one body. 1 3/4" Total Shaft Length 9MM and 6MM Shaft Width

Available in 500k


Would this do what I want? The "onboard effects" part is putting me off.
Click to expand...

Yes, that would do what you want. You will need a new set of knobs to go with it, though.

Their only saying that you "can" use this with onboard effects. It's not an effect, in itself.


This is a nicer one, if you can get it.
http://www.allparts.com/500K-500K-Concentric-Pot-p/ep-4586-000.htm
 
Last edited:
Re: How to put in a tone control without a hole...

Diocletian said:
My Jackson KE3 Kelly has no tone control.

I imagine it's not possible to use a push/pull pot with push being volume and pull being tone? I'm sure that won't work, although I don't know the exact reasons why.
Click to expand...

That could probably be done, but it would a pretty hairy build. I see solenoids and relays. A cap could be wired across the terminals of a Push-Pull easily enough if a simple on/off setup works for you.
 
Re: How to put in a tone control without a hole...

The ones from SteewMac are tad short - pickguard mounting only. I bought some for my Jacksons but lo and behold they only fit on SoCals because the threaded portion is too short for a solidbody.


And dude, seriously, it's a KE3, not a KE1/KE2. Get yourself a 3/8" (9mm) Forstner bit and put a Tone knob in it.
 
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