Volume and Tone Wide Open?
- Thread starter Slartibartfast
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Jacew
New member
Re: Volume and Tone Wide Open?
I prefer to use pedals: Volume pedal + EHX Worm with expression pedal as treble booster to control both gain and tone. Controlling volume and tone from guitar seems pointlessly difficult in comparison.
I generally just use guitar volume for switching between tones, (and sometimes for an effect).
I prefer to use pedals: Volume pedal + EHX Worm with expression pedal as treble booster to control both gain and tone. Controlling volume and tone from guitar seems pointlessly difficult in comparison.
I generally just use guitar volume for switching between tones, (and sometimes for an effect).
ItsaBass
New member
Re: Volume and Tone Wide Open?
I do use the volume and tone when needed...but I tend to like a super bright "base" tone hitting the amp. I am used to playing on amps that have very little headroom, often pushed hard. My two main amps for decades now have been a stock '68 Princeton Reverb and an Ampeg J-12T, both of which are 15W or below single-speaker vintage or "vintage voiced" combos. Thus I tend to favor bass reduction over treble reduction.
When I use the onboard controls most is on the instruments I've converted to 1M pots...which is no small part of why I made the conversion in the first place. I also use the onboard knobs more when playing through my cleaner, higher wattage amps.
The reason I like Esquire and "vintage" Tele wiring so much over "modern" Tele wiring is that you can switch between bridge pickup wide open and bridge pickup with the tone knob. In other words, you can pre-set the tone knob to a rolled-off tone, and switch back and forth between that and no-load. No need to roll the knob down to the perfect spot every time you want to soften the bridge pickup a bit.
I do use the volume and tone when needed...but I tend to like a super bright "base" tone hitting the amp. I am used to playing on amps that have very little headroom, often pushed hard. My two main amps for decades now have been a stock '68 Princeton Reverb and an Ampeg J-12T, both of which are 15W or below single-speaker vintage or "vintage voiced" combos. Thus I tend to favor bass reduction over treble reduction.
When I use the onboard controls most is on the instruments I've converted to 1M pots...which is no small part of why I made the conversion in the first place. I also use the onboard knobs more when playing through my cleaner, higher wattage amps.
The reason I like Esquire and "vintage" Tele wiring so much over "modern" Tele wiring is that you can switch between bridge pickup wide open and bridge pickup with the tone knob. In other words, you can pre-set the tone knob to a rolled-off tone, and switch back and forth between that and no-load. No need to roll the knob down to the perfect spot every time you want to soften the bridge pickup a bit.
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Gtrjunior
New member
Re: Volume and Tone Wide Open?
I typically manipulate my volume control for various levels of gain/tones. And on my clean channel I play with the tone a bit of I feel the tone is too trebly.
I try to set my amp up to work best with the controls wide open but there are so many variables when playing live, that there isn’t just one correct setting.
I typically manipulate my volume control for various levels of gain/tones. And on my clean channel I play with the tone a bit of I feel the tone is too trebly.
I try to set my amp up to work best with the controls wide open but there are so many variables when playing live, that there isn’t just one correct setting.
Lake Placid Blues
New member
Re: Volume and Tone Wide Open?
Works with non vintage pots as well. That's a tone secret. It works better with vintage output pickups than with flame throwers. Rolled back just a hair, you get about the same volume and drive, but a warmer more vocal tone.
Works with non vintage pots as well. That's a tone secret. It works better with vintage output pickups than with flame throwers. Rolled back just a hair, you get about the same volume and drive, but a warmer more vocal tone.
Silence Kid
New member
Re: Volume and Tone Wide Open?
It's not like I commit to playing with all my controls wide open; usually it's a practical thing, but often I do play with everything on ten.
(I fiddle with controls more when I'm playing bass.)
It's not like I commit to playing with all my controls wide open; usually it's a practical thing, but often I do play with everything on ten.
(I fiddle with controls more when I'm playing bass.)
some_dude
Raging BB Gunologist
Re: Volume and Tone Wide Open?
I use the volume and tone all the time.
I use the tone a lot to bring the guitar down so that it sits under the vocal. The duller/less cutting sound blends better with the band, then when I want more cut I can open the tone up and cut through without needing a big volume boost. If you're on the bridge rolling the tone off is a good alternative to switching to the neck for rhythm sounds, and if you're on the neck being able to roll the tone up is a good alternative to having to switch to the bridge for lead
Tone on/near zero also produces a mid boost. With the wrong value cap it'll sound like dull sh*t, but with the right value cap it sound decent. It's not a particularly interesting sound on it's own, but when used within a band it can be pretty cool (Sweet Child o' Mine).
I use a three channel amp, which a lot of people would tend to set for clean/rhythm/lead but I find that restricting. I find I get better results if I set it up for lead/lead/lead and use the guitar to pull each channel back for rhythm and cleans. Instead of having one clean sound, one rhythm sound and one lead sound I can dial in channel 1 like it's an overdriven Deluxe and control it like a single channel amp. Ditto for channel 2 (modded JCM800) and channel 3 (Boogie). Instead of being limited to 3 sounds I have 9 basic flavours, with near infinite ability to shade my tone between the extremes and no jarring tone shifts that can come from switching channels.
I use the volume and tone all the time.
I use the tone a lot to bring the guitar down so that it sits under the vocal. The duller/less cutting sound blends better with the band, then when I want more cut I can open the tone up and cut through without needing a big volume boost. If you're on the bridge rolling the tone off is a good alternative to switching to the neck for rhythm sounds, and if you're on the neck being able to roll the tone up is a good alternative to having to switch to the bridge for lead
Tone on/near zero also produces a mid boost. With the wrong value cap it'll sound like dull sh*t, but with the right value cap it sound decent. It's not a particularly interesting sound on it's own, but when used within a band it can be pretty cool (Sweet Child o' Mine).
I use a three channel amp, which a lot of people would tend to set for clean/rhythm/lead but I find that restricting. I find I get better results if I set it up for lead/lead/lead and use the guitar to pull each channel back for rhythm and cleans. Instead of having one clean sound, one rhythm sound and one lead sound I can dial in channel 1 like it's an overdriven Deluxe and control it like a single channel amp. Ditto for channel 2 (modded JCM800) and channel 3 (Boogie). Instead of being limited to 3 sounds I have 9 basic flavours, with near infinite ability to shade my tone between the extremes and no jarring tone shifts that can come from switching channels.
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Demanic
PenultimateTone Member
Re: Volume and Tone Wide Open?
I usually run the volume wide open. Sometimes I back the tone off just a hair, which seems to actually increase the clarity of the top end.
Sometimes I will fool around with setting my small tube amp as others here have mentioned, louder and brighter, and then use both to further adjust the sound. Just not for any serious work.
Sent from my Alcatel_5044C using Tapatalk
I usually run the volume wide open. Sometimes I back the tone off just a hair, which seems to actually increase the clarity of the top end.
Sometimes I will fool around with setting my small tube amp as others here have mentioned, louder and brighter, and then use both to further adjust the sound. Just not for any serious work.
Sent from my Alcatel_5044C using Tapatalk
some_dude
Raging BB Gunologist
Re: Volume and Tone Wide Open?
I've found the same thing. Sometimes the best way to get more clarity when playing high gain rhythm is to either cut the guitar volume back to about 9.5 or roll the tone off slightly to cut back on the sizzle.
I've found the same thing. Sometimes the best way to get more clarity when playing high gain rhythm is to either cut the guitar volume back to about 9.5 or roll the tone off slightly to cut back on the sizzle.
allbutromeo
New member
Re: Volume and Tone Wide Open?
I used to go full open all the time, and with most of my guitars I still do. But I have a Tele that I turned into an Esquire, and on that guitar i find myself using the tone control a lot more, and depending on the amp, also the volume.
I used to go full open all the time, and with most of my guitars I still do. But I have a Tele that I turned into an Esquire, and on that guitar i find myself using the tone control a lot more, and depending on the amp, also the volume.
ibanezrocks
HardtailPisser
Re: Volume and Tone Wide Open?
I only ever use the tone on the bridge pickup of my telecaster.
On my Les Paul I pretty much only use the neck volume to set it cleaner than the bridge then switch to the middle or neck for less gain.
I don't constantly fiddle with knobs as I play. Some people do it and sound good but I prefer to just focus on playing. You can accomplish a lot with pick dynamics anyway.
Sent from my BlackBerry using Tapatalk
I only ever use the tone on the bridge pickup of my telecaster.
On my Les Paul I pretty much only use the neck volume to set it cleaner than the bridge then switch to the middle or neck for less gain.
I don't constantly fiddle with knobs as I play. Some people do it and sound good but I prefer to just focus on playing. You can accomplish a lot with pick dynamics anyway.
Sent from my BlackBerry using Tapatalk