Anyone find 2 volumes more useful than vol/tone?

[Johnny Rigs]

Something I’ve been doing more of lately is lowering the neck pickup volume pots in my DGT and SC58 for a cleaner sound, and keeping the bridge volume full for distorted sounds. Perhaps in anticipation of the JCM800 2204 circuit build that should be arriving soon - my first one channel amp in quite a while. Really liking the ease of switching pickups and having a preset clean/gain.

On my other two guitars, the CE22 and Johnny Hiland, I'm thinking about switching them over to 2 volume controls instead of 1 Vol / 1 Tone. Anyone else done this on their guitars? Did you keep it / find it more useful? What happens when the tone pot is not in the circuit?

 

[markd21]

Having the tone control out of the circuit usually results in a brighter sounding instrument. I have never rewired a 2 control guitar to be vol/vol. Could be cool. I have taken the tone control out, and the guitars always have been brighter.

Personally, the 2 vol/2 tone thing works for me on SC guitars. When I got my DGT I was excited to have the 2 vol controls, but have found that I really don't utilize it on a DC shape. They feel like they are in a weird place.

Enjoy the 2204. It's a cool amp. Be aware that the distortion maxes out at "British Steel" Judas Priest. I know a lot of dudes that get them and end up bummed that the "high gain" is nothing like modern amps. It's an awesome tone!

 

[Mozzi]

I have preferred the 2 vol/2 tone type arrangement preferable to just a master volume/tone control. I wouldn't want a guitar without a tone control and would prefer a master tone/master volume to 2 volume but no Tone control. I know for some people, they have a 'Tone on Max and never touch it' approach but that isn't mine and I think removing a tone pot and replace it with a 2nd Volume limits the guitar and perhaps its resale value too.

One of the most common uses I see is the 'kill switch' type effect. Having one Pick-up with no volume and switching rapidly back and forth with the PU switch seems to be the most common use of a 2 volume guitar but I like to be able to have one Pick up with the volume on low to clean it up and the other with the volume turned up to get more crunch. The ability to also use the tone is great - if set up correctly. I know some set their Amp up with Tone on Max but if you roll the tone back to 6/7, you can roll it up to give a treble boost. Same with the volume if you set up set on 6/7, you can get a boost.

It really depends on what the OP wants to do but I personally would not remove the only Tone pot and replace it with a Volume pot to split the single master volume control to individual volume control for both Pick-ups. I am not the OP though and its their guitar so they should decide which suits them and their needs best. If its just to do the 'killswitch' effect, they could achieve this with a pedal, turn on/off their tuner fast to mute/unmute the guitar. Maybe try a 594 (or other guitars with 2 volumes, maybe 1 or 2 tone controls) and see if they need two volumes more than they need a tone pot.

 

[Johnny Rigs]

Having the tone control out of the circuit usually results in a brighter sounding instrument. I have never rewired a 2 control guitar to be vol/vol. Could be cool. I have taken the tone control out, and the guitars always have been brighter.

Ah, good to know. Possibly the tone pot adds some loading to pickups?

Personally, the 2 vol/2 tone thing works for me on SC guitars. When I got my DGT I was excited to have the 2 vol controls, but have found that I really don't utilize it on a DC shape. They feel like they are in a weird place.

Yea, it took some getting used to for me, as well.

Enjoy the 2204. It's a cool amp. Be aware that the distortion maxes out at "British Steel" Judas Priest. I know a lot of dudes that get them and end up bummed that the "high gain" is nothing like modern amps. It's an awesome tone!

I have a Klone for boosting and a small collection of Mesa/Boogie Mark's for the high-gain stuff Just want the raw kerrangg!

 

[markd21]

Ah, good to know. Possibly the tone pot adds some loading to pickups?

That's what I think. It's a nice sound. Not a harsh bright, just seems more open and natural. I had a Custom Shop Charvel with a full maple body, bolt-on maple neck w/ Pau Ferro fretboard that was one of the best sounding guitars I have ever owned in my entire life - bar none. Sold it to buy my wife's engagement ring.

Yea, it took some getting used to for me, as well.

That's good to know. I worry sometimes that I am a weirdo because the DGT isn't as awesome to me as it seems to be to everyone else. Mine is sweet a can be with an Artist Package and a Brazilian board, but I don't play it much - so I haven't really gotten used to it.

I have a Klone for boosting and a small collection of Mesa/Boogie Mark's for the high-gain stuff Just want the raw kerrangg!

Cool. The 800 is one of the best raw tones around. Just enough drive to be fun. Just enough clarity to make huge chords ring. Louder than a jet plane. I had a 2204 that I opened up once with a EVM12L loaded 4x12. I gave myself heart murmurs while playing it. I had to stop after a minute of two. My ears closed up and my chest hurt, lol.

 

[garrett]

I go back and forth. Some days I love the dual volumes and want it for everything, while other days it bothers me and I just want master volume. The answer, as always: You need one of each!

 

[garrett]

That's good to know. I worry sometimes that I am a weirdo because the DGT isn't as awesome to me as it seems to be to everyone else. Mine is sweet a can be with an Artist Package and a Brazilian board, but I don't play it much - so I haven't really gotten used to it.

I'm with ya. I'd have to flip them so it goes neck vol, bridge vol, tone. Or better for me, master vol, neck tone, bridge tone with individual splits. The real problem for me though, is I felt like the trem bar was in the way of the controls no matter where I swung it.

 

[BrianC]

I have no need for two volume except to the kill switch effect. For me a second tone would be helpful to get the woman tone for a lead and then go right to full tone for the bridge pup.

 

[markd21]

I'm with ya. I'd have to flip them so it goes neck vol, bridge vol, tone. The real problem for me though, is I felt like the trem bar was in the way of the controls no matter where I swung it.

Cool. Glad it's not just me!

 

[László]

The answer, as always: You need one of each!

Maybe even more!

 

[shimmilou]

Something I’ve been doing more of lately is lowering the neck pickup volume pots in my DGT and SC58 for a cleaner sound, and keeping the bridge volume full for distorted sounds. Perhaps in anticipation of the JCM800 2204 circuit build that should be arriving soon - my first one channel amp in quite a while. Really liking the ease of switching pickups and having a preset clean/gain.

On my other two guitars, the CE22 and Johnny Hiland, I'm thinking about switching them over to 2 volume controls instead of 1 Vol / 1 Tone. Anyone else done this on their guitars? Did you keep it / find it more useful? What happens when the tone pot is not in the circuit?

I definitely prefer two volumes on a two humbucker guitar, for the exact reason you mentioned, lowering the neck vol with the bridge at full vol, but I wouldn't want to lose tone control. Sometimes the middle position (both pups) doesn't sound quite right unless I back the neck vol off a bit. So, for most of my PRSi that only have one vol and one tone, I plan to use concentric pots so I can have two vol and two tone, without having to make additional holes. I can live without push/pull for split coils if I can have two vol instead.

My SE Cu 24 might be the first candidate, if I can put it down long enough to do the mod. lol I also plan this same thing for most of the rest of them, except for the Cu 22 since it has a five way switch which gives me the split tones in positions 2 and 4, and I really don't want to mod a core.

Each concentric pot has two knobs, one bigger than the other, one for tone and one for volume, or for any other use one might want, blend, exotic treble bleed, whatever.

 

[jvin248]

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+1 on concentric pots to solve the dilemmas.

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[merciful-evans]

Interesting idea. I have considered removing the the tone pot before because I leave it on full all the time.

To be honest I leave the volume on full too. I dont use any knobs.

 

[Johnny Rigs]

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+1 on concentric pots to solve the dilemmas.

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No lamp shades?!

 

[shimmilou]

Yeah, no free lunch, lol. I only saw three options for knobs, chrome, black and gold, and all looked the same or very similar, metallic knurled.

 

[Acnestes]

I find two volumes far preferable - they provide a much broader tone palette than one alone. Being able to push into overdrive using either pickup in the combination ads a whole spectrum of available harmonics.
I wouldn't want to lose the tone control either, though, if only to get rid of the "icepick"effect when needed.

 

[elvis]

Knock yourself out. It's reversible in any event.

 

[Johnny Rigs]

Knock yourself out. It's reversible in any event.

Exactly. I wouldn't try and sell any PRS of mine modded like that. Pretty easy to switch back.

 

[Johnny Rigs]

I wouldn't want to lose the tone control either, though, if only to get rid of the "icepick"effect when needed.

I don't really get the icepick effect, though maybe with the 2204 I will. Although @Mozzi has a cool idea using the same philosophy of setting an amp with guitar volume at 6/7 and applying that to the tone pot settings as well.

 

[markd21]

Yeah, no free lunch, lol. I only saw three options for knobs, chrome, black and gold, and all looked the same or very similar, metallic knurled.

Yeah, that's what kills concentric pots for me. Sometimes you can find plastic ones that look a little like stacked Jazz Bass knobs. I would be okay with that over the metal knurled look.....