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Thread: Tone control knobs

  1. #1

    Tone control knobs

    I just got my 1st strat, a '92 srv. Which tone control knobs control
    which pickups? it's stock and has a 5 way switch. Thanks

  2. #2
    Forum Member Moonrider's Avatar
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    Re: Tone control knobs

    Quote Originally Posted by littlepicker View Post
    I just got my 1st strat, a '92 srv. Which tone control knobs control
    which pickups? it's stock and has a 5 way switch. Thanks
    Depends on if it's standard wiring or not. The way I figured out what was what on my MIM strat went like this:

    Select neck pickup
    Turn volume knob. Anything change? (Yup!)
    Turn middle tone knob. Anything change? (Yup!)
    Turn bottom tone knob. Anything change? (Nope!)

    Select middle pickup.
    Turn volume knob. Anything change? (Yup!)
    Turn middle tone knob. Anything change? (Nope!)
    Turn bottom tone knob. Anything change? (Yup!)

    Select bridge pickup.
    Turn volume knob. Anything change? (Yup!)
    Turn middle tone knob. Anything change? (Nope!)
    Turn bottom tone knob. Anything change? (Nope!)

    Select bridge & middle pickup.
    Turn volume knob. Anything change? (Yup!)
    Turn middle tone knob. Anything change? (Nope!)
    Turn bottom tone knob. Anything change? (Yup!)

    Select neck and middle pickup.
    Turn volume knob. Anything change? (Yup!)
    Turn middle tone knob. Anything change? (Yup!)
    Turn bottom tone knob. Anything change? (Yup!)

    The knobs are there to be turned. Don't fear them.
    If I shoot at mimes, should I use a silencer?

  3. #3

    Re: Tone control knobs

    The bridge pup was what was confusing me, because I would move both tone controls and nothing would change.....So that's the way it works? you can't adjust the tone on the bridge pup, with either tone controL Now why would they do that?

  4. #4
    Forum Member Moonrider's Avatar
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    Re: Tone control knobs

    Quote Originally Posted by littlepicker View Post
    The bridge pup was what was confusing me, because I would move both tone controls and nothing would change.....So that's the way it works? you can't adjust the tone on the bridge pup, with either tone controL Now why would they do that?
    That's the traditional vintage Strat wiring scheme.

    As far as why, I seem to remember that bridge pickup being assumed to be the one that would be used for lead most of the time, so it was wired to cut through when you used it. Of course, it's late, and I'm an old fart with a hazy memory, so that wild ass guess is likely wrong.

    Someone will correct me shortly ;)
    If I shoot at mimes, should I use a silencer?

  5. #5
    Forum Member chuckocaster's Avatar
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    Re: Tone control knobs

    yeah, bridge pup is supposed to be the brightest. i never much cared for that personally. so i always swap the mid tone control knob over to the bridge pup. smooths it out somewhat, and i like the way the pups will blend after doing it. it's an easy mod any schmoe can do with a soldering iron and some solder.
    "don't worry, i'm a professional!"

  6. #6
    Forum Member Erock_Germany's Avatar
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    Re: Tone control knobs

    The SRV is wired vintage except has a 5 was switch (if it has not been modified). This means from top to bottom - master volume, neck tone middle tone.

    No tone for the bridge 'cause......that is the way it is.

    If you do not like that and want to get it rewired, I think the coolest set up going today is master volume, master tone and a blender pot so you can blend in the bridge in different positions to get a few extra twangy almost Tele sounds.....

    But the vintage way is cool and the best way to learn a Strat. I have guitars with both and actually get the best tone out of a traditional wiring with a 5 way switch just like you have

    Play it as it is and rock n roll dude!
    "Sorry" - John Belushi as he smashed a guitar in Animal House

  7. #7
    Forum Member NTBluesGuitar's Avatar
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    Re: Tone control knobs

    Quote Originally Posted by Erock_Germany View Post
    ...I think the coolest set up going today is master volume, master tone and a blender pot so you can blend in the bridge in different positions to get a few extra twangy almost Tele sounds...
    Agreed...my Strat is that way.
    "...pray do not imagine that those who make the noise are the only inhabitants of the field;
    that, of course, they are many in number; or that, after all, they are other than the little,
    shriveled, meagre, hopping, though loud and troublesome, insects of the hour."

    -Edmund Burke

  8. #8
    Forum Member Hutch's Avatar
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    Re: Tone control knobs

    [QUOTE=Erock_Germany;477481]I think the coolest set up going today is master volume, master tone and a blender pot so you can blend in the bridge in different positions...QUOTE]

    You'd need, like, eight pots for that, right? I'm on it, boss. I'm with it!

  9. #9
    Forum Member NTBluesGuitar's Avatar
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    Re: Tone control knobs

    No...just three.

    The second tone knob becomes the blender and the middle tone knob becomes master tone.

    "...pray do not imagine that those who make the noise are the only inhabitants of the field;
    that, of course, they are many in number; or that, after all, they are other than the little,
    shriveled, meagre, hopping, though loud and troublesome, insects of the hour."

    -Edmund Burke

  10. #10
    Forum Member Kap'n's Avatar
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    Re: Tone control knobs

    I need one of those knobs.

    Otherwise my tone would be out of control.
    Several guitars in different colors
    Things to make them fuzzy
    Things to make them louder
    orange picks

  11. #11

    Re: Tone control knobs

    Quote Originally Posted by chuckocaster View Post
    yeah, bridge pup is supposed to be the brightest. i never much cared for that personally. so i always swap the mid tone control knob over to the bridge pup. smooths it out somewhat, and i like the way the pups will blend after doing it. it's an easy mod any schmoe can do with a soldering iron and some solder.
    I've never understood why there's no tone control on the brige pickup, myself -- that's the one pickup that really needs it! The mod you describe is considered to be the most common Strat mod out there, and today's American Standard strats have a tone knob that affects both the middle and bridge pickups, so it appears there are a lot of people out there who agree.

  12. #12
    Forum Member Kap'n's Avatar
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    Re: Tone control knobs

    Quote Originally Posted by Sage View Post
    I've never understood why there's no tone control on the brige pickup,
    In 1954, Fender amplifiers weren't nearly as bright as they are today.
    Several guitars in different colors
    Things to make them fuzzy
    Things to make them louder
    orange picks

  13. #13
    Forum Member patocaster's Avatar
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    Re: Tone control knobs

    Three knobs is one too many.



    Mine has two!

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    Re: Tone control knobs

    Quote Originally Posted by NTBluesGuitar View Post
    No...just three.

    The second tone knob becomes the blender and the middle tone knob becomes master tone.

    Can someone shed some light on the “vol kit” and how it works? Appreciate anything you can offer.
    Thanks.

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