Boosting Volume On Bridge Pup

[shakyhands]

Hi, My brother has a Tele clone and wants to be able to use a switch to go from neck pup to bridge pup, but increasing volume for lead playing without using volume pot. He then wants to be able to switch back to neck pup for rythmn playing at original volume level.

He said a guy told him about "bridging the volume and tone pots" (whatever that means) and putting another switch in.

He also wants to play around with phase switching so I thought. Maybe a 5 way switch. 1st = neck, 2nd = neck and bridge, 3rd = bridge, 4th = out of phase neck and bridge, 5th = volume boost on bridge pup (if this can be done)

appreciate any suggestions and simple wiring diagram if possible

[Mattia]

If you pop the two pickups into series (not parallel) it'll kind of 'fatten' the sound up a bit. Bit more gain. Like creating a humbucker out of the two pickups. Only other thing I can think of is a small resistor (gotta play with the values for that) to switch on and off. Pre-set volume control kind of thing. Not sure if that'd be all that great for tone, though.

Alternately, tell him to get a boost and/or volume pedal and be done with it.

Edited October 9, 2005 by mattia

[Jehle]

I suppose raising and lowering the pickups is not an option for some reason.

[shakyhands]

I myself, would use a volume pedal. Or adjust pickup heights. On my brothers older axe, he changed bridge pickups and the pickup was adjusted a bit closer to the strings than the original. He loved it because it had more volume. I suggested this to him and he mentioned the guy that said you can put a switch in. For some reason (which I cant work out) my brother doesnt want to turn up volume pot on his axe when he switches to bridge pup or use volume pedal. He wants a switch.

I told him to get this guy to explain the procedure to him or me and find this guy is now in another state.

My little brother can be a real pain sometimes.

Thanks for the replies so far guys.

[JoJo T. Magnifficent]

dunno if the no use of volume clause discounts this, but sumthing like an EMG active 20dB booster would be a pretty easy solution (push pull pot), but that introduces the hassle of batteries.

[Daniel Sorbera]

You can always lower the output of the neck pickup by putting a resistor in series with it before it goes to any switches or anything.

That will in effect "boost" your bridge pickup.

[crafty]

You could also just use independent volume controls for each pickup. Set the neck at 5, bridge at 10...seems easier than a bunch of switchery.

The EMG AB is also a good idea, but if you don't use noiseless pickups it will just amplify the noise, too.

[shakyhands]

Thanks for your posts guys. Sorry I didnt respond quicker. My computer shat itself.

I've let my brother read the posts. Probably will try first, placing a resistor in series with the neck pickup. The post re wiring the pups in series makes sense too as it would act like a humbucker. With more output (If I am correct)

Thanks guys

[crafty]

If you replaced the single volume control with a stacked concentric pot, you wouldn't have to drill any new holes in the control plate, either.

[shakyhands]

If you replaced the single volume control with a stacked concentric pot, you wouldn't have to drill any new holes in the control plate, either.

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Sounds a good idea. With concentric pots at 500k is each stack 250k? I have only seen 500k concentric stacked pots advertised.

While we are on the topic of volume, my brother plays in a duo and has the same amp as his partner. My brother with the tele and his partner with a 2 humbucker solid body guitar. My brother complains that although they have the same amps and the same settings. His partners guitar is excessively loud if pots on guitars and controls on amps are set exactly the same.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but would this be due to humbuckers having more output and also the use of 500k pots on Humbuckers and 250k on brothers tele single coils?

[crafty]

Allparts and Guitar Electronics also sell 250/500 concentrics, which may be exactly what you need. Hook up the neck to the 250, bridge to the 500. If the bridge is a bit bright you can use the tone control to take out the icepicks, too. That setup should get you the most compelling neck/bridge output difference you're looking for.

As for the other guy's guitar, tell him to turn down the volume on his guitar. It's that simple.

[shakyhands]

Allparts and Guitar Electronics also sell 250/500 concentrics, which may be exactly what you need. Hook up the neck to the 250, bridge to the 500. If the bridge is a bit bright you can use the tone control to take out the icepicks, too. That setup should get you the most compelling neck/bridge output difference you're looking for.

As for the other guy's guitar, tell him to turn down the volume on his guitar. It's that simple.

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Thanks for your advice mate. Appreciated. Better still my brother could pull the plug on him.

[TeiscosRock]

Here's a question - It's stupid because I'm not really thinkin too nimbly right now, but for coil splitting, do you use a push/pull for tone or volume?

[crafty]

It doesn't matter--the only thing that splits the coil is the switch on the pot.