Push/Pull Tone-Mid Scoop pot

[MudTaco]

Does anybody have any idea on how to wire this up? As the title states, the goal is to use a P/P pot and down it is a standard tone and up it acts as a mid cut. Alternatively, I suppose that a Fender TBX rewired so the bass cut was mid cut instead, would be even better to use.

Why do I want a mid cut? I have a very mid strong set of hummers in a mahogany guitar, need I say more? I will anyway. These pups are great for leads and certain music types, but it would be great to employ varying levels of a mid cut for the rhythm and cleans. I am not a total idiot, I know I can use an eq pedal or something else. But I would really like to have this control onboard the guitar and keep it passive if possible.

I went searching for one last night and I did find one at https://www.guitar-mod.com/rg_passive.html, but his price has shot up to $75 for one and that doesn't include tax and shipping. No way I am dropping that much on this. There has to be a way for me to wire this up myself or buy one from one of you fellas faster with the iron than I for much less.

Here is the description of the "MTG - Mid-Scoop/Tone Switch"

• When the push-pull switch is down this functions as a standard tone control which cuts highs.
• When the switch is in the up position it becomes a mid-sucker that scoops mids as you turn the knob down. Like RG500D above when set approximately between 2 and 3 I find this to really emphasize the signature "Mark Knopfleresque" bell like strat tones when using a clean tone. Some people report the tone to have an almost "acoustic" like quality.
• Mounted on a 500K push-pull pot.

Thanks in advance for any help, ideas, diagrams, suggestions, attacks on my character, offers to wash my car, tickets to a Gov't Mule reunion tour...

 

[ehdwuld]

I'm sure this is not what you want to hear

But i would wire it this way

Remove the guitar cable from the amp
insert it into a cheap EQ pedal
Run a separate cable to the amp

The knob is a push push so you wont have to lean over to pull it up

 

[Chistopher]

It's kind of hard to do that with a passive circuit, there are a lot of ways to screw up the rest of the frequencies.

The easiest way I've found to scoop mids with a desirable effect is to reverse the phase of one of the coils on a humbucker and then add a base cut to that same coil. This works exceptionally well on pickups with mismatched coils. The phase cancelation tends to cut bass and mids more than treble, and the the bass cut acts to reduce cancelation of the bass frequencies, thus acting as a mid cut of sorts.

 

[MudTaco]

I thought about a reverse phase mod, but that only effects the notch position. And I really want an equal effect in all three positions.
I am a bit limited here, since I only have a 3-way blade, master vol, master tone and no way to add any mini switches on this guitar.

How about this? A standard tone on a P/P and when pulled up it remains a standard tone but engages a fixed minor mid cut.
Or do I just stop wasting time on this and get another eq pedal with more frequencies?

 

[ehdwuld]

That's the same as the Original Post Just with the push pull up is standard tone control

you're not giving much leeway here

 

[Chistopher]

Mid cuts require a band block filter, which are very hard to do well in a passive system.

 

[ehdwuld]

Is there a reason a floor pedal just won't do?

 

[Drak]

The EMG VMC control will do this but it's active which means it takes a battery.
It's more or less an onboard parametric EQ that boosts and cuts selected frequencies between 80Hz and 800Hz (if memory serves).

 

[Jack_TriPpEr]

I'm sure this is not what you want to hear

But i would wire it this way

Remove the guitar cable from the amp
insert it into a cheap EQ pedal
Run a separate cable to the amp

The knob is a push push so you wont have to lean over to pull it up

D I am not a total idiot, I know I can use an eq pedal

 

[Phantasmagoria]

ARTEC made a variety of active & passive push-pull onboard preamp's with filters (including mid-scoops). They worked fine for what you're describing. Most of them cost $30 or so, Used to be easy to snag them off ebay or guitar festish.com. Haven't looked in a while though.

 

[eclecticsynergy]

Couldn't an inductor be used for for this? Mid notching is the principle behind a VariTone circuit.
Seems like just a matter of using that but choosing which notch position you want, then wiring it to the push-pull with no rotary.

 

[Jack_TriPpEr]

You can make a passive Mid Cut control based on how the left side of the tone control is wired in this diagram. It requires an Inductor. The diagram states what kind is needed.

Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk

 

[JB_From_Hell]

I’ve been thinking about an onboard option to beef up the bridge pickup in my PRS 305. All roads lead to a pedal, which will inevitably work better.

 

[eclecticsynergy]

I’ve been thinking about an onboard option to beef up the bridge pickup in my PRS 305. All roads lead to a pedal, which will inevitably work better.

Yah, tone knob can make it sound warmer & fuller, or you can swap to a hotter magnet.
But if you want more output without modding the pickup, electronics are your only choice.

I dislike active onboard electronics myself; the idea of a guitar that needs batteries to work rankles me.
I have to admit I've got EMG's "SPC" control in my only active guitar and it fattens very well indeed.
It's designed specifically for singlecoils but you have to give up a knob location for it.

EQ pedals would be a lot more flexible than straight boosts, of course.
Or something that's sort of in between the two - the Bearfoot Sea Blue is a beautiful sweetener, even when set for flat response.
The only downside is, you're never going to want to turn it off.
Plenty of tube amp players get great results using an OD as a boost-with-character with the drive turned off.

In the golden age of pedals, there are a thousand options.
All depends on what flavor of beef you're looking for.

 

[MudTaco]

[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Thanks all for your responses. Glad I asked this bunch. Very helpful indeed.[/FONT]

[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Drak,[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]The EMG VMC control is cool, but won't work in this instance, since I'd have to give up my tone for it. I only have a master vol and master tone on this one. But will keep that in mind for the future.[/FONT]

[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Phantasmagoria,[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]The Artec QTP (4 choices of high and mid cut) looks like it will accomplish what I want. Although the BCU (varying eq expander) looks like a cool option, along with a high value cap (to softly round the highs) that could be engaged by a p/p volume pot.[/FONT]

Jack Tripper
That diagram of that high cut- mid cut circuit (like a modified TBX) is exactly what I was looking for. In the title it says mid cut and boost. But the description says that it cuts mids one way and acts like a normal tone the other way. I assume it is the later.

Now I just have to decide which one to go with. Thanks again

 

[GuitarDoc]

You can make a passive Mid Cut control based on how the left side of the tone control is wired in this diagram. It requires an Inductor. The diagram states what kind is needed.

Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk

Jack, excellent diagram. Thanks for posting that.

 

[Chistopher]

The 1m resistor is also unnecessary if you don't want to have it there. What it does is limit how for down you can turn the tone control, the higher the value the smaller the range of the tone control.

1m is extremely high for this purpose. PRS uses a 6.8k resistor.

 

[Clint 55]

I’ve been thinking about an onboard option to beef up the bridge pickup in my PRS 305. All roads lead to a pedal, which will inevitably work better.

Double thick mag.

 

[JB_From_Hell]

Double thick mag.

It’s a single coil.