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Topic: Installing a tone control |
Jack Hanson
From:
San Luis Valley, USA
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Posted 3 Jul 2020 8:08 am |
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My brother has one of these OLP MM-1 Chinese knock-offs of a Van Halen-style electric guitar:
It has two humbuckers, a three-way toggle switch, and a volume control. The existing pot is a mini Alpha. There's room in the cavity for another mini-pot. Can someone recommend a good resource for learning how to wire a tone control into the existing circuit? I have the Schatten book, and it's no help. When it comes to electronics, I'm barely beyond the level of running a Lionel train. Does something on the order of "Electric Guitar Wiring for Dummies" exist? |
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Jerry Overstreet
From:
Louisville Ky
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Mike Auman
From:
North Texas, USA
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Posted 3 Jul 2020 10:49 am
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The tone pot is usually identical to the volume pot, in terms of value (in ohms, probably 500k = 500,000 for this guitar) and taper (usually logarithmic, called "A" taper in the US, so A500k or 500kA.) If you're lucky it will be printed on the existing volume pot, if not you can measure it.
The value of the capacitor is completely up to your ear. There are some values that are traditional 'cuz they were stock for Fenders and Gibsons (22 nanoFarads to 47 nanoFarads, or nF) but I personally like a smaller values that retain more treble when rolled down (3.3 nF to 15 nF.) There's no right or wrong value here.
If you want to match the existing knob, tubesandmore.com and stewmac.com are a couple of sources.
And 1 nF = .001 microFarad (uF)
Mike
_________________
Long-time guitar player, now wrestling with lap steel. |
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Gene Tani
From:
Pac NW
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Bill Hatcher
From:
Atlanta Ga. USA
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Posted 5 Jul 2020 4:19 am
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| Mike Auman wrote: |
The tone pot is usually identical to the volume pot, in terms of value (in ohms, probably 500k = 500,000 for this guitar) and taper (usually logarithmic, called "A" taper in the US, so A500k or 500kA.) If you're lucky it will be printed on the existing volume pot, if not you can measure it.
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i always looked for what was called an "audio taper" pot as opposed to a "linear taper". audio was what was used in guitars as most of the volume or tone was achieved between 10 and 6. linear pots you hat to turn too far to get a fast decrease in vol/tone. with audio, you could do vol swells and boowah effects....linear you cant.
also in all guitar schematics/fender schematics the cap values are always in microfards...mfd. i never saw nfd used. never heard the tone cap listed in nf....always mfd.
your mileage will vary.... |
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Jack Hanson
From:
San Luis Valley, USA
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Posted 6 Jul 2020 5:14 am
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| Thanks, guys. With the information above, I'm confident that I could successfully pop a pot in the cavity if my brother so desires (and is willing to spring for the cost of the pot and knob). |
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