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I hope y'all can help me with this... I need guitar pots demystified because the ones in my instrument suck and I don't know what the best solution to my problem is. Researching the subject online has been utterly confusing and often contradictory. Some places recommend audio taper for volume and linear for tone and vice versa, but I don't know what's best for my particular issues. For the record, this is the instrument in question: https://eastwoodguitars.com/collections/tenor-guitars/products/warren-ellis-sig-tenor-2p The current pots are crapass import mini pots. 500k, linear taper for the volume and audio taper for the tone with a .47 tone cap. The problem is thus; the tone pot is really more of a two-way switch. From 0-2.5 it pretty much sounds like a dark circuit on the old telecasters, and above 2.5 it's uniformly bright across the board. No subtle gradations to either side of the 2.5 mark. As it is, I can't just "roll off the tone a little bit." It's either uniformly bright or uniformly muffled. Luckily the cavity is large enough to accommodate full size pots, but I'll probably have to stick to alpha pots because I don't know how to go about enlarging the hole on a steel control plate, although if anybody has any ideas about that I'd appreciate it too. So basically, what should I do in terms of choosing linear or audio taper pots to alleviate the issues I'm having? I want to be able to have somewhat fine control over both volume and tone. Is that a pipe dream?
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Feb 4, 2019 20:03
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AstroZamboni posted:I hope y'all can help me with this... Tone pots should be linear, volume should be audio. Sounds like they got switched.
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Feb 4, 2019 21:41
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Volume pots can be either, tone pots should be linear. Once you make the switch you'll have a much more useable tone control.
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Feb 4, 2019 22:14
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Thank you both!
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Feb 4, 2019 22:53
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Try swapping the pots with each other before buying new ones. That way you'll know which kind of taper you prefer for your volume.
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Feb 4, 2019 22:56
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So my truss rod is as tight as it can get and I still need less relief on my neck. I was instructed by the dude at the guitar shop to put the neck between two surfaces and hang some weight on it to bow the neck the opposite way and then loosen the truss rod again to get it to where I want it. So now I have it set up like this: only issue is I have no idea how much weight I should be suspending this way. I looked it up and strings usually apply 100-200 pounds of pressure to the neck, so should I be trying to hang that much weight from the neck? Is this even going to work?
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Feb 4, 2019 23:25
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Are you sure the issue is neck bend and not that you need to shim it slightly?
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Feb 5, 2019 02:43
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The neck was pretty severely bowed so I don't think shimming will fix the issue properly although it may help a tad. I was getting a pitch difference of like 60 cents from the first to 12th fret.
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Feb 5, 2019 02:50
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AstroZamboni posted:Luckily the cavity is large enough to accommodate full size pots, but I'll probably have to stick to alpha pots because I don't know how to go about enlarging the hole on a steel control plate, although if anybody has any ideas about that I'd appreciate it too. The more ideal tool would probably be a reamer. I found this one for pretty cheap, but it looks like it wouldn't be much good for steel. nitsuga fucked around with this message at 03:21 on Feb 5, 2019 |
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Feb 5, 2019 03:12
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d0grent posted:The neck was pretty severely bowed so I don't think shimming will fix the issue properly although it may help a tad. I was getting a pitch difference of like 60 cents from the first to 12th fret. Woof. I would say some humidity might help make it a touch more pliable, but I'm guessing it's finished so that probably won't help much.
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Feb 5, 2019 03:48
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You should steam the neck for an hour then clamp/ratchet it flat against a smooth surface. The steam will make it much more pliable to the new position you'll be forcing it into. Leave it in the clamps for a day or two, then try out the truss rod. If it's still maxed, it might be a gonner. Edit: I guess I should add, get a pro to do this if you're at all squeamish about it. Most techs I've talked to have said this is what they do with really bad truss issues Chip McFuck fucked around with this message at 04:18 on Feb 5, 2019 |
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Feb 5, 2019 04:13
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d0grent posted:So my truss rod is as tight as it can get and I still need less relief on my neck. I was instructed by the dude at the guitar shop to put the neck between two surfaces and hang some weight on it to bow the neck the opposite way and then loosen the truss rod again to get it to where I want it. So now I have it set up like this: Is this a particularly valuable guitar? Cuz I'd probably throw in the towel and get a new neck at this point, and I'm generally all for doing my own repairs.
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Feb 5, 2019 06:10
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I had a guitar I did this with, weights and all, and I ran a humidifier in a closed room with it. Worked pretty well and haven’t had any issues since then. That was the opposite problem though with a back bow, not too much relief. If the truss rod is maxed and you are still having a large amount of relief then this method might not fix it for you and you’d have to have it worked on (and depending on the cost of the neck might be worth getting a new neck). At least it’s a bolt on.
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Feb 5, 2019 09:47
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d0grent posted:So my truss rod is as tight as it can get and I still need less relief on my neck. I was instructed by the dude at the guitar shop to put the neck between two surfaces and hang some weight on it to bow the neck the opposite way and then loosen the truss rod again to get it to where I want it. So now I have it set up like this: I'm getting ready to do this to my Toronado neck. Please update with the results.
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Feb 5, 2019 15:20
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I've noticed my ~3 month old Les Paul produces a lot of hum especially when the gain is cranked or going through a distortion pedal. It has the '57 zebra humbuckers. The humming is reduced significantly when I touch the strings. Is the wiring F'd? My single coil tele doesn't hum like this does.
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Feb 5, 2019 20:58
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It's the wiring, but it should be simple to deduce what is wrong with it. Do you get the same hum in all pickup switch positions? Does the hum go away when you touch the bridge (without touching a string)? Did you try plugging your amp into a different outlet or using a different instrument cable? My gut feeling says it's a grounding issue and that a solder connection got loose or went cold. Ground wires are usually black, so open up the cavity and gently pull on the black wires. If any of the connections move, or don't feel solid, then the connection needs to be resoldered. Resoldering is really easy, and shouldn't be too expensive if you want to bring it to a tech. Switches can occasionally cause hum because the ground wire is loose/broke its connection, a wire was stripped too much or the switch itself is touching the wood of the guitar and causing a small short. If the hum goes away in some switch positions, but it's present in others, then the switch needs to be resoldered or replaced.
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Feb 5, 2019 22:19
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Every hum problem in every kit I've built has been a grounding or shielding fault. They're not that hard to track down and fix even for a total beginner. A continuity tester (the shittiest 5 buck multimeter you can find will have one) makes it a lot easier. Once you eliminate grounding/shielding, you should be able to figure out if a pot or switch is hosed. Keep on checking "is there a connection between this thing that should be grounded and the ground" until you find the bit/s that are causing the problem, then solder them on properly. Or be the disorganised shambling shitshow you want to see in the world, realise you have no solder and can't find your soldering iron, and stuff the offending gap with aluminium foil "just for tonight" then forget about it for a year because it's working, open the cavity to fix something else, and go "who the gently caress did tha... oh".
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Feb 5, 2019 23:10
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Would it be a similar process to track down issues like noisy pots? Last weekend I switched out the battery for my active pickups and now I notice that when I touch (don't even have to move) my volume pots, there seems to be some scratching sounds. Doesn't happen when I mute my strings and touch the pot which is odd.
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Feb 5, 2019 23:21
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deoxit might be good for that crackling
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Feb 6, 2019 00:05
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The Dark Wind posted:Would it be a similar process to track down issues like noisy pots? Last weekend I switched out the battery for my active pickups and now I notice that when I touch (don't even have to move) my volume pots, there seems to be some scratching sounds. Doesn't happen when I mute my strings and touch the pot which is odd. Are the pots wobbly at all? Even just slightly? The "don't even have to move, just touch and it crackles" thing happened on an old yamaha I had and it was that the pots were "grounded" in that the housings touched the conductive paint shielding the cavities... sorta. I fixed it just by tightening them down a bit harder so they contacted properly. But I'd probably try cleaning them all first in case that fixes it. E: after you changed the battery but never before that? Is there a chance you knocked something loose or pulled a wire? Or maybe got a wire wedged under the control cavity cover, or something? Elector_Nerdlingen fucked around with this message at 02:59 on Feb 6, 2019 |
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Feb 6, 2019 02:56
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So I've been lurking and reading this thread for years, and two of the most common things I've heard people say are "I don't write as much music as I want to" and "I don't have anyone to play with". Both of those things are true for me, anyway. I was always sad I never got in on the SA rockstar stuff, and there's probably not enough momentum to do something like that anymore, but would anyone be interested in a weekly or biweekly or monthly...thing.. where we pick a chord progression (or just a key/mode) and a number of measures and share whatever we come up with? I think a lot of us could benefit from each other's criticism, and also I'm really curious as to what people would come up with. Less of a contest and more along the lines of a writing group. Does that sound like something anyone would be down for?
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Feb 6, 2019 03:29
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Definitely. I would only have very basic things to offer, but I’d be up for the challenge.
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Feb 6, 2019 03:49
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nitsuga posted:Definitely. I would only have very basic things to offer, but I’d be up for the challenge. 
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Feb 6, 2019 04:00
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nitsuga posted:Definitely. I would only have very basic things to offer, but I’d be up for the challenge. Same here
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Feb 6, 2019 04:03
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Thanks guys, I'll crack it open later this week and start troubleshooting the grounding. I had a feeling something was up with it, but this forum has taught me that Gibson is the absolute pinnacle of quality and craftsmanship. It just seemed completely baffling that a brand new one would have an issue like this.  I've got enough experience with a soldering iron to sort it out, hopefully.
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Feb 6, 2019 04:08
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Gnumonic posted:So I've been lurking and reading this thread for years, and two of the most common things I've heard people say are "I don't write as much music as I want to" and "I don't have anyone to play with". Both of those things are true for me, anyway. I’ve written a decent amount of music over the years but one thing I’m really bad at is structuring time to write. It is always utilitarian, like there’s something on my mind so I wrote a song, there’s a group I’m playin with so I put together some tunes, an ensemble or new music concert so I write some chamber thing. So, if I can carve out time to participate I would definitely be down and at the very least even if I wasn’t participating I’d love to see what everyone else comes up with. former glory posted:Thanks guys, I'll crack it open later this week and start troubleshooting the grounding. I had a feeling something was up with it, but this forum has taught me that Gibson is the absolute pinnacle of quality and craftsmanship. It just seemed completely baffling that a brand new one would have an issue like this. Are you besmirching the name of m’Gibson? Their QC is unmatched.
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Feb 6, 2019 04:38
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rio posted:Are you besmirching the name of m’Gibson? Their QC is unmatched. That's right, it has no equal.
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Feb 6, 2019 11:51
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I'm considering a mid-priced semi-hollow for classic rock/blues stuff. Right now I've got the Epiphone Dot, ES335 Pro, and Sheraton on my list as well as the Ibanez AS73. Also kind of considering Gretsch, but I don't think it's my bag. Really just looking for something that does mid-gain and cleans well and has good enough electronics that the pots are usable. I have a 1997 Epi Dot currently that I love the feel of, but the pickups are very poor and the electronics are next to useless so I'd have to gut it. I don't want to bother with swapping out electronics on it since semi hollows are a major pain to deal with. Anything I'm forgetting that I should try out? Anything in the $500-700 range people recommend?
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Feb 7, 2019 03:47
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Ok so, given that there seems to be at least some interest in a group music writing/criticism thing, I'll throw together a nice graphic and some guidelines in the next day or two. I think it's probably a good idea to start simple, so I suggest that the first "challenge" be in A minor pentatonic (every guitarist has to know that scale, right?). Sound good? Personally I'm going to try to write something that sounds as un-blues-ey as I can.
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Feb 7, 2019 06:40
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Git Mah Belt Son posted:I have a 1997 Epi Dot currently that I love the feel of, but the pickups are very poor and the electronics are next to useless so I'd have to gut it. I don't want to bother with swapping out electronics on it since semi hollows are a major pain to deal with.
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Feb 7, 2019 08:13
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Siivola posted:How much would it cost you to buy better parts and pay a tech to install them? It's a possibility but it'd be expensive. Semi hollows are a pain to work on since everything has to go in and out of the f hole. You'd be looking at $60-100 for a harness, $100-200 for mid range pickups, and another $100-$120 in labor. So figure $260 on the low end and $400 on the high?
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Feb 7, 2019 19:20
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Git Mah Belt Son posted:I'm considering a mid-priced semi-hollow for classic rock/blues stuff. Right now I've got the Epiphone Dot, ES335 Pro, and Sheraton on my list as well as the Ibanez AS73. Also kind of considering Gretsch, but I don't think it's my bag. The Sheraton Pro II is pretty darn good out of the factory. The ProBuckers aren't the best pickups ever but they're solid and the coil split push/pull pots give you some new sound options. They ship with a GraphTech nut and Grover tuners. And they're dead fuckin' sexy IMO, especially that new Midnight Sapphire finish. I also really like their super-slim and flat neck shape and 12" radius. I haven't played one of the new ones with the Pau Ferro fretboard, I think they were all rosewood up until a year or three ago, but I'm sure the new wood is fine Some of the lower-end Gretsch stuff (GT542X models or the Jet GT62XX models if you're okay without f-holes) are great for their price but most have TVJones/Filter-tron pups which may not be the sound you're looking for. You could also look into the Ibanez Artcore stuff. Not as good as the Epi but you can get them used for a really good price. That said, you could almost certainly pay someone to install a new wiring harness and pups on your Dot for a good bit cheaper than even a used Sheraton II Pro or Gretsch.
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Feb 7, 2019 19:20
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Luna posted:I'm getting ready to do this to my Toronado neck. Please update with the results. I let it sit like that for 3 days and there's no descernible difference. I think if you want it to actually work you'll need at least 100 pounds of weight. I only had 40 available.
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Feb 8, 2019 01:53
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You could also check out the Xaviere line on Guitar Fetish. As always with a guitar you order online, read reviews, but my Xaviere p-bass knockoff came only needing some minor adjustment to the truss rod. They have Casino knockoffs in humbuckers or p90s, too, depending on your preference. Their rockabilly semi-hollows have retrotron pickups, which are probably a little too bright for what you're going for. I have one in the bridge of an artcore semi-hollow, and it sounds more like a less twangy strat than a traditional humbucker.
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Feb 8, 2019 16:25
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I haven’t shipped a guitar for a long time but have bought many in the past few years and I was shocked how inexpensive it was to ship via USPS. An archtop with heavy cast and lots of padding was a little over 20 lbs in box and with insurance it was only like 60 bucks to ship it. The clerk was surprised too and I’m wondering if he messed something up because he wasn’t a normal clerk I think - the normal counter people weren’t there and after about 5 minutes he kind of bumbled out of the back to help me so perhaps there was a mistake. Without insurance it would have only been 42 dollars! Granted all of the guitars I’ve bought from private sellers have come from UPS or FedEx so maybe they just charge more but I was paying around 100 bucks for shipping when buying. I would have probably dealt less with craigslist people if I knew shipping was this affordable.
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Feb 8, 2019 20:21
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Pulled out my acoustic to play some Weakerthans but the fret ends are really stabby all of a sudden. We've been getting tons of rain the last couple weeks and my gauge has been showing no less than 45% for a long time. Hopefully humidifying the poo poo out of it will make it go away. My tele is in the shop for the ding as it is and I'd rather not throw more money at repair work.
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Feb 8, 2019 20:36
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I'm just gonna type some words about the Strandberg Classic 6 Trem I've had for a little over a week now. It's... really good. It's super light, I like the body shape and how it allows for more positions than any other guitar I've tried, it's acoustically really loud, but mostly OH MY GOD THE NECK. The fan fret took some getting used to, but the trapezoid shape is just amazing. It feels thick and great for chords and super thin where and when you want it to. I'm just blown away at how good it suits me.
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Feb 8, 2019 22:53
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Strandberg used to post on https://www.projectguitar.com and showcase his first builds, but I can't find his original posts. I always thought they were super cool and well thought out. I still find it strange that his design got so much traction since it is so weird. I'm really considering a Strandberg Classic 8 for some live looping and (maybe someday) Charlie Hunter style playing. Any other recommendations for a bass-guitar hybrid instrument that isn't a complete custom job or too metal? I'm looking for 8-strings and fanned frets. Maybe a Kiesel would fit the bill.
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Feb 9, 2019 00:24
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is 130-140 reasonable for a setup? seems pretty steep... only heard of about 70-80 max. i've always done my own setups but i'd like to see how a pro would do it, then replicate that edit, his demeanor also made it kind of clear that i wasn't the particular "clientele" he's looking for, so i guess i should look elsewhere in this dumb town nishi koichi fucked around with this message at 00:48 on Feb 13, 2019 |
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Feb 13, 2019 00:38
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bad posts ahead!!! posted:is 130-140 reasonable for a setup? seems pretty steep... only heard of about 70-80 max. i've always done my own setups but i'd like to see how a pro would do it, then replicate that In the US? That seems extremely steep. I just had mine done for $108.59 Canadian all-in (so about $82.10 USD) and that includes a hidden restring charge and a pack of Elixers.
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Feb 13, 2019 00:46
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