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Any New Innovations In Guitar Electronics?


demonx

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I'm curious, are there any new innovations in the guitar electronics department?

I like to try keep the front of my guitars as plain as possible (knobs/switches wise) and my preferred choice is one humbucker and one single - so I'm not looking for something that involves a million knobs and switches like an old B.C. Rich Bich!

I'm looking for something thats simple and has purpose but compliments the guitar. Even if it involves a PCB or anything, just looking for good ideas thats aren't too gimmicky!

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Are you looking for active electronics? Not a fan myself, but there are quite a few things you can do there. The big downside about active electronics, at least the part I could never get over after buying a low end bass with them, was the need for a battery at all times or it wouldn't work. There are other reasons too, but after forgetting to unplug the bass and have it not work two days later was a deal breaker. A built in tuner might be useful and pickup selector rings are discreet and give you some cool options. Maybe a discreet kill switch? Or if your adventurous and want something more exotic, you could try out a sustainer and mount it next to a single coil...

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This isn't new, but it might as well be. Consider a high-pass filter. A typical tone knob is a low-pass filter, and for whatever reason, it's become standard to have one on a guitar. But you almost never see a high-pass filter. I'll grant that it's not as dramatic an effect, but I believe it can be quite useful. Disclaimer: I've never actually done one. I'm more and more about simple electronic controls.

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Ok, so I'm about to link you to another forum that deals with guitar electronics, but they have about everything you want to know and more.

Here's something I've been really wanting to try out, a treble bleed that could give you more out of your volume control

GuitarNutz2

I still need to get the right pot though...

P.S. You can try out version C with mostly normal stuff.

P.P.S. Don't miss the Sub-Forums! There are a lot of cool things in the modules forum

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Well, it's not "new" but I seem to be the only person who uses them !! lol

the Duncan triple-shot pup ring :

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/accessories/seymour-duncan-ts-1-triple-shot-flat-pickup-mounting-ring

I use them when I want tonal variety without cluttering up the face of the guitar.

Or there's the Artec expander, which is an EQ on 'roids.

http://guitarheads.net/products/electronics/electronics.html

lotsa goodies on that page ,actually. :D

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Just another thought about electronic upgrades, have you though about getting some good quality components? I know some people will tell you a cap is a cap, but I like orange drops. Be sure to tailor your caps to your pickups

There are also better quality pots you can buy.

I use mostly switchcraft jacks and switches, I use bareknuckle (CTS) pots and I buy paper/oil caps from the people that make my pickups (bareknuckle)... I assume thats all high enough quality?

Looking through some of the links people have posted. Few little gadgets seem interesting but nothing really jumps out as a "must have", but I did see a couple " might try's"

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I LOVE the n-tune.

so easy to use, pretty unobtrusive and makes tuning really simple. Great little bit of kit.

Looks pretty cool - but bulky. Opposite effect of what I'm trying to achieve!

I found them on youtube but their webpage seems to be suspended?

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A few others to try:

No-load Volume pot

*Dual-gang pot

High cut Low cut Tone

If you like a high cut and have you tone knob labeled to find the center(neither high nor low)

*need a special TRUE blend pot, source Fender replacements

Treble Bleed... Again

*Dual-gang pot, or not

Also, you can make a switch or pot to change tone caps.

Blending options are also something you could explore.

And yes, it sounds like you use quality components, though some people never give it a second thought, so just saying...

These are only passive options, active electronics are something else completely.

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  • 3 weeks later...

Well, it's not "new" but I seem to be the only person who uses them !! lol

the Duncan triple-shot pup ring :

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/accessories/seymour-duncan-ts-1-triple-shot-flat-pickup-mounting-ring

I use them when I want tonal variety without cluttering up the face of the guitar.

Or there's the Artec expander, which is an EQ on 'roids.

http://guitarheads.net/products/electronics/electronics.html

lotsa goodies on that page ,actually. :D

that second link gave me chills. I may have to cobble together a switchboard guitar XD

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