Is there like a killswitch on a rotary knob?

[Rex_Rocker]

I've always found removing the tone knob just makes pickups sound better. I understand the functionality some people might get out of having one, but I've honestly never taken advantage ot it, so I just usually bypass it.

Now volume knobs. I like the idea of setting up my bridge pickup full-on, and then having my neck pickup backed off, especially on single-channel amps. But reality is I rarely ever use this trick. Even less with multi-channel amps or the amp modeler that I'm currently using.

So I was thinking if I remove the volume knob as well, I could even squeeze out a little more out of my pickups. However, I do use the functionality of having the volume 100% on or 100% off a lot.

But AFAIK, even with the volume at 100%, it is still loading the pickups slightly, correct? While a killswitch, when it's wide open, it's fully out of the circuit, correct?

But I also like the idea of a guitar looking uncospicuous. I prefer the look of knobs rather than minitoggles. I know it's sort of vanity, but hey, what can I do.

So I was wondering if they actually sold on/off switches that I could just mount a regular guitar knob on. Or am I thinking too farfetched?

 

[eclecticsynergy]

You could install a push-pull pot and only use the switch part.

If you want stutter, there are also killswitch pots with a momentary switch in them.

 

[Mincer]

It would be kinda cool to have something like a Fender S1 switch, but have it be a momentary kill switch.

 

[GuitarDoc]

No, it's not "vanity", it's just your esthetic desires.

I was thinking a push/push pot would be a better solution. Still the knob look, but easier function.
But if you want rotary functionality, I believe you can get rotary on/off switches.

 

[JB_From_Hell]

I heard Scott Ian recently talking about one of his new guitars having one pickup and no controls. He said as long as his noise gate is working, it's awesome.

 

[Mikelamury]

Someone makes a product called a 'killpot' I'm not sure if that's what your looking for though, if not I would go with a push pull as stated above.

 

[GuitarStv]

Just shunt your signal to ground with a two position switch. You basically install an 'on' switch with an SPDT.

 

[GuitarDoc]

Just shunt your signal to ground with a two position switch. You basically install an 'on' switch with an SPDT.

That's certainly the option that I would do. However, the OP doesn't want a switch..."But I also like the idea of a guitar looking uncospicuous. I prefer the look of knobs rather than minitoggles".

 

[Top-L]

Last year, bought a guitar with a single volume pot. The SD pickups were overly aggressive. After swapping in several pickups, I realized the problem. Lack of tone pot made them brighter. Only remedied by installing a 250k volume pot.

Removing volume pot, could have similar affect. After years of playing 500/500 guitars, removing the tone pot was a negative. I thought it was a "bad sounding" guitar, but it was the lack of tone pot.

IOW, test before you buy anything. Just wire it without the vol pot to see if you like it.

 

[Rex_Rocker]

I think it may be slightly different with actives. When I remove the tone control with them, they don't really become brighter. They just gain like 3dB of output.