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Post by Deleted on Jun 10, 2012 18:51:49 GMT -7
So, I like to run the tone control at something like 6 or so when I'm on the bridge pickup of my Grosh T-style. It's got a Lollar special T bridge pickup, and an underwound p-90 in the neck. Love the sound of the bridge with the tone rolled back like that, but if I switch back to the neck pickup (btw, p-90 in the neck position in a tele is heaven!), it's a bit (ok, a lot) muddy with the tone rolled back.
I started thinking to myself that there's really no situation where I use the tone on the neck pickup on anything less than 10, so why not remove the tone control from the neck pickup entirely?
I did a little research, and there's a couple ways to do it. I chose to do it so the tone control would work on the bridge and the middle positions, but is totally out of the loop on the neck pickup. It was really easy, too. Just remove the jumper that goes between the volume and tone pots, and run a new jumper from the same lug on the tone control to the lug on the switch that the bridge pickup is attached to. That's it. Done.
Result is great. I can roll off the ice picky stuff from the bridge/middle positions, and if I switch to the neck position mid-stream, it's bright, bold and punchy. In fact, the p-90 seems a little brighter than it was previously. Maybe removing the tone from the circuit cuts a little resistance? Anyhow, it's perfect for me now, as I can leave the tone at 6-7, and just use the switch.
Anyone else do this?
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Post by Deleted on Jun 11, 2012 0:59:18 GMT -7
I would imagine you lost some capacitance as well.
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Post by asattwanger on Jun 11, 2012 2:33:53 GMT -7
You have a nashville RC-VT? Pics?
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Post by Deleted on Jun 11, 2012 17:39:18 GMT -7
Doc - Like I said, maybe the p-90 sounds a hair brighter without the tone cap/control. Maybe I'm just crazy. Not a huge difference, for sure. Dave - Not sure what you mean by "Nashville", but here's a pic. I'm the second or third owner, but the guitar is in great shape. I got it on TGP about 6 months ago. Wasn't really looking to buy another guitar, but was always curious about Grosh. Ended up getting a screaming deal on it when the guy said he'd sell it with no pickups (he had Lollar Charlie Christian in the neck, and the CC equivalent in the bridge). I couldn't pass it up. It looks like it began life with a standard T pickup in the neck, and then someone had it (very professionally) routed for the CC. Fits a p-90 perfectly as well. Anyway, I love this guitar, but it makes my other bolt on ('95 American Standard Strat) feel like a POS. And it's really not a bad guitar. Oh well. I'll eventually get an RC-S or a NOS Retro.
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Post by skydog958 on Jun 11, 2012 19:29:55 GMT -7
I did the same with my Road Worn Tele. It is said that removing the tone control from the neck would increase output and make it a bit brighter. I can't say I could tell the difference in that case--now I'm reconsidering. I did it for the same reason as you did, but I find I never like the way the bridge pickup sounds with the tone rolled back better than with it all the way open anyway.
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Post by a1000leaves on Jun 18, 2012 18:15:44 GMT -7
I agree that this is one of my fav mods for a TELE
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Post by asattwanger on Jun 19, 2012 14:32:48 GMT -7
That is a great looking guitar. Glad you like the mod.
I am playing around with my Carve Top T. Installed some Fendery sounding P-90's. It's great, but I think I want a true P-90 in the bridge. Do what you did, but to the bridge pickup. The neck tone is amazing fat Strat neck with plenty of bite.
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Post by Deleted on Jun 20, 2012 14:11:54 GMT -7
Yeah, I'm a big fan of the mod, and the guitar. Its pretty rare for me to have the tone control up all the way on the bridge, and equally rare to have the tone control anywhere but maxed on the neck, so it was kind of a no brainer.
Dave - what you're getting at is simple to do. Just do what I did, but solder the new jumper to the neck pickup lug on the switch. Voila!
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Post by GuitarZ on Jun 20, 2012 16:41:39 GMT -7
I think your ears are true on the additional brightness.
A number of years ago (son-of-a-gun, probably 30+ years), my neck tone control broke on my P-90 Les Paul. My brother pulled it out of the circuit for me instead of trying to fiddle with adjusting the pot. We finally got a replacement pot, dropped it in, and wired it up. After 30+ years, I still remember that I missed the brightness I had while waiting for the new pot.
It's been disconnected ever since. And, that's a fine looking tele!
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Post by asattwanger on Jun 20, 2012 18:26:53 GMT -7
Cool!!!!!
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Post by greenblues58 on Jun 28, 2012 15:53:31 GMT -7
Can this mod be done where a 4 way switch is fitted? Mine also has the greasebucket circuit on the tone control.
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Post by Deleted on Jun 28, 2012 17:41:05 GMT -7
I'm not as familiar with that setup, but I I think so. Not really sure how the Greasebucket is wired, but if it goes switch>vol>tone like a standard tele, it should be fine. If you do what I mention above, the tone control will work on the bridge, series, and parallel settings, but not the neck alone. Again, though, I'm not sure exactly how the Greasebucket works (sort of assuming its some kind of treble bleed type thing), so you might want to double check.
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Post by greenblues58 on Jun 29, 2012 3:17:13 GMT -7
Will give it a try. the grease bucket is fitted to the tone control and is a cap and resistor in series on the outer lug then soldered to the top of the pot with the standard cap on the other outer lug and middle lug and a jumper(the one I assume I have to move to the bridge switch lug) from the outer lug with the standard cap to the volume pot outer lug. support.fender.com/service_diagrams/telecaster/011-3502B_SISD.pdf
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Post by Deleted on Jun 29, 2012 7:46:49 GMT -7
Yep, looking at that diagram, it shouldn't be a problem. I kind of drew it up for you. Sorry about the crappy scan. Remove the wire that is x'ed out, install the wire I drew in, labeled "new".
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Post by greenblues58 on Jun 29, 2012 8:05:42 GMT -7
Thanks thats what I thought. I will give it a try later today.
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Post by greenblues58 on Jun 29, 2012 10:47:01 GMT -7
Have now done this mod but my wiring on the 4 way puts the bridge yellow wire at the top of the switch in the diagram where the neck wire is ie opposite way round though the switch works the right way round ie bridge on its own is first position. Its great to be able to keep the edge of the bridge with the tone control(as mine are texas specials)and switch to neck on full tone. Biggest difference though is the 4th position ie series humbucker with the tone rolled off it really has fattened this position up where it was quite dull before with tone rolled off or overbright and not much difference to standard middle position although a tad louder as you would expect with it fully open.
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Post by markT on Jun 29, 2012 16:15:24 GMT -7
I wired the Tele I put together like this. It has a Lollar Charlie Christian at the neck and a Special T at the bridge. Removing the tone from the CC made it a little more clear with the 250K pots. I'm happy~
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Post by smolder on Jun 30, 2012 11:49:16 GMT -7
thanks for this... I'm always looking for more clarity and high in the neck pick up... only using the tone knob for the bridge... this is something i need to try.
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Post by zpilot on Jul 2, 2012 21:49:48 GMT -7
When you have your tone control full CW you are placing a resistor ( 250K, 500K, or whatever your pot is ) in series with the tone cap going to ground. This still lets a little signal through. When you disconnect the tone pot you have an infinite resistance so no signal is bled off. It's not your imagination. There is a definite difference in sound between the two circuits. I used to have a LP with Dimarzio Super Distortion pick-ups back when they were the hot setup and the ONLY way I could get any clarity with them was to remove the tone controls.
I also had an original '54 Goldtop with P-90's that sounded awsome but I always had to run the tone controls wide open. They probably would have sounded even better with the tone pots disconnected but I hadn't figured that out at that time.
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Post by greenblues58 on Jul 10, 2012 14:15:10 GMT -7
Playin with the tele a lot since doing this mod and have now found on the both together series position( 4) with the tone completely off I get a very passable strat like neck pickup tone.
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