Making a guitar darker?

Freddy V-C · Post by **Freddy V-C** » Sat Aug 02, 2014 11:41 pm

I've just had my SG refretted. 10/10 decision.

I also asked the bloke who did it to sort out another modification I've been meaning to do. He's taken out both tone knobs and one volume, so now there's just a master volume. Literally the only controls I have are a series/parallel switch and this master volume.

I had been warned that a guitar without a tone knob would be brighter than a guitar with the tone on 10 (where I would always have it), but I didn't realise just HOW SIGNIFICANT the brightness would be. It sounds super ice picky unless I have the treble around 2 on my amp.

What would be the best way to sort this out? Would a lower pot value for the volume knob have any effect?

I'm so useless at this stuff...

theshadowofseattle · Post by **theshadowofseattle** » Sun Aug 03, 2014 12:10 am

Lower pot value or add one tone knob.

Gabriel · Post by **Gabriel** » Sun Aug 03, 2014 12:28 am

Yeah I'd try a lower pot or you could go super ghetto and just leave a tone pot inside the cavity but not mounted to the top of the guitar. Lower value pot is probably a better option though.

theshadowofseattle · Post by **theshadowofseattle** » Sun Aug 03, 2014 12:35 am

Or turn the volume down. Unless you have a treble bleed circuit, it should cut the treble as you turn down.

Nick · Post by **Nick** » Sun Aug 03, 2014 3:01 am

TURN DOWN FOR WHAT

Noirie. · Post by **Noirie.** » Sun Aug 03, 2014 3:11 am

Why you get it refretted by the way? Was it fucked at all?

robroe · Post by **robroe** » Sun Aug 03, 2014 4:32 am

theshadowofseattle wrote:Or turn the volume down.

YOU FUCKING QUITTER.

BULLSHIT QUITTER GET THE FUCK OUT WITH THAT SHIT

FUCK ME

singlepup · Post by **singlepup** » Sun Aug 03, 2014 6:20 am

What are the standard pot values on the SG?

EQ pedal is another way to go. Helped me sort out the Squier JM's shrill highs.

Freddy V-C · Post by **Freddy V-C** » Sun Aug 03, 2014 7:45 am

Noirie. wrote:Why you get it refretted by the way? Was it fucked at all?

Yes. Bought the guitar second hand for mega cheap and the frets were kinda fucked.

Cheers for the advice all. Gonna experiment with the volume on my guitar (when my housemates aren't all asleep) and if that doesn't work I'll try a lower pot value. Although I'm not even sure what the current value is...

I don't want to bring one of the tone knobs back because fuck an tone knob.

Fakir Mustache · Post by **Fakir Mustache** » Sun Aug 03, 2014 8:48 am

Freddy V-C wrote:I don't want to bring one of the tone knobs back because fuck an tone knob.

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George · Post by **George** » Sun Aug 03, 2014 8:54 am

yeah, basically if it's just going through one pot it's going to be quite bright. if you wired them back again it'd fix it, or use a lower pot value.

Fakir Mustache · Post by **Fakir Mustache** » Sun Aug 03, 2014 9:00 am

although you could also put tone switches if you don't like knobs.

unfortunately, you'd have to experiment with different cap values to find the best ones, which would cost you lots of quid because you don't know how to diy.

James · Post by **James** » Sun Aug 03, 2014 9:49 am

You could wire a cap (or it might need to be a cap and resistor) in line with the volume pot. It would have the same result as having a hidden tone pot in the wiring cavity but it would be smaller and fixed. It would be relatively easy to pick the necessary values and to install.

Out of curiosity, how much did the refret cost? Do you have binding on the neck?

Freddy V-C · Post by **Freddy V-C** » Sun Aug 03, 2014 10:10 am

The neck isn't bound. The dude usually charges Â£120, but did it for Â£60 for me because I used to help out a lot at his studio.

Freddy V-C · Post by **Freddy V-C** » Sun Aug 03, 2014 11:40 am

Update: I've played the guitar through a few different rigs and realised that part of the issue is my new cab. The guitar is definitely treblier than it was, by this 2x10 is crazy trebly. Either way, the problem seems to be basically gone if I turn the volume on my guitar down to 5. SUCCESS.

ekwatts · Post by **ekwatts** » Sun Aug 03, 2014 5:57 pm

Electro Harmonix Mole bass boost makes all my guitars sound like they're emitting variations on the brown note. No wonder they're so cheap.

theshadowofseattle · Post by **theshadowofseattle** » Sun Aug 03, 2014 10:22 pm

ekwatts wrote:Electro Harmonix Mole bass boost makes all my guitars sound like they're emitting variations on the brown note. No wonder they're so cheap.

Yo that is the worst pedal I've ever experienced. Within 5 minutes, I had relisted it on ebay.

paul_ · Post by **paul_** » Mon Aug 04, 2014 12:19 am

singlepickup24 wrote:What are the standard pot values on the SG?

On Epiphones it's 500K audios all round, on Gibsons it's traditionally been 500K audios for volume and 300K linears for tone (I belive only the Les Paul Traditional has retained the 300k tones in the last couple years though).

James's suggestion with a hardwired capacitor or resistor is what I was thinking, though Freddy: I'm having a hard time understanding why, while freely admitting you don't understand this stuff/want it to sound the way it did before, you're so hellbent on "fuck an tone knob"? On an SG no less, where it's as out of the way as you could possibly ask for?

toez10 · Post by **toez10** » Mon Aug 04, 2014 1:41 pm

You could replace the volume pot with a 250k, and it should be very close to having both the volume and tone pots. If it's still too bright, you could add a resistor - either at the pot, or in line with the hot lead of the pickup.

ekwatts · Post by **ekwatts** » Mon Aug 04, 2014 2:41 pm

theshadowofseattle wrote:
ekwatts wrote:Electro Harmonix Mole bass boost makes all my guitars sound like they're emitting variations on the brown note. No wonder they're so cheap.
Yo that is the worst pedal I've ever experienced. Within 5 minutes, I had relisted it on ebay.

It's interestingly bad. I've actually found a use for it here and there but it's surprising that it ever got made and sold.