Replacing volume with push button?

[MrDinsdale]

Hey, just like the title says really, I don’t have much use for volume pots aside from muting especially on my Jazz which is VVT.

 

Anyone replaced the volume pots with push buttons? I’m guessing you’d want to pop a resistor in there to mimic the pots value but anything else to consider.

 

Also any recommendations for where to get them? You can grab them on eBay but always dubious about quality, really wanting black metal ones, probably 16-22mm.

[itu]

I bought a rotary switch from @KiOgon. It has four positions: ON/tone1/tone2/OFF. Very functional, recommended.

[MrDinsdale]

1 hour ago, itu said:

I bought a rotary switch from @KiOgon. It has four positions: ON/tone1/tone2/OFF. Very functional, recommended.

Interesting, I was thinking of just having an on/off latching push switch for each pickup and a Stellartone b10 pot for simplicity. Something like this:

 

[itu]

A rotary switch would allow ser/par switching, too.

[Mottlefeeder]

2 hours ago, MrDinsdale said:

... I’m guessing you’d want to pop a resistor in there to mimic the pots value but anything else to consider.

 

Yes you would need something to mimic the pot. If you don't then you will hear pick-up (electrical) resonances that the pots usually damp down. 

David

[PaulThePlug]

2 hours ago, MrDinsdale said:

Interesting, I was thinking of just having an on/off latching push switch for each pickup and a Stellartone b10 pot for simplicity. Something like this:

 

Worth a look is the Artec QTP...

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/252597657610

 

Strange, my Epi LP has a momentary push/kill switch on the tone pot... for that authentic half-bolloxed Jack lead sound.

Edited April 7 by PaulThePlug

[MrDinsdale]

9 hours ago, PaulThePlug said:

Worth a look is the Artec QTP...

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/252597657610

 

Strange, my Epi LP has a momentary push/kill switch on the tone pot... for that authentic half-bolloxed Jack lead sound.

Ahh yeah seen the Artec stuff, crazy cheap for what it is.

 

I wouldn’t be after a momentary kill switch Tom Morrello style, it’d just be a mute switch. 

[DocTrucker]

On 06/04/2024 at 23:10, Mottlefeeder said:

Yes you would need something to mimic the pot. If you don't then you will hear pick-up (electrical) resonances that the pots usually damp down.

 

That's interesting. I've an irritating harmonic on my project bass which I had thought may have been due to technique, but now wonder if it's an artifact of my wiring!

[bloke_zero]

As an experiment just wire a pickup straight to the output - you'll hear a lot of high frequency signal coming through that you don't have with the volume wired in.

 

Some extreme guitar metal dudes have a switch to remove all the pots from the circuit so they can get maximum ear shred frequency from their axe.

 

So what would you put in line to replace the effect of the pot? I have no idea.

[tauzero]

2 hours ago, bloke_zero said:

So what would you put in line to replace the effect of the pot? I have no idea.

 

A resistor of similar value to a 250k or 500k pot between signal and ground. 240k or 270k for a 250k, 470k or 510k for a 500k pot.

[itu]

4 hours ago, tauzero said:

 

A resistor of similar value to a 250k or 500k pot between signal and ground. 240k or 270k for a 250k, 470k or 510k for a 500k pot.

...if there's only one pot in the circuitry.

 

I don't like those extra high impedance components. Only when I want to cut the highs. I still rather use a dedicated eq (read: amp) if needed.

[MrDinsdale]

So after a little thinking not gonna do the mod I’d originally intended but may tweak another Jazz to have on/off push buttons for both pickups and then just a Stellartone b10.

 

Found (someone else kindly shared the ones they use) some really nice metal latching push switches. I was tempted to see if I could mount the b10 at 90deg so it acts like a wheel so there aren’t any protruding knobs but that’s gonna be a time sink!!! 

[tauzero]

On 09/04/2024 at 21:07, itu said:

...if there's only one pot in the circuitry.

 

I don't like those extra high impedance components. Only when I want to cut the highs. I still rather use a dedicated eq (read: amp) if needed.

 

If there's two volume pots in the circuitry, put a resistor of half the value (120k or 240k) between signal and ground.

 

You're answering a question that wasn't asked.

[itu]

5 hours ago, tauzero said:

You're answering a question that wasn't asked.

I read the question as what would be useful, and my solution is the amp: a good eq sure has more possibilities than a resistor.

 

I have few basses without pots, or a circuitry that can override hi-Z components. Amp eq and certain pedals are very good for sound sculpting.

[MrDinsdale]

For what it’s worth I was asking more specifically if it was just a case of matching the replaced pot with an equivalent resistor but all feed back is welcome.

 

I have a pretty good selection of eq on my board and amp so it’d probably be manageable either way although I do like the sound of the bass so no immediate desire to tweak that sound drastically.