Strat Capacitor Value if Removing 1 Tone

[Esseff]

If I remove one of the tone controls to run just a master vol and a master tone in my SSS strat, should I change the cap value to compensate?

I want to maintain the same sound and believe that taking out one of the tones will let more treble thru? Should I change the .022 cap to a .033 or .047?

Thanks for any suggestions or enlightenment.

 

[gregory]

Re: Strat Capacitor Value if Removing 1 Tone

How are the tone controls connected, currently?

Specifically, which tone(s) are active in each of the five positions?

 

[Esseff]

Re: Strat Capacitor Value if Removing 1 Tone

How are the tone controls connected, currently?

Specifically, which tone(s) are active in each of the five positions?

??
1 Master tone, ie. 1 tone for all positions.

 

[gregory]

Re: Strat Capacitor Value if Removing 1 Tone

Right, that's what you want to do, but how are the tone controls hooked up now?

If you want the same exact tone for each position as if there were two tone controls, but only with one tone control, I need to know the original behavior you're trying to mimic.

It can't be done by changing a cap value, BTW. The cap value affects the corner frequency, while the pots affect the minimum amount of attenuation of the shelf. If you remove a pot then the position where two pots are active will receive less shelving. Likewise, any position that may have originally had no tone control will then receive a tone control with a single master tone control scheme...

...unless you use a 5-Way Super Switch, in which case the original tone of each position that you wish to replicate needs to be known.

 

[Esseff]

Re: Strat Capacitor Value if Removing 1 Tone

Oh, I see.
Well that is the sort of enlightenment I was looking for.
It's the Jimmy Vaughan wiring with one tone for neck, one tone for bridge, and middle wide open. So I guess only the middle will be different, which I could probably live with.
I'm not going to use a 5 way but individual switches for each pup.
Sounds like I should just suck-it-and-see. Pups will be here tomorrow.
Thanks.

 

[gregory]

Re: Strat Capacitor Value if Removing 1 Tone

It's possible to leave the middle-only selection wide open with a three-toggle scheme. You just need double pole switches for the neck and bridge pickups.

 

[Esseff]

Re: Strat Capacitor Value if Removing 1 Tone

This is the wiring I'm going to use. Have I got it right?
I know it's a simple set up but I'm hopeless at this stuff.

 

[Ayrton]

Re: Strat Capacitor Value if Removing 1 Tone

You might find it more useful to wire the second tone exclusively to the bridge.

 

[gregory]

Re: Strat Capacitor Value if Removing 1 Tone

In case you want the middle pickup wide open...

 

[Mr. B]

Re: Strat Capacitor Value if Removing 1 Tone

Wait... I'm confused. If its a normal Strat none of the pickups are hooked up to 2 tone pots. Two of the pickups are hooked up to ONE tone pot each. You can connect them all to the same tone pot if you want to. Just bridge the switch lugs with a wire and send them all to one tone pot. I don't see why anything else would need to change. Right ???

 

[Esseff]

Re: Strat Capacitor Value if Removing 1 Tone

Do you mean this?



Hmm... but I think that has the same effect as my first diagram?
See, I'm hopeless at this.

 

[Esseff]

Re: Strat Capacitor Value if Removing 1 Tone

From referencing other diagrams I see this very often. Where the cap and tone wire are swapped.....

View attachment 85461

Will this work... is there a different tonal effect from my first diagram? Will the tone work backwards?

 

[Esseff]

Re: Strat Capacitor Value if Removing 1 Tone

You might find it more useful to wire the second tone exclusively to the bridge.

Actually I quite like this idea.
Neck and middle wide open and the tone only on the bridge. I guess it is just a matter of experimentation.
Thanks for the suggestion.

 

[gregory]

Re: Strat Capacitor Value if Removing 1 Tone

Do you mean this?

Who are you asking?

View attachment 85460
Hmm... but I think that has the same effect as my first diagram?

No, that will have all three pickups on no matter what switch is on.

 

[gregory]

Re: Strat Capacitor Value if Removing 1 Tone

From referencing other diagrams I see this very often. Where the cap and tone wire are swapped.....

View attachment 85461

Will this work... is there a different tonal effect from my first diagram? Will the tone work backwards?

There is no attachment.

Your first drawing in post #7 is just fine, though.

You mentioned Jimmie Vaughan wiring, so that's the mark-up I provided.

If you want something different let us know and someone will draw it up.

 

[Esseff]

Re: Strat Capacitor Value if Removing 1 Tone

From referencing other diagrams I see this very often. Where the cap and tone wire are swapped.....

Will this work... is there a different tonal effect from my first diagram? Will the tone work backwards?

 

[Esseff]

Re: Strat Capacitor Value if Removing 1 Tone

All done now
Works great!
Thanks Gregory.

 

[gregory]

Re: Strat Capacitor Value if Removing 1 Tone

From referencing other diagrams I see this very often. Where the cap and tone wire are swapped.....

Will this work... is there a different tonal effect from my first diagram? Will the tone work backwards?

No, the tone control won't work backwards.

I'm reminded of a forum member who once insisted that swapping lugs on the tone control switched between modern and '50s. Hilariously and without a clue, he couldn't be told otherwise. Needless to say he was completely wrong, of course.

The fact is that flipping the lugs as you did in your drawings makes absolutely no difference. Resistors aren't directional.

 

[gregory]

Re: Strat Capacitor Value if Removing 1 Tone

All done now
Works great!
Thanks Gregory.

You're welcome! Glad you're happy!!