Do you really need two tone controls on a Silver Sky or Strat?

[Lewguitar]

Do you need TWO tone controls? I kind of prefer just a volume and tone.

I'm not going to alter my Silver Skys.

But I am going to get my 80's MIJ Squier up and running again and thinking of putting pickups and controls in this pickguard:

https://imgur.com/rqxzyQE

I'm going to put the "bridge tone control" where it usually is. But I'm thinking I'll put the volume control a little closer to where the neck tone control would normally be. Kind of between them.

And use Tele knobs. Just two.

Any thoughts?

 

[markd21]

I have a vtt guitar that I'm setting up with Fiore switching. But, for SSS guitar I usually do three volumes and no tone.

 

[shinksma]

Yes. For me, at least.

Fairly recently I was playing my Silver Sky and really liked to have the bridge tone pot down to about "8" while the neck/mid tone pot was at 10. It provided me the tonal balance I needed when switching pickups for whatever it was I was doing at the time (I think I switched to the bridge for a lead tone, but still wanted it a little less bright, but with the clarity the bridge pup brings just due to positioning).

 

[markd21]

God I hate auto correct on my phone.

 

[Lewguitar]

I have a vtt guitar that I'm setting up with Fiore switching. But, for SSS guitar I usually do three volumes and no tone.

No tone controls at all? With Strats I need to lose a little treble from those bright pickups, and a 250K tone control allows a little of that "glass" to bleed out of the circuit - even when the tone control is full up.

 

[JasonE]

I am one that never uses the tone controls on my strats. Honestly, my tone controls are usually on 10 on pretty much every guitar I play. I ride the volume knob but almost never touch the tone. The only pickup I would use the tone knob on for an SSS strat is the bridge pickup and that is the one that usually doesn't have a tone knob.

 

[Lewguitar]

I am one that never uses the tone controls on my strats. Honestly, my tone controls are usually on 10 on pretty much every guitar I play. I ride the volume knob but almost never touch the tone. The only pickup I would use the tone knob on for an SSS strat is the bridge pickup and that is the one that usually doesn't have a tone knob.

All of mine do have a dedicated tone control for the bridge pickup, even if they weren't wired that way at the factory. That way I can leave it turned down without it affecting my neck pickup tone when I'm playing rhythm.

I have to turn the tone down when I'm playing on the bridge pickup, and use it to shape the sound of my overdrive pedal too.

I like more of an "OW" sound when I'm playing lead on the bridge pickup and with a dedicated tone control for the bridge I can leave it dialed to that "sweet spot".

Man, Jeff Beck is constantly on the bridge pickup and using that tone control.

I don't get that carried away with it but i gotta have it.

 

[AP515]

On my Strat I tied my bridge and middle pickups to the tone control together. Now I can roll off the highs when that Ice Pick tone starts up. Just a little goes a long way.

 

[JasonE]

One thing I had on a Strat that was very useful was turning the bottom tone control into a blend knob that blends the bridge and neck pickup depending on the 5 way position.

 

[Lewguitar]

On my Strat I tied my bridge and middle pickups to the tone control together. Now I can roll off the highs when that Ice Pick tone starts up. Just a little goes a long way.

Yep. When you combine the neck and middle pickups, do BOTH tone controls affect the tone?

 

[Lewguitar]

One thing I had on a Strat that was very useful was turning the bottom tone control into a blend knob that blends the bridge and neck pickup depending on the 5 way position.

Fralin's blender pot.

I used to use that.

Allows for combining the neck and bridge pickup...like on a Tele.

It's a useful sound but I went back to keeping it simple.

This white guitar I'm working on used to have a Tele bridge pickup!

https://imgur.com/9oPR7iq

Those are bakelite knobs off of a Rickenbacher Lap Steel from the 1930's.

Bought them on eBay ages ago.

 

[Dirty_Boogie]

On a "traditional" SSS guitar, I feel that a tone on the bridge single coil is essential. I seldom touch the tone on the neck or middle pup, so technically, I could get away with a single tone control on that type of guitar - only wired to the bridge pup. I'm seriously gassing for a Schecter Nick Johnston "Traditional", in the HSS configuration. It comes stock with one vol, one tone, and looks great. This allows them to move the vol pot further away from the bridge pup (which is an annoyance/deterrent for many SSS players.)

 

[garrett]

Yes.

I've done master volume, master tone on Strats a couple times and I always missed the second tone. I like to have one for neck/middle and one for bridge and I've done a few variations of that theme over the years.

Actually, my ideal controls for any multi-pickup guitar is master volume and two tones.

 

[Lewguitar]

Yes.

I've done master volume, master tone on Strats a couple times and I always missed the second tone. I like to have one for neck/middle and one for bridge and I've done a few variations of that theme over the years.

Actually, my ideal controls for any multi-pickup guitar is master volume and two tones.

Do you like to preset the tone on the bridge pickup and sort of leave that way?

Do you notice any difference in the overall brightness of the guitar with one tone control rather than two?

If anything, a guitar with one tone control should be slightly brighter.

In a normal Strat with a tone for the neck and a tone for the middle, those two 250K tone controls are combined when the two pickups are combined and that's like having a 125K tone control that's allowing treble to pass to ground through it even when it's on 10.

But that's not a bad thing. It's Mark Knopfler, Hendrix, SRV and Eric Clapton's tone after all.

It's the sound of a vintage Strat.

 

[garrett]

Do you like to preset the tone on the bridge pickup and sort of leave that way?

Do you notice any difference in the overall brightness of the guitar with one tone control rather than two?

If anything, a guitar with one tone control should be slightly brighter.

In a normal Strat with a tone for the neck and a tone for the middle, those two 250K tone controls are combined when the two pickups are combined and that's like having a 125K tone control that's allowing treble to pass to ground through it even when it's on 10.

But that's not a bad thing. It's Mark Knopfler, Hendrix, SRV and Eric Clapton's tone after all.

It's the sound of a vintage Strat.

I play with the tone knobs a lot. For a more rock tone, I may roll the bridge back a good ways and keep it there. Or for a jazzier tone, or to blend back in the mix a bit, roll down the neck/middle. And anywhere in between.

As far as overall brightness, it depends on the wiring. When you stack the tones in any of the combined positions, yes there is a little loss of highs. I've gotten around this a few different ways:

On my former Am Std Strat, I moved the TBX control to neck/middle and regular tone to bridge. So in cases when both tones were active, the TBX could bring that top end back.

On my current "modern" S style, I avoid stacking tones by using a super switch. The bottom tone is active in positions 1 & 2. The top tone (which is a no-load) is active in positions 3-5.

On my current "vintage" S style, I use a no-load tone for neck/middle and a normal tone pot for bridge. In position 2, I can just turn the top tone control all the way up to cut it out of the circuit and get that extra bit of top end back.

 

[Lewguitar]

I play with the tone knobs a lot. For a more rock tone, I may roll the bridge back a good ways and keep it there. Or for a jazzier tone, or to blend back in the mix a bit, roll down the neck/middle. And anywhere in between.

As far as overall brightness, it depends on the wiring. When you stack the tones in any of the combined positions, yes there is a little loss of highs. I've gotten around this a few different ways:

On my former Am Std Strat, I moved the TBX control to neck/middle and regular tone to bridge. So in cases when both tones were active, the TBX could bring that top end back.

On my current "modern" S style, I avoid stacking tones by using a super switch. The bottom tone is active in positions 1 & 2. The top tone (which is a no-load) is active in positions 3-5.

On my current "vintage" S style, I use a no-load tone for neck/middle and a normal tone pot for bridge. In position 2, I can just turn the top tone control all the way up to cut it out of the circuit and get that extra bit of top end back.

Forgot about the "no load" tone pot.

I have a few of those I made by taking apart a pot and painting the last 1/8" of the wiper with nail polish so it loses connection when turned up all the way.

Might be nice on the neck pickup. That's the one I'm often wanting more clarity out of when I'm playing chords.

Not really an issue with Strats and Silver Skys but with a neck humbucker it sometimes is.

I used to unsolder the tone control in my '95 CU22 and resolder it so it only affected the bridge pickup.

 

[AP515]

Yep. When you combine the neck and middle pickups, do BOTH tone controls affect the tone?

Yes, individually. Since the bridge pup is off, the middle works like normal. When the bridge and middle are on they both get attenuated at the same rate.

 

[markd21]

No tone controls at all? With Strats I need to lose a little treble from those bright pickups, and a 250K tone control allows a little of that "glass" to bleed out of the circuit - even when the tone control is full up.

Nope. I adjust my pickup height to give me the wide-open sound that puts the drive/output where I want it.

Then I adjust the tone controls on the amp for the middle pickup. I use the middle pickup as my main spot on SSS guitars. The thre volumes allow me to blend "presets" on my guitar when using the 5 way blade.

I also often use Mustang/Duo Sonic/Musicmaster pickups in my SSS instruments.

My next custom build is a bass boat green sparkle "strat" with maple/maple neck. The builder has a Mann/PRS trem I bought and had shipped over. It's gonna have a Voodoo-caster layout using SD Antiquity Duo Sonic pickup, 5 way, and 3 volumes.

Exciting.

Going back to the tone control thing....when using a guitar like what I'm describing I adjust my controls on the amp (this example is how I setup my Rivera S120) in this way:

Gain - 5
Master - 7
Tone Controls - zero if possible, if not then the lowest setting that passes enough signal

When I start adjusting, it's all in the midrange first. I add mids until there is enough body to sound "round".

Next I add bass until the tone is just starting to have "weight".

Treble is added in small increments until "clarity" begins to happen.

Presence is added slowly just to even the tone.

I play the guitar through all the pickup settings and make miniscule tweaks until the sound goes like this (3 guitar volumes on 7):

Neck - slightly fatter than the middle, but with equal output

Middle - smooth and round, reminding me of a lowoutput P90 or Gretsch Dynasonic.

Bridge - this pickup is lowered almost flat to the pickguard. When selected alone, it bites but is not harsh.

The 2+4 positions vary because of the blends that are possible.

This makes for a VERY dynamic instrument that offers many tones. I use for cleans, light drive in Americana and complementary tones to a 2 HB guitar when I don't want the sound too thick.

 

[garrett]

Forgot about the "no load" tone pot.

I have a few of those I made by taking apart a pot and painting the last 1/8" of the wiper with nail polish so it loses connection when turned up all the way.

Might be nice on the neck pickup. That's the one I'm often wanting more clarity out of when I'm playing chords.

Not really an issue with Strats and Silver Skys but with a neck humbucker it sometimes is.

I used to unsolder the tone control in my '95 CU22 and resolder it so it only affected the bridge pickup.

I've always felt like traditional Strat wiring is backwards for modern needs. There are many times I want more clarity and brightness out of the neck, but it's rare indeed (especially on a Strat) for me to want more brightness from a bridge pickup.

Nope. I adjust my pickup height to give me the wide-open sound that puts the drive/output where I want it.

Then I adjust the tone controls on the amp for the middle pickup. I use the middle pickup as my main spot on SSS guitars. The thre volumes allow me to blend "presets" on my guitar when using the 5 way blade.

I also often use Mustang/Duo Sonic/Musicmaster pickups in my SSS instruments.

My next custom build is a bass boat green sparkle "strat" with maple/maple neck. The builder has a Mann/PRS trem I bought and had shipped over. It's gonna have a Voodoo-caster layout using SD Antiquity Duo Sonic pickup, 5 way, and 3 volumes.

Exciting.

Going back to the tone control thing....when using a guitar like what I'm describing I adjust my controls on the amp (this example is how I setup my Rivera S120) in this way:

Gain - 5
Master - 7
Tone Controls - zero if possible, if not then the lowest setting that passes enough signal

When I start adjusting, it's all in the midrange first. I add mids until there is enough body to sound "round".

Next I add bass until the tone is just starting to have "weight".

Treble is added in small increments until "clarity" begins to happen.

Presence is added slowly just to even the tone.

I play the guitar through all the pickup settings and make miniscule tweaks until the sound goes like this (3 guitar volumes on 7):

Neck - slightly fatter than the middle, but with equal output

Middle - smooth and round, reminding me of a lowoutput P90 or Gretsch Dynasonic.

Bridge - this pickup is lowered almost flat to the pickguard. When selected alone, it bites but is not harsh.

The 2+4 positions vary because of the blends that are possible.

This makes for a VERY dynamic instrument that offers many tones. I use for cleans, light drive in Americana and complementary tones to a 2 HB guitar when I don't want the sound too thick.

You gotta let me know when that beast is done. I'd be interested to check out that wiring scheme!

 

[Senor Verde]

One thing I had on a Strat that was very useful was turning the bottom tone control into a blend knob that blends the bridge and neck pickup depending on the 5 way position.

I do this with a master tone control that affects all pickups. I also have a push-push tone pot that can remove the tone control from the circuit. Don't use it very often, but it sounds cool for some things.