Will my sound benefit if I disable the Tone pot?

[leechmasterargentina]

An hour ago I saw in a post that a person had disabled (unsoldered from the circuit) the Tone pot when he was replacing pickups. Since I NEVER use the tone pot I was wondering if the sound could benefit of having it disabled from the circuit.

 

[TedEH]

Even if it doesn't, you could replace the pot with a switch or something and have it do something cool.

 

[sear]

It does make a difference, although not necessarily to tone but rather to output, at least to my ears. It is very subtle and in my opinion not really needed. I don't use the tone pot a ton but if you ever need cleans, it's good to have it on hand.

 

[GizmoGardens]

http://www.sevenstring.org/forum/pi...560-how-did-1-meg-pots-effect-your-sound.html


Posted from Sevenstring.org App for Android

 

[leechmasterargentina]

Even if it doesn't, you could replace the pot with a switch or something and have it do something cool.

Mmm, I could add a killswitch there

It does make a difference, although not necessarily to tone but rather to output, at least to my ears. It is very subtle and in my opinion not really needed. I don't use the tone pot a ton but if you ever need cleans, it's good to have it on hand.

Sure, but I rather be sure to have a good equalization from the amp or POD rather than have to control it with the tone pot. If the tone pot doesn't suck frequencies, then I guess I can keep it there, but if somehow modifies the signal other than output, could be interesting to just disable it.

http://www.sevenstring.org/forum/pic...our-sound.html

Thanks Gizmo. I already went through that post and as far as Volume pots, I don't think I'd like to have 1000k pots since I'm fine with the high frequency capabilities of the ones I have in my guitars.

 

[GizmoGardens]

Mmm, I could add a killswitch there Sure, but I rather be sure to have a good equalization from the amp or POD rather than have to control it with the tone pot. If the tone pot doesn't suck frequencies, then I guess I can keep it there, but if somehow modifies the signal other than output, could be interesting to just disable it. Thanks Gizmo. I already went through that post and as far as Volume pots, I don't think I'd like to have 1000k pots since I'm fine with the high frequency capabilities of the ones I have in my guitars.

Well if you don't want more highs then definitely don't take out the tone pot, thats even more extreme than 1 meg pots (as it says in that thread). If you just don't want a tone pot, you could replace it with a resistor... it would just act like the tone pot is fully rotated at all times.

 

[HUGH JAYNUS]

i have wondered this before. i literally NEVER have used my tone knob. i actually super glue mine wide open. i have a 2 humbucker ax with 1vol, 1tone, and 3 way toggle. i wanted to change it to no tone, and neck vol, bridge vol as i like to leave the neck volume down and switch to it for some dirty cleans. how would i do this?

its a PRS SE CU22 with a BKP blackhawk in the bridge if that matters

 

[Overtone]

What I would do is get a new pot w/ the same value as the current volume pot (probably 500k) and rewire it using the old vol and the switch, and save the tone pot in case you want to go back.

You could save a few bucks (6 or so) and just convert the tone pot into a vol. by simply removing the capacitor from it and soldering the last lug to the top and then using it exactly as in the wiring diagram for vol/vol 3 way.

 

[HUGH JAYNUS]

ahhhh thanks!

 

[Overtone]

No problem. A simple explanation is that the difference between a volume knob and a tone knob is usually just that the tone will have a capacitor hooked up somewhere. You could probably keep remove the existing cap in a way so you can still use it again if you want to go back to having a tone knob. It might even be a good idea to remove it and wire it into the circuit somewhere to act as a filter (the way that it does now) if you don't want your guitar to sound more bright.

 

[HUGH JAYNUS]

I like brighter so that would be fine

 

[Sepultorture]

I prefer not having a tone pot in the signal path, you can always dial back the highs on your amp or whatever you are using your guitar though, but it won't be like holy shit tonnes of brightness in your face.

another reason why i love the RGD's as they come stock with no tone pot

 

[HUGH JAYNUS]

Will this work for EMG pots? Same set up as mentioned earlier

 

[MrMcSick]

Just unsolder the one end of the cap going to the tone pot and you can hear what it sounds like and then touch it back on the spot for an instant comparison while still playing. What I did, just added a slight more top end.

 

[GizmoGardens]

Will this work for EMG pots? Same set up as mentioned earlier

i dont think so. i could be wrong but I think removing the tone pot will just make it act like its fully rotated, you won't get additonal highs like you do with passive.


Posted from Sevenstring.org App for Android

 

[GizmoGardens]

Will this work for EMG pots? Same set up as mentioned earlier

I did this with my s470fm that I put emg 81x/85x in and it didnt seem like I got more brightness.


Posted from Sevenstring.org App for Android

 

[thebunfather]

I've done this to a couple of my guitars and have a custom build that didn't include a tone pot. I don't know how much of a difference it makes in tone, but if you never use it anyway, try it out. Just bypass it, leave it in and try it for a couple weeks. Maybe even do some before and after clips. That would be the best way to tell.

 

[nscarfo83]

In my experience removing the tone pot gives a cleaner output and is a stronger representation of the pickup

 

[signalgrey]

i took mine out of my strat and ive never been happier

 

[Rook]

It subtly changes the resistance the pickup 'sees'. The higher the parallel resistance (pots, caps, cables, pedal/amp's input stage) the closer to the pickup's electrical specification it will act and the higher the peak.

Your pickup's resonant peak, where most of the power and tonal character is, will get taller the more resistance you put between the pickup's output and ground; 1 meg pots, for example. Removing the tone pot essentially turns its parallel impedance to infinity. This usually means more brightness and more 'clarity', more sparkle.

I hate the sound of tone controls, limiting bandwidth (turning the tone control down) kills very high end very quickly and doesn't add warmth as much as dulls the sound completely IMO. I'd rather get warmth for cleans by using my fingers, muting slightly using my palms or by just dialling my cleans warmer rather than just mindlessly attenuating everything above the tone control's cutoff.

/rant

I hate tone pots and don't miss them one bit.