My Tone Control isn't working.

[Jerrydpi]

I just purchased a used DGT SE, and I just noticed that the Tone Control doesn't work as far as changing the tone.

When I pull up on the knob, it splits the coils correctly, but no matter what position the 3 way switch is in, regardless of whether the tone control is up or down, the tone doesn't change at all when turning the knob.

Any suggestions on what to check?

 

[theDeepender]

I just purchased a used DGT SE, and I just noticed that the Tone Control doesn't work as far as changing the tone.

When I pull up on the knob, it splits the coils correctly, but no matter what position the 3 way switch is in, regardless of whether the tone control is up or down, the tone doesn't change at all when turning the knob.

Any suggestions on what to check?

I had that on a brand new SE Custom 24 in 2016. I arranged to take it with me to a PRS factory tour. They found that the tone capacitor was never installed. That, or the cap isn’t soldered correctly or is faulty would be my guesses.

 

[Jerrydpi]

If so, is that why I was surprised that the guitar sounded brighter than I was expecting it to be?

 

[theDeepender]

If so, is that why I was surprised that the guitar sounded brighter than I was expecting it to be?

Very possibly. While modding mine I experimented with different cap values and although I might have imagined it, I thought I heard a difference in the wide open tone.

 

[archtop]

Have you removed the back plate to see if the wiring is original and that the capacitor is there? Maybe give the wires and tone capacitor a gentle tug to see if there's a bad solder joint, loose wire or broken wire. It's possible a former owner changed the pickups and then put the original pickups back in and possibly messed up the wiring.

It's possible that the tone potentiometer is bad even through the coil spit switch on that potentiometer still works.

Feel free to take a couple close up pics (from different angles) of the control cavity and wiring and post them here so we can look for something obvious - like a missing capacitor or wiring/soldering error. If the problem is a bad potentiometer then that'll not show in pics but hopefully it's just a loose wire or capacitor.

 

[Jerrydpi]

Have you removed the back plate to see if the wiring is original and that the capacitor is there? Maybe give the wires and tone capacitor a gentle tug to see if there's a bad solder joint, loose wire or broken wire. It's possible a former owner changed the pickups and then put the original pickups back in and possibly messed up the wiring.

It's possible that the tone potentiometer is bad even through the coil spit switch on that potentiometer still works.

Feel free to take a couple close up pics (from different angles) of the control cavity and wiring and post them here so we can look for something obvious - like a missing capacitor or wiring/soldering error. If the problem is a bad potentiometer then that'll not show in pics but hopefully it's just a loose wire or capacitor.

How do I upload a photo on this site?

 

[theDeepender]

Many here use the Imgur or Flickr app.
First post the pic on Imgur. Then copy the URL and pate that on your post here.

 

[DISTORT6]

Many here use the Imgur or Flickr app.
First post the pic on Imgur. Then copy the URL and pate that on your post here.

Also https://postimages.org/
Super easy.

 

[Jerrydpi]

Have you removed the back plate to see if the wiring is original and that the capacitor is there? Maybe give the wires and tone capacitor a gentle tug to see if there's a bad solder joint, loose wire or broken wire. It's possible a former owner changed the pickups and then put the original pickups back in and possibly messed up the wiring.

It's possible that the tone potentiometer is bad even through the coil spit switch on that potentiometer still works.

Feel free to take a couple close up pics (from different angles) of the control cavity and wiring and post them here so we can look for something obvious - like a missing capacitor or wiring/soldering error. If the problem is a bad potentiometer then that'll not show in pics but hopefully it's just a loose wire or capacitor.

I'll do that when I get home tonight archtop, and hopefully we can see what the problem is.

 

[Prs Mods too]

How do I upload a photo on this site?

 

[bodia]

 

[Dirty_Boogie]

Paging @Prs Mods too to the Complaints Department.

 

[Jerrydpi]

https://imgur.com/qY1P1X9

https://imgur.com/0Qe0bwa

https://imgur.com/W8Qz29T

https://imgur.com/PHWJ4ad

 

[Dirty_Boogie]

Make sure the dark green capacitor is solidly soldered on both ends. One end of it should be soldered to the body of the push-pull switch (I'm guessing it isn't.) If you try to movie it around a bit, does it make a difference? Maybe try to take some zoomed and clear pics from that angle, showing exactly where it’s soldered.