Hello , a while ago I ran across a SD post for hi output humbuckers to lower the output but keep the same tonality.All my humbuckers sound great, but I want them to have slightly lower output. The rolling back volume trick does'nt work for some of them. I have ESP, gibson 500T, and Killer Guitars dynabyte humbuckers . Thanks for any help!
resistor for humbucker output?
- Thread starter jstich
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Artie
Peaveyologist
Re: resistor for humbucker output?
Basically, what you want is an L-pad. An L-pad is just a couple resistors which are carefully chosen so as to attenuate the signal, while keeping the impedance, or "load", in this case, the same. Here's an old chart I made showing how to do this when it was assumed that someone wanted to keep full output in the "split" mode, then attenuate the output for the full humbucker mode.
In your case, simply eliminate the switch, like this:
Make sense?
Artie
P.S. You'll have to select your resistors from standard values. Just get as close as you can to the "calculated" value.
P.S. 2: Just to expand on this a bit, imagine you want to cut your output in half. You're using a 500k pot. So R2 would be 500k, and R1 would be 250k. The 500k in parallel with the 500k pot will look like 250k. Add the 250k on top of that and the pickup is still "seeing" a 500k load. But now, the output (voltage) is divided by half, which is a -6db drop.
Basically, what you want is an L-pad. An L-pad is just a couple resistors which are carefully chosen so as to attenuate the signal, while keeping the impedance, or "load", in this case, the same. Here's an old chart I made showing how to do this when it was assumed that someone wanted to keep full output in the "split" mode, then attenuate the output for the full humbucker mode.
In your case, simply eliminate the switch, like this:
Make sense?
Artie
P.S. You'll have to select your resistors from standard values. Just get as close as you can to the "calculated" value.
P.S. 2: Just to expand on this a bit, imagine you want to cut your output in half. You're using a 500k pot. So R2 would be 500k, and R1 would be 250k. The 500k in parallel with the 500k pot will look like 250k. Add the 250k on top of that and the pickup is still "seeing" a 500k load. But now, the output (voltage) is divided by half, which is a -6db drop.
Last edited:
Zhangliqun
Questionologist
Re: resistor for humbucker output?
That wouldn't dull the presence/treble at all?
That wouldn't dull the presence/treble at all?
OttoMatick
New member
Re: resistor for humbucker output?
you sir are a gucking fenious and this type of information is exactly the reason I read the stuff posted here... i donno i have only done it on paper! :bigok: still, excellent pickup wiring electronics lesson.
Basically, what you want is an L-pad. An L-pad is just a couple resistors which are carefully chosen so as to attenuate the signal, while keeping the impedance, or "load", in this case, the same. Here's an old chart I made showing how to do this when it was assumed that someone wanted to keep full output in the "split" mode, then attenuate the output for the full humbucker mode.
View attachment 52585
In your case, simply eliminate the switch, like this:
View attachment 52586
Make sense?
Artie
P.S. You'll have to select your resistors from standard values. Just get as close as you can to the "calculated" value.
P.S. 2: Just to expand on this a bit, imagine you want to cut your output in half. You're using a 500k pot. So R2 would be 500k, and R1 would be 250k. The 500k in parallel with the 500k pot will look like 250k. Add the 250k on top of that and the pickup is still "seeing" a 500k load. But now, the output (voltage) is divided by half, which is a -6db drop.
you sir are a gucking fenious and this type of information is exactly the reason I read the stuff posted here... i donno i have only done it on paper! :bigok: still, excellent pickup wiring electronics lesson.
ehdwuld
A Ficus
Re: resistor for humbucker output?
What I have done is just put a single resistor from the pickups hot wire to ground.
In my case it was an Inane INF neck pickup that was wound to 12k
I wanted a slight less muddy output
I added a 22k resistor
12 +22 = 34 ÷ 4 = 8.5
Wwhich is what I wanted
And it lowered the output and the pickup sounded very nice in the neck
One of the benefits is when I split the coils. I split around the resistor . This gave me a much stronger single coil sound
What I have done is just put a single resistor from the pickups hot wire to ground.
In my case it was an Inane INF neck pickup that was wound to 12k
I wanted a slight less muddy output
I added a 22k resistor
12 +22 = 34 ÷ 4 = 8.5
Wwhich is what I wanted
And it lowered the output and the pickup sounded very nice in the neck
One of the benefits is when I split the coils. I split around the resistor . This gave me a much stronger single coil sound
dr.barlo
New member
Re: resistor for humbucker output?
I don't get it. Why would you attenuate the signal, and not use a volume pot? If getting a darker tone at lower vol levels is the issue, you could try treble bleed circuits or 50's wiring?
This is an honest question. I find it a bit strange because you are trying to "limit" your options...
Best,
B
PS. BTW I see the logic of Artie's circuits. Because it is switchable. And going from full volume to attenuated voluem (to clean up) with the flip of a switch may be more useable for some...
I don't get it. Why would you attenuate the signal, and not use a volume pot? If getting a darker tone at lower vol levels is the issue, you could try treble bleed circuits or 50's wiring?
This is an honest question. I find it a bit strange because you are trying to "limit" your options...
Best,
B
PS. BTW I see the logic of Artie's circuits. Because it is switchable. And going from full volume to attenuated voluem (to clean up) with the flip of a switch may be more useable for some...
Last edited:
Re: resistor for humbucker output?
Fair question. Because all the pots have a different ' roll back to clean up' setting, then I forget to crank it again when I go to dirty channel. The ESP pot doesnt really turn down, its either on or off. Also, I don't want the humbuckers to hit the front end quite so hard. But again I DON'T want to change the tone of the pickups. Just a little less output from the vol control when all the way up.Will I need the impedance of the pickup to do the second method? Thanks for the responses!
Fair question. Because all the pots have a different ' roll back to clean up' setting, then I forget to crank it again when I go to dirty channel. The ESP pot doesnt really turn down, its either on or off. Also, I don't want the humbuckers to hit the front end quite so hard. But again I DON'T want to change the tone of the pickups. Just a little less output from the vol control when all the way up.Will I need the impedance of the pickup to do the second method? Thanks for the responses!
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