Soledad Posted March 27, 2019 Share Posted March 27, 2019 Sorry if this is covered elsewhere but on a stock passive old-school Fender Precision, I always assumed the tone pot just cut top as you roll back counter-clock. I regarded it as a treble cut control having no effect on L/F. Is that right? It's just that I am messing with a TC BH250, having been used to old school heads (Hiwatt through Traces) and I find I'm spending too much time twiddling knobs looking for the sound- so back to basics and get to know what is actually doing what. In all my Precision years I always turned both pots full 'on' and did any eq at the amp. [note to self] maybe grab myself another Trace head, but that's a story Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ikay Posted March 27, 2019 Share Posted March 27, 2019 Generally speaking yes, a passive tone control acts as a low pass filter and cuts higher frequencies leaving the lower frequencies intact. The chart below shows frequency response for a passive tone control at various tone control positions from T10 (fully up) to T0 (fully down). A slight frequency hump occurs when the tone is fully down. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soledad Posted March 27, 2019 Author Share Posted March 27, 2019 41 minutes ago, ikay said: a passive tone control acts as a low pass filter Thanks ikay - so it is just a simple low-pass. Running at T10 all the time is not really affecting the lows, except that hump on T0 at around 500-600 is odd, looks to be about 4dB. I guess that's just some kind of circuit phenomenon and may vary from one circuit to another.- but I'll have a listen for it. But generally I'm OK doing as ever before, 10 and 10, eq at amp. Notice you're Horsham - just picked up a '97 P from Horsham on Sunday Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ikay Posted March 27, 2019 Share Posted March 27, 2019 We're almost neighbours lol! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andyjr1515 Posted March 28, 2019 Share Posted March 28, 2019 Clearly it's totally different in the case of an active eq circuit but yes - in all practical terms I've come across - turning down the tone of a passive circuit just bleeds off the treble. As such, it won't get any bassier, just more muted to the point, eventually, of muddier. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan Dare Posted March 28, 2019 Share Posted March 28, 2019 I run my J bass with the tone wide open, but I like a spot of roll-off on the P with flats for that JJ sound. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geek99 Posted March 28, 2019 Share Posted March 28, 2019 I found a substitution of the no-load pot quite effective Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soledad Posted March 28, 2019 Author Share Posted March 28, 2019 7 hours ago, Geek99 said: I found a substitution of the no-load pot quite effective Pardon, que ?? I plan to run my Precision absolutely stock, but i'm interested. Been listening for what may be a bump in the high-bass (almost low mid) as per chart above, around 600Hz, 4dB which is quite significant. Although I don't know if the response curve above is P specific or just a generic low-pass cct. generally I have always just turned both full clock and sorted what I need at the amp. Maybe I need a valve head... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geek99 Posted March 28, 2019 Share Posted March 28, 2019 Basically at 10, the tone pot drops out of circuit and you get a full on pup tone. There’s a slight bump you can feel as you hit 10 cheap to try Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ikay Posted March 28, 2019 Share Posted March 28, 2019 1 hour ago, Soledad said: ... I don't know if the response curve above is P specific or just a generic low-pass cct. The chart is generic for passive tone. I think the frequencies shown are actually for a Jazz but the same principle applies to P and any other passive bass with a regularly wired passive tone control. The bump in the low mids when tone is fully down kicks in if one end of the tone cap is wired to ground. Some basses have a small resistor between that end of the cap and ground in which case you don't get the bump . Some G&Ls are wired that way. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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