Tell me about dual volume pot guitars...

[Top-L]

If I were to change the tone knob to another volume pot so a 2x HB guitar has two volumes, one for each humbucker, is it possible to wire it so that there is a master volume that will still cut off the guitar, even if you are on the "other" pickup?

So, lets say I use the rearward volume for the neck, and the bridge volume for the bridge.

If I am playing on the neck and I roll off the "bridge" volume (as I have been doing since the beginning), is there a way to wire it so that it cuts off the volume, or do I need to reach back and use the "other" volume?

Also, what pot values would I need for it to retain the same tone as the 500+500(tone) combination?

 

[Lewguitar]

If you wire each pickup to it's own pot and wire the 3-way switch Gibson style with a mono output to the output jack, when both pickups are combined, turning one volume control to zero will turn off the whole guitar just like it does on a Les Paul.

I've been thinking of doing this on one of my PRS SE Singlecuts with only two controls but I'd lose a tone control.

What's keeping me from following through is I need a tone control and can't bring myself to drill another hole in the top of my guitar.

I'd attach the tone control to the bridge pickup volume pot if I do it. Don't need one for the neck.

I'd like to get those Peter Green tones and would also have to flip the magnet in one pickup to put it magnetically out of phase with the other.

I'd just go with 500K pots. That's what sounds best to me with the "PAF" style humbuckers I use.

 

[freefrog]

If I were to change the tone knob to another volume pot so a 2x HB guitar has two volumes, one for each humbucker, is it possible to wire it so that there is a master volume that will still cut off the guitar, even if you are on the "other" pickup?

Hello,

What you describe is more or less the wiring used on some Gretsch guitars:

http://gretschpages.com/media/img/fretboard/2016/8/my wiring.jpg.540x540_q85_autocrop.jpg

So, lets say I use the rearward volume for the neck, and the bridge volume for the bridge.

If I am playing on the neck and I roll off the "bridge" volume (as I have been doing since the beginning), is there a way to wire it so that it cuts off the volume, or do I need to reach back and use the "other" volume?

Not sure to understand your question correctly here but what Lewguitar said appears to be the answer: wire your two pickups to their respective volume pots before the selector and each of them will totally cut the volume when set @0/10 if the two pickups are enabled. Then wire a master volume and a master tone after the selector (between switch and output).

Also, what pot values would I need for it to retain the same tone as the 500+500(tone) combination?

All pickups and pots being technically in parallel from hot to ground, just use this kind of calculator when you want to know: http://www.sengpielaudio.com/calcul...its.com/tools/parallel-resistance-calculator/

If you use 1M volume pots for each pickup and for the master + a 500k tone control, the total resistive load will be of 250k when you'll use each pickup separately: it's the same than with a 500k vol and a 500k tone. With 2 pickups enabled, the overall load will be a wee bit over 142k instead of the usual 125k.

Now, be aware that 1M pots have a different taper, with a higher series resistance between pickup and output once the pot lowered...

Good luck in your experiments.

 

[GuitarDoc]

To get one vol knob to shut down the guitar as Lewguitar said, you'd need to wire it with "dependent volumes" scheme.

 

[Erlend_G]

My WIldkat has independent volumes for each pickup (2 pickups)

and also a master volume. (and master tone).

I seldom touch the individual volumes; but they play a slight role in "rounding off" the sound of the pickups, i think...





I never found pot values being a "big deal" really :/. But then again, I'm maybe not that picky.

 

[donaldr]

I've been thinking of doing this on one of my PRS SE Singlecuts with only two controls but I'd lose a tone control.

What's keeping me from following through is I need a tone control and can't bring myself to drill another hole in the top of my guitar.

I was in same situation (but for tone pots) on my Godin Exit 22, I installed a dual concentric pot for tone (neck/middle and bridge). Working very well.