Onboard treble boost in strat?

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borgercat

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Hello. I was thinking about installing an onboard treble boost or a mod to help me cut throgh a mix. Most onboard treble boosters ive seen need to modify pots, but i wanted something Jaguar-ish that can be activated with one of those switches. Any suggestions are welcome!
EDIT: Preberably without batteries. Ive also read about a “bright switch” that was on fender amps. Is that the same as a treble booster?
 
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Re: Onboard treble boost in strat?

A true treble Booster is closer to a fuzz or overdrive that rolls off bass than something that “boosts treble”. Anything that boosts will require a battery. You could have it pre set, then engage with a switch.

The bright switch on a fender amp is switching in a capacitor across the volume pot that lets treble frequencies through when the volume is low. Technically this is similar to a “treble bleed” cap mod on a guitar, but switchable. Since your guitar is probably already on 10 and you want even more cut, it wouldn’t do anything.

Two passive ideas you could play with:
-“Blower” switch that wires the bridge pickup straigh tothe output jack bypassing all the other circuitry
-No-Load volume pot, this gives a touch more treble and output at 10. You’d keep your volume around 9 until you need the push, then go to max.
 
Re: Onboard treble boost in strat?

Here's another idea for passive bass cut: (you can't make booster without active circuitry, effect would be similar though, possibly)

Get 1M volume pot and two 1M resistors. Wire it normally and add resistors on a DPDT switch parallel to the pot input - output and output - ground lugs respectively.

Now when the switch is of you have 1M volume (like jaguar), when switch is on pot drops to 500k.

Use lower value resistors for bigger effect. Ie: 500k would yield 333k pot, 330k would make 250k pot etc...
 
Re: Onboard treble boost in strat?

Kind of what Godin does in their guitars with their H.D.R. It's an active circuit that they dont call a boost but it actually does provide some boost. EMG has a lot of gadgets, maybe have something you are looking for but I'm not sure if they only work with EMG active pups. There is another company that I can think of that has some internal pre-amps, I'll post the name and link if I can find it. Also, check Guitarfetish. They have some preamps that install inside the control cavity. Everything is going to require a battery though.
 
Re: Onboard treble boost in strat?

My suggestion, just buy a Treble Boost, there are some great ones out there like the BBE Bohemian Boost. As guitarists, we are naturally fickle. That tone or effect we like at one point no longer satisfies us after a while. It is easier to swap out a pedal than to rewire your guitar if you decide after a while the mod and its tone is not for you.
 
Re: Onboard treble boost in strat?

Securb said:
My suggestion, just buy a Treble Boost, there are some great ones out there like the BBE Bohemian Boost. As guitarists, we are naturally fickle. That tone or effect we like at one point no longer satisfies us after a while. It is easier to swap out a pedal than to rewire your guitar if you decide after a while the mod and its tone is not for you.
Click to expand...

I was going to suggest the exact same thing. I have the Bohemian and the Window Pane. Both are nice pedals within the limitations of their design.
 
Re: Onboard treble boost in strat?

I know there was a guitar that Gibson had in the early 80s called an ES-Artist (335-like with no F-holes) with a treble and bass boost. The onboard electronics were designed by Moog, and took up quite a bit of real-estate iside. The only real famous user of this guitar was Steve Howe. I'd imagine these days, all of that could be miniaturized.
 
Re: Onboard treble boost in strat?

Thanks for the replies! I think i’m going to get a blower switch. Is there a way to wire it up to all pickups and not just to the bridge one? also im thinking of adding a “jazz switch” for extra versatility. What cap should i get for this mod, considering that i sometimes want my bridge humbucker to sound more like a neck one (eg bassier and darker)?
Lastly (sorry 4 so many questions), can someone clarify me what value caps go on single coils and which ones go on humbuckers? From what ive read its .022 and .046, but im not sure
 
Re: Onboard treble boost in strat?

It's .022uF for humbuckers and .047uF for single coils. But those aren't rules. Those are just common values.
 
Re: Onboard treble boost in strat?

Strats don't need a treble boost. And if you want to cut through the mix, you boost upper mids for presence. Just sayin.....
 
Re: Onboard treble boost in strat?

borgercat said:
Thanks for the replies! I think i’m going to get a blower switch.
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A "blower" switch for all three pups somewhat defeats it's purpose. But if you really want to do it, it will require a 4PDT on-on switch.
 
Re: Onboard treble boost in strat?

ArtieToo said:
A "blower" switch for all three pups somewhat defeats it's purpose. But if you really want to do it, it will require a 4PDT on-on switch.
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I could see one where it puts the bridge and middle in series.

Does the OP know that multiple pickups in parallel is not more powerful?
 
Re: Onboard treble boost in strat?

Darg1911 said:
It's .022uF for humbuckers and .047uF for single coils. But those aren't rules. Those are just common values.
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i have always thought of it the other way. back in the early 90's .05 for buckers & .02 for singles was the common thought around here. now, i never used anything bigger than .022
 
Re: Onboard treble boost in strat?

ICTGoober said:
Strats don't need a treble boost. And if you want to cut through the mix, you boost upper mids for presence. Just sayin.....
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That depends on a strat. Treble boost does wonders for tone with hotter than vintage singlecoils.

Also, if you have passive volume pedal, treble boost gives nice edge for you tone after it.

Good treble boost does boost the upper mids too.
 
Re: Onboard treble boost in strat?

borgercat said:
EDIT: Preberably without batteries. Ive also read about a “bright switch” that was on fender amps. Is that the same as a treble booster?
Click to expand...

There's no such thing as a real "boost" without batteries/power... unpowered pots can only CUT, never boost. Biggest minor + you can get is to leave one volume pot and one pickup and remove all other electronics (it won't be drastic, mind you)

Everything that actually adds/boosts/amplifies has to be powered circuitry, whether it's always-on (think onboard preamp in an EMG), on/off via switch, or mounted on/with an adjustment potentiometer

Amps are plugged into the wall, remember?
 
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Re: Onboard treble boost in strat?

I think the OP wants the "blower switch" to work in any position, not to run all 3 pickups simultaneously?
 
Re: Onboard treble boost in strat?

I've only recently learned of the blower switch terminology, but I thought it meant running the bridge pup direct to the output jack. Bypassing all other electronics. Is this not correct?

Edit: As soon as I typed that, I realized it's probably not written in stone. ;)
 
Re: Onboard treble boost in strat?

You don't use pedals?

Something like a Zvex SHO or a Xotic BB Preamp would serve your purpose just fine, and would be infinitely less complicated for you as well.
I use a Zvex SHO clone regularly and it adds some mean slice to single coils, which with a dark, compressed amplifier like mine is a great addition.


Check what it does on the video above. Adds sparkle and decibels. It's truly great.
 
Re: Onboard treble boost in strat?

Diego said:
You don't use pedals?

Something like a Zvex SHO or a Xotic BB Preamp would serve your purpose just fine, and would be infinitely less complicated for you as well.
I use a Zvex SHO clone regularly and it adds some mean slice to single coils, which with a dark, compressed amplifier like mine is a great addition.

Check what it does on the video above. Adds sparkle and decibels. It's truly great.
Click to expand...

I thought BB Preamp thickens up tone. Which seems counter-productive in this case.

LPB-1 at least does. I didn't like that at all.
 
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