rewire thoughts on a studio

[bcsride]

HFCers,

I have several studio that are the standard VVT+3way. I'm thinking of rewiring one of the Studios with one volume, one blend, and one tone. Not sure what to do with the 3 way. Any thoughts on this? Examples of a VBT+3 way? - would actually probably set the locations up as Vol, Tone, Blend. Still not sure about the 3 way options. 

Some other thoughts. I don't really use both Volumes to blend. Also, I set up so that 7 is clean and then up is dirtier on the volume. Two volumes make that a bit more complicated. Also, I just like to grab the one volume with my pinkie regardless of PU selector.

My question here is seeking thoughts on playability, notes, options on 3 way, etc. Not a technical question related to the wiring diagram etc. 

A note, I posted this thought (V,Blend,T) in a post from 2014 in a different thread. Never did it. 

[Jimbilly]

coil tap?  in/out of phase for when both are on?

[bcsride]

In/Out of phase is a good idea. I don't think I can/will do coil tap. I'm not swapping the PUs and I think the ones in it don't have a tap. 

[Cboss]

That is how I set up my daytona's, it is very usable, but I make the tone and the blend pots no load which is very nice as having them in the circuit does change the sound; just leaving the selector alone is a good option I think as you will want to pick specific pickups

On any VVT hamers I have I wire the pickups out of phase; there is a really beautiful sound when you dial down the volume on the back just enough to come out of that out of phase sound that can't be gotten otherwise (neck on 10)

[velorush]

If you haven't tried it, especially with humbuckers, I'd highly recommend the PTB circuit.  One control is a master tone (treble roll-off), the other is a master bass roll-off, all with a master volume.

Really helps to tailor where the guitar sits in the frequency spectrum. 

[Jimbilly]

1 hour ago, bcsride said:

In/Out of phase is a good idea. I don't think I can/will do coil tap. I'm not swapping the PUs and I think the ones in it don't have a tap. 

My 84 Special is current at 'summer camp' at my friend Matt's house, he says the middle 'out of phase /both' position is really doing it for him for high gain. I hadn't tried it that way before, I usually just go straight to the bridge for distortion, but I trust his ears.

[burningyen]

Kill switch?

[HSB0531]

1 hour ago, velorush said:

If you haven't tried it, especially with humbuckers, I'd highly recommend the PTB circuit.  One control is a master tone (treble roll-off), the other is a master bass roll-off, all with a master volume.

Really helps to tailor where the guitar sits in the frequency spectrum. 

Thanks for this. It gives me an idea for an on/off/on mini toggle for bass cut/flat/treble cut.

There wouldn't be any variable selection, but if the right cap values are determined, you could add the toggle and caps at the input jack positive and ground tabs, while leaving the VVT wiring intact.  This would affect both pups equally when the toggle isn't in the middle position.

The tone control would still be your variable treble roll-off, while the toggle switch could be used for a quick treble roll-off, or added to the tone control for an added extra bit of "Joe Pass/Pat Metheny" mud.

[kizanski]

I never liked the V-V-T layout on two humbucker/three knob guitars.
Master Volume, Neck Tone, Bridge Tone always made more sense to me from a functionality standpoint.

My reasoning is, if your pickups are a matched set, and they are height-adjusted properly, you're not likely to need to change the volume of one pickup over another. If you need to adjust your volume during a song, you have the Master Volume.

Likewise, the separate tone controls works better for me as I am more likely to roll off some treble on the bridge pickup than the neck pickup.

But that's me. And I sold my guitars, so there's that.

Edited September 3, 2024 by kizanski
oopsie

[HSB0531]

27 minutes ago, kizanski said:

I never liked the V-V-T layout on two humbucker/three knob guitars.
Master Volume, Neck Tone, Bridge Tone always made more sense to me from a functionality standpoint.

My reasoning is, if your pickups are a matched set, and they are height-adjusted properly, you're not likely to need to change the volume of one pickup over another. If you need to adjust your volume during a song, you have the Master Volume.

Likewise, the separate tone controls works better for me as I am more likely to roll off some treble on the neck pickup than the neck pickup.

But that's me. And I sold my guitars, so there's that.

Yes, the traditional Strat wiring. Volume at the pinky finger location.

[bcsride]

53 minutes ago, kizanski said:

I never liked the V-V-T layout on two humbucker/three knob guitars.
Master Volume, Neck Tone, Bridge Tone always made more sense to me from a functionality standpoint.

My reasoning is, if your pickups are a matched set, and they are height-adjusted properly, you're not likely to need to change the volume of one pickup over another. If you need to adjust your volume during a song, you have the Master Volume.

Likewise, the separate tone controls works better for me as I am more likely to roll off some treble on the neck pickup than the neck pickup.

But that's me. And I sold my guitars, so there's that.

Holy moly - Kizanski sold his guitars? I haven't been around here in a bit, I missed some stuff!

[kizanski]

31 minutes ago, HSB0531 said:

Yes, the traditional Strat wiring. Volume at the pinky finger location.

Yes and no. Even on the Strat you don't (traditionally) have a tone control for the bridge pickup.
That never made a whole lot of sense to me either.

5 minutes ago, bcsride said:

Holy moly - Kizanski sold his guitars? I haven't been around here in a bit, I missed some stuff!

Yeah, you missed some stuff alright; Shishkovs, Hamers, Gibsons, Fenders...  I only kept a couple of guitars that had sentimental meaning to me (yes, I have this capability).

 

Sorry for the thread hijack.

[BoogieMKIIA]

I have thought about switching the volume control position since I mostly use the bridge pickup and seems more like a Les Paul.
 

I’m used to having two separate volumes, works if you have one set for rhythm. But one master volume would work for me. I don’t preset or ride Tone much and the volume in a consistent location across guitars would be nice.
 

The more I play my Studio Custom, I start getting use to the standard setup, to a point.

[HSB0531]

2 hours ago, kizanski said:

Yes and no. Even on the Strat you don't (traditionally) have a tone control for the bridge pickup.
That never made a whole lot of sense to me either.

Yeah, you missed some stuff alright; Shishkovs, Hamers, Gibsons, Fenders...  I only kept a couple of guitars that had sentimental meaning to me (yes, I have this capability).

 

Sorry for the thread hijack.

Right, there's 2 independent tone controls and 3 pups, so the bridge has none, but as you said, it doesn't make a lot of sense. I'd expect the bridge pup to need the tone control the most.

[bcsride]

That PBT circuit looks interesting. A youtube demo had a guy doing it on a Hamer. 

One volume control for rhythm and one volume control for lead is not really a thing for me. Neither PU is inherently lead or rhythm for me - just different sounds. 

[HSB0531]

Every time I see the topic heading, I think "Recording Studio" and want to reply.

[kizanski]

7 minutes ago, HSB0531 said:

Every time I see the topic heading, I think "Recording Studio" and want to reply.

It hasn't stopped you.

[HSB0531]

2 minutes ago, kizanski said:

It hasn't stopped you.

Damn it!  You caught me in the act!!