still unclear on the 50s mod

[souljunkie]

I just stumbled on the post for the 50s mod. Sounds like the perfect fix for my bluesbird. The only thing I'm not sure of is reading several post they say to just change the wire (or cap in my situation) from the first lug on the volume pot to the middle lug of the volume pot. In the diagram posted and the before and after pictures the cap was changed on the volume pot but also they changed the postion of the cap from the middle position on the tone pot to outer lug on the tone pot where the ground was before and moved ground to the middle lug. Just wanted to know if this was neccesary or can I leave the tone pot the way it is and just switch the cap on the volume pot?

 

[3th3r]

Re: still unclear on the 50s mod

Move both, as in:
http://www.dominocs.com/ToneWorks/mod50s.html

 

[souljunkie]

Re: still unclear on the 50s mod

Thanks!

 

[Artie]

Re: still unclear on the 50s mod

No, you don't need to change both. Change only the one on the volume pot. Whomever drew that diagram didn't know what they were talking about. There's absolutely no difference between the middle and bottom diagram. What they did is like reversing the direction of a resistor. Completely senseless.

The comments by Lew, underneath, are good however.

 

[dr.barlo]

Re: still unclear on the 50s mod

No, you don't need to change both. Change only the one on the volume pot. Whomever drew that diagram didn't know what they were talking about. There's absolutely no difference between the middle and bottom diagram. What they did is like reversing the direction of a resistor. Completely senseless.

The comments by Lew, underneath, are good however.

+1.

No need to do any changes on the tone pot. Historically though it is the way it was done. SO if I am doing a wiring from scratch, I do it the old way just for fun, but when modifying an existing modern wiring, I just do the change on the volume pot.

B

 

[uOpt]

Re: still unclear on the 50s mod

Be warned that connecting the volume pots "backwards" like that has a severe treble loss when you use the volume pot even a bit. Sure, it now has two independent volume pots for the two pickups, as opposed to one messing with the other's pickup when turning down. But now you have two useless volume pots, if you value the spark in your guitar.

As mentioned, changing the order or direction of a resistor/capacitor combination wired in series doesn't do anything.

 

[hamerfan]

Re: still unclear on the 50s mod

Yeah, never do it backwards. Its completely senseless. You have independent volume pots, but they dont work properly and kill highs since altering the overall impedance of the circuit. Rule: for volume pots the connection to the pickup has always to be over the outter lugs.