Middle pickup position on Gibsons...does either volume pot control overall volume?

[doubleR]

I had assumed on a Les Paul, you could blend the sound by adjusting both volume knobs. However, in experimenting with the pickup selector in the middle position, if either volume knob is turned off, it cuts the volume completely (like the volume control on a Strat).

 

Is is possible to mod the wiring to blend the two pickups simultaneously (for example, if you wanted the bridge pickup on 3 and the neck pickup on 8)?

[savoldi]

I'm not reading you here. You can blend them in the middle position as long as you don't turn them all the way off. It will do 3 and 8. Are you saying you want to set it that way and then have one knob that will make that setting softer or louder? I'd assume you can do that somehow, but I don't think I've ever seen that question asked before.

[Fuelish]

You can blend them in the middle position as long as you don't turn them all the way off . It will do 3 and 8.

Yup...what savoldi said

[Ivoredone]

Anyone who doesn't "blend" on a Gibson or equivalent needs to stop reading this and go and try it now!

[23miles]

The standard Gibson wiring does not have a "Master Volume" pot. As others have said you can control the blend with the neck and bridge volume pots. Some guitars Gretsch (I think) and the 'Kat series of Epiphones have a different wiring scheme that employs a Master Volume.

[doubleR]

Maybe I'm having a brain fart here??

 

I have the pickup selector switch in the middle position (both pickups). If I turn the neck pot all the way down, shouldn't I hear only the bridge PU? Or if I turn the bridge pot off, shouldn't I hear only the neck PU?

 

With my LP, in the middle position, when either volume knob is all the way off, there's no sound at all--in effect, a master volume control, like a Strat?

 

I'm so confused......

 

[SamsDaddy]

Maybe I'm having a brain fart here?? I have the pickup selector switch in the middle position (both pickups). If I turn the neck pot all the way down, shouldn't I hear only the bridge PU? Or if I turn the bridge pot off, shouldn't I hear only the neck PU? With my LP, in the middle position, when either volume knob is all the way off, there's no sound at all--in effect, a master volume control, like a Strat? I'm so confused......

 

This is the proper behavior. With either volume at 0, you will get no sound.

 

bridge/neck

0 + 10 = no sound

10 + 0 = no sound

1+ 10 = emphasis on neck pickup

10 + 1 = emphasis on bridge pickup

 

... and so on. Blend them in any way EXCEPT having either one at 0.

[doubleR]

 

This is the proper behavior. With either volume at 0, you will get no sound. bridge/neck 0 + 10 = no sound 10 + 0 = no sound 1+ 10 = emphasis on neck pickup 10 + 1 = emphasis on bridge pickup ... and so on. Blend them in any way EXCEPT having either one at 0.

 

 

 

Thanks for the explanation--appreciate you clearing that up for me!

[Deaf Eddie]

With the selector toggle centered for both pups "on," turning either pup volume all the way to "0" WILL mute the guitar - on GIBSONS (and a few others, no doubt).

 

This a "side effect" of the way Gibson wires the volume pot. If you swap the "in and out" lugs on the volume pot (run the pup to the center lug), you can change that - and that's the way many other 2v/2t guitars are wired.

 

For example, Epi and Rickenbacker are wired that way, so that turning one volume all the way off does NOT mute the guitar with both pickups selected.

 

I haven't been inside my Gretsch, but it's possible that its individual pup volumes are wired that way as well (as mentioned above).

[the Gibonator]

I remember reading that wiring the guitar so it doesn't mute kills the tone of the guitar.

[Deaf Eddie]

I have also read that it does have SOME small effect on the tone, when the volume pots are turned down - but hey, what scheme doesn't? I have a couple of my axes wired this way, and I don't "hear" it. Won't know if it works for you until you try it.

 

It's one of those things like "vintage" wiring, the treble bleed mod, boutique caps, and others. Some people can REALLY hear it, some people can't.

 

You wire your axe any way it suits you, and does the job at hand.

 

Anyway, it works for some players - nothing works for everybody.

[misle]

My Epi LP was wired up where roll one down to 0 and it turns off.

 

I re-wired it so I can turn either all the way down and use the other pickup.

[LoveMyLesPaul]

Blending Rules! As far as the original question, no there's no knob that controls ONLY volume in the middle position. If you turn one knob all the way down it does more than control volume...

If you have both up (whatever blended position you prefer) and want to bring the volume down and decided to grab your bridge volume and turn it down, there will be very little volume difference but the sound will blend further and further toward the neck pickup until you get to zero at which point it will mute almost all at once. Make sense?

A volume pedal goes great with these guitars!

I used to have a 1966 Guild Starfire V, and it had 2v/2t AND a master volume.

 

I like to roll off all the tone on the neck pickup and play along on the bridge only, then when it's solo time flip to the middle and get a fat but still cutting woman tone... kinda like Slash's lead tone on Knockin on Heaven's Door.