Tone knobs

[JB_From_Hell]

I spent years leaving my tone knob on 10, or removing them entirely. Now, I can't imagine not adjusting it constantly.

My Strats are wired with a tone for the neck and tone for the bridge, and my Tele has the tone on the bridge, bypassing the neck. I get the amp to sound clear with the neck pickup, then use the tone to take the edge off the bridge. EVH said he pulled the neck pickups from his guitars because he couldn't EQ his amps to sound good with both pickups. I think if he'd kept his tone knobs, maybe it wouldn't have been a problem.

 

[Lewguitar]

Re: Tone knobs

In my guitars with alnico 2 humbuckers I also disconnect the tone control from the neck pickup. Gives just a slightly clearer, less muddy sound from the neck humbucker.

With my guitars with an A3 neck humbucker that’s not necessary and I leave the tone control connected to both pickups.

I’m really liking an A3 neck and A2 bridge, using modified 59’s or Antiquitys in my PRS SE Singlecuts.

 

[Blille]

Re: Tone knobs

To me the game changer was playing with the cap. With the standard 047 I would leave it at 10.

With smaller values I find it really useful.

 

[Mincer]

Re: Tone knobs

I am constantly fiddling with the tone knob. I like YJM pots, but they might turn too easy for some people (great for wah wah effects, though).

 

[AlexR]

Re: Tone knobs

I like playing around with Jr style guitars. You really learn what all the controls do in that scenario to get the most out of the guitar.

 

[Ayrton]

Re: Tone knobs

I finally started understanding the tone knob a few years ago.

 

[Chris Pile]

Re: Tone knobs

Sometimes I hate them, sometimes I am fascinated by them. What I've really enjoyed of late is Fender's TBX - a stacked tone pot with far more range in both sonic directions. Bonus: It's cheap, only $15 and doesn't use a battery.

 

[Demanic]

Re: Tone knobs

I finally started understanding the tone knob a few years ago.

A while back I realized that rolling back the knob just a little would actually make the top end of whatever guitar I was playing actually come through more clearly.
Anyone care to explain why?

Sent from my Alcatel_5044C using Tapatalk

 

[Gtrjunior]

Re: Tone knobs

Interesting...I’ll have to experiment with that.

 

[Chistopher]

Re: Tone knobs

I've found in my experiences with the tone control that a .018uf cap offers a much more usable treble roll off than a .022uf cap. The difference is not extreme, but it's noticable enough that I do it to all of my guitars that use .022uf caps. Likewise instead of a .047uf cap, I will use a .033uf cap instead.

 

[jeremy]

Re: Tone knobs

I like playing around with Jr style guitars. You really learn what all the controls do in that scenario to get the most out of the guitar.

i used to use my tone control a little but it was when i started playing a tweed amp and esquire that i really jumped in with both feet. .022 is as big as ill use, .015 is great, .01 is ok with some pups.

 

[Blille]

Re: Tone knobs

i used to use my tone control a little but it was when i started playing a tweed amp and esquire that i really jumped in with both feet. .022 is as big as ill use, .015 is great, .01 is ok with some pups.

I currently use a .005 with my A259 and tweed.

 

[justFred]

Re: Tone knobs

i used to use my tone control a little but it was when i started playing a tweed amp and esquire that i really jumped in with both feet. .022 is as big as ill use, .015 is great, .01 is ok with some pups.

Man playing an Esquire is hard work....think because Beck used one early in his career made a huge impact on his technique....ya watch Beck and that man works harder than any other guitarist puling the music out of his guitar...

 

[jeremy]

Re: Tone knobs

Yep, makes ya work for everything but there’s a lot you get out of a simple guitar if you spend the time to get there. A tweed deluxe and esquire is a killer combo for club size rock and blues.

 

[RorySquier]

Re: Tone knobs

I consider the volume control knob on my guitar to act like a tone knob in some ways. I'm always constantly adjusting the volume for different songs. I usually leave my tone control knob wide open to 10 because I think tone knobs make your guitar sound like a muzzled dog.



;>)/

 

[Boogie Bill]

Re: Tone knobs

I use my tone controls quite a bit. A lot of players say that the greatest tones from a Les Paul come from using both pickups and manipulating the tones and volumes for those subtle shadings.

I really like the Passive Treble and Bass controls on my G&L Legacys, S-500 and Comanches. They're global, so they work on all three pickups. My Comanches' Z-Coils work really well with this system. I found I can induce a little feedback, and then actually tune the harmonic with the PTB. Very cool effect.

Bill

 

[gutiarguy777]

Re: Tone knobs

I've always cut out the tone control on all of my gutiars , I think it sounds better without them. Ive only had gutiars with humbuckers though

 

[NegativeEase]

Re: Tone knobs

I don't use them really, Rolling my volume a smidge smooths the tonal highs as much as I need.

I'm in the camp of maximum pickup output and signal integrity all the way to the first buffer, then I EQ with Pedals and then AMP. -of course this means I use my guitars more for specific applications than one guitar to do it all. if I'm using Active pickups then I'll fiddle more with tone knobs because the first buffer is in the guitar.... I have an Active Pickup Guitar with Bartolini Beasts that can mimic just about anything well.

Before anyone get's their panties in a wad, I'm OK with you using your tone knobs..... no fiddling with pots on a guitar is my cross to bear.... :lmao:

 

[JB_From_Hell]

Re: Tone knobs

Sometimes I hate them, sometimes I am fascinated by them. What I've really enjoyed of late is Fender's TBX - a stacked tone pot with far more range in both sonic directions. Bonus: It's cheap, only $15 and doesn't use a battery.

My Strat came with one in the second tone spot. I put a 250k there for the bridge, and moved the TBX to the neck. This is how they should come stock. Super clear neck tone you can darken slightly by using the TBX between the detent and 10, and the ability to take however much edge is necessary off the bridge, completely independently of one another.

I've always cut out the tone control on all of my gutiars , I think it sounds better without them. Ive only had gutiars with humbuckers though

It's cool, someday you'll switch to single coil pickups and a Fender amp and all this stuff will make sense

Just kidding... except that's exactly what happened to me.

 

[NegativeEase]

Re: Tone knobs

It's cool, someday you'll switch to single coil pickups and a Fender amp and all this stuff will make sense

Just kidding... except that's exactly what happened to me.

ha, you just called that guy a Tunomatic Humbucking Brute -in a polite way. :lmao: