treble roll-off question

[heavydutysg135]

I recently decided to upgrade the wiring in my ESP Viper (1 tone and 1 volume). I changed the volume pot to a 500K CTS and the tone pot to the standard 500K split pot. I did the 50s wiring mod to conserve treble while lowering the volume and also changed the cap to a .02 micro ferad orange drop. My problem is the treble control. When I roll it off there is little to no change until I get below the half way point, then the drop is quicker than I want. It seems like this would work well for a 250K volume pot. Since I have the same treble potentiometer in another guitar which rolls off smoothly do you guys think that it is the capacitor. I plan on trying out some other brands and values but can you guys give me advice on this. Also has anyone tried to do the treble bleed mod (resistor and cap acrossed the 2 terminals of volume pot). Do you like or dislike this mod and what values were you using. Thank You.

 

[Lewguitar]

Re: treble roll-off question

Move the tone control connection from the middle terminal of the volume control to the other terminal of the volume control...the one the output of your switch or that the pickups are connected to. See if you like that better. If you do, but still want to retain more treble when you turn the volume pot down, then try this:
http://www.fralinpickups.com/images/phazrev.jpg

It's a .0025 cap and a 220K resistor.

I prefer the 50's mod myself...but alot of guys like using the Volume Kit.

 

[heavydutysg135]

Re: treble roll-off question

Move the tone control connection from the middle terminal of the volume control to the other terminal of the volume control...the one the output of your switch or that the pickups are connected to. See if you like that better. If you do, but still want to retain more treble when you turn the volume pot down, then try this:
http://www.fralinpickups.com/images/phazrev.jpg

It's a .0025 cap and a 220K resistor.

I prefer the 50's mod myself...but alot of guys like using the Volume Kit.

Correct me if I am wrong but wouldn't this just undue the 50s mod because that is how my wiring was before. Right now the middle terminal goes to both the output jack and the tone control (with capacitor). Thanks Lew.

 

[Lewguitar]

Re: treble roll-off question

Correct me if I am wrong but wouldn't this just undue the 50s mod because that is how my wiring was before. Right now the middle terminal goes to both the output jack and the tone control (with capacitor). Thanks Lew.

Yes it would. If you're going for the Volume Kit you'd probably want to reverse the 50's mod first...espeically if you're not happy with the way the taper of the tone pot seems to be affected by the 50's mod.

 

[heavydutysg135]

Re: treble roll-off question

Yes it would. If you're going for the Volume Kit you'd probably want to reverse the 50's mod first...espeically if you're not happy with the way the taper of the tone pot seems to be affected by the 50's mod.

So the 50s mod DOES affect the taper of the tone pot? Is this why most guitars are wired standard? I don't really understand why it would. Could you explain why.

 

[NT02]

Re: treble roll-off question

I'm not an expert, so I don't know if this has anything to do with it, but when I went to a 500k CTS pot for volume on my neck pickup (went back to stock 250k on bridge pickup, too trebly), the volume drops way differently, like barely at all until around 8, then a tremendous amount, and barely audible at 3. I don't like it much. Maybe this is the same thing with the tone control???

 

[Lewguitar]

Re: treble roll-off question

So the 50s mod DOES affect the taper of the tone pot? Is this why most guitars are wired standard? I don't really understand why it would. Could you explain why.

I don't know if "taper" is the right word, but the whole point of the 50's mod is retain highs. With the 50's mod your tone control in connected after the volume pot...with the normal method your tone pot is connected before the volume control so it is rolling off treble from the full output of the pickups. When the tone control is connected after the volume pot it is rolling off treble after the overall signal has been attenuated by the volume pot.

It's like the diff between having a full pot of food to take a small plate full out of (normal) or having a small plate of food to take a spoonful out of (50's mod).

 

[heavydutysg135]

Re: treble roll-off question

I am pretty sure that I found out the problem. The tone pot that my tech sold me is a linear taper instead of an audio taper. I ordered a dimarzio audio taper push pull which I think will solve the problem.