25 replies to this topic

[M-Bass-M]

I currently have my guitarist's Epi SG on loan. It has a pick-up selector, yet also has individual volume and tone controls for each pickup. Why is this? All it does is make it damn confusing to get a tone I like from it!

I mean, a Jazz has no pickup selector and only one tone control. Easy. Even a Telecaster has only a pickup switch and a master volume. Likewise for MM Sterlings I guess.

So...any enlightenment from out there?

[Lozz196]

For me, the best tone on a Les Paul when using both pickups, for rhythm, was bridge pickup on full volume, neck pickup on about 7 on volume, anything more would become "sludgy" - bear in mind I`m talking for rock music here. then, switch to just the neck for more biting passages. For really soulful soloing, a blend of bridge pickups volume and tome on full, with neck pickup volume on about 7, with tone fully off, sounds great - think Slash sortof tones.

[Jerry_B]

T-40 basses also have a volume and tone control for each pickup. Rather than see this as a challenge, try to see it as a way of dialling up a wider variety of tones At least, this is the case for the T-40 (which also has a phase switch) - I can't vouch for the efficacy it may have for the SG

[mcgraham]

I used to wonder the same thing, but if you are running into a dirty amp then you have the ability to set your neck pickup to a chimey clean or bluesy sizzle and bridge pickup to roaring crunch and to easily switch between the two with the toggle switch. Clean and dirty sounds without a dirt pedal - et voila! Without that combination of vols AND selectors you can't do that.

Another one is to set the neck volume to 'off', bridge to 'full' then get a faux stuttering trem 'cut-off' sound by toggling the switch back and forth. Loads of famous records with that on (brain isn't giving me any names right now tho!).

If you were so inclined you could also put a treble bleed on just one of the pickup's volume controls to retain high end on one of them and still toggle between them easily if you like. Not possible with single volume control setups.

[simon1964]

Ric basses have the same.

I guess the benefit is that the knobs allow you to blend the pickups, but the pickup selector then allows you to toggle quickly between pickups mid song. Personally I just set everything on the Ric to full and leave well alone!

[essexbasscat]

Can also use the pickup selector as a rhythm / instrumental quick sound change switch

[mike257]

I've used one pickup backed off to switch from dirty to clean (well, to 'a bit less dirty'!) on a single channel amp. A lot of overdrive/distortion boxes for guitar will also clean up nicely and give a range of useable tones with adjustment to the volume knob, so it's worth having that versatility.

Of course, you can just put everything on 11 and forget about it, that works just fine too!

[LukeFRC]

so guitarists can spend the first half of practice trying to dial 'their tone'

[Lozz196]

LukeFRC, on 09 February 2012 - 01:40 PM, said:

so guitarists can spend the first half of practice trying to dial 'their tone'

The most accurate response so far!

[Dave Vader]

mcgraham, on 09 February 2012 - 09:36 AM, said:

Another one is to set the neck volume to 'off', bridge to 'full' then get a faux stuttering trem 'cut-off' sound by toggling the switch back and forth. Loads of famous records with that on (brain isn't giving me any names right now tho!).

Stiff Little Fingers, Wasted life.
Angus Young does it a lot as well.

[blind pilot]

Also can act as effective mute - roll one volume down etc! our guitarist uses this feature a lot

[EdwardHimself]

The neck pickup sounds better for clean tones whereas the bridge gives you a better distortion sound I find. It's good to be able to switch between the 2 and keep your volume settings for each pickup. I don't find it confusing at all, in fact I think it's easier that way. Having said that, I am not so keen on tone controls, I never really use them.

The other advantage of this type of setup is you can have one pickup turned all the way down on the volume and you've got an instant killswitch

[mike257]

Of course, plenty of guitarists share your point of view, and I've seen a good few Les Paul style guitars where the owner has whipped out everything except one volume pot and wired it all through that - could always give it a go!

[woodyratm]

mcgraham, on 09 February 2012 - 09:36 AM, said:

Another one is to set the neck volume to 'off', bridge to 'full' then get a faux stuttering trem 'cut-off' sound by toggling the switch back and forth. Loads of famous records with that on (brain isn't giving me any names right now tho!).

Tom Morello and Jonny Greenwood also.
My guitarist has a doorbell on his for the same effect as a killswitch

[M-Bass-M]

EdwardHimself, on 09 February 2012 - 02:32 PM, said:

The neck pickup sounds better for clean tones whereas the bridge gives you a better distortion sound I find. It's good to be able to switch between the 2 and keep your volume settings for each pickup. I don't find it confusing at all, in fact I think it's easier that way. Having said that, I am not so keen on tone controls, I never really use them.

Ah, this makes a lot of sense, but also assumes a certain style of playing - i.e. having two separate tones set for each pickup and switching between the two. What I'm finding difficult to do on the SG is to use the volume as an overdrive gain control, gets a bit confusing with two volume controls and a few tone controls in the way!

[EdwardHimself]

M-Bass-M, on 09 February 2012 - 09:03 PM, said:

Ah, this makes a lot of sense, but also assumes a certain style of playing - i.e. having two separate tones set for each pickup and switching between the two. What I'm finding difficult to do on the SG is to use the volume as an overdrive gain control, gets a bit confusing with two volume controls and a few tone controls in the way!

I see what you mean, I guess it's one of those things. Maybe you could think about getting a volume pedal?

[molan]

My '86 Fodera Monarch has volume control for each pickup and master bass/treble controls.

I use it in a soul / disco band set up to simply flick the switch forward for neck pickup only on the old solu/funk stuff for a P bass sound & then to both pickups, with the bridge pulled back a shade for the more 'modern' disco material.

Works really well for me

[mcgraham]

molan, on 09 February 2012 - 11:35 PM, said:

My '86 Fodera Monarch has volume control for each pickup and master bass/treble controls.

I use it in a soul / disco band set up to simply flick the switch forward for neck pickup only on the old solu/funk stuff for a P bass sound & then to both pickups, with the bridge pulled back a shade for the more 'modern' disco material.

Works really well for me

Well that has convinced me I need a Fodera, if only to be able to do that.

[molan]

mcgraham, on 10 February 2012 - 09:05 AM, said:

Well that has convinced me I need a Fodera, if only to be able to do that.

You'll need to find an old one then as they don't do this any more

[mcgraham]

Brilliant. I'll let the wife know that I need to find an old Fodera.

She's been saying since day one 'Mark, your basses are nice but they are not anywhere near as well made as the new Fodera that Matt Garrison plays on his Shapeshifter album - you should get one of them... definitely spring for the horse chestnut top'

Clearly she has no idea what she's talking about. Vintage Fodera is where it's at.

Women eh?