Increasing treble/bite and reducing midrange in humbucker

[big_teee]

Here's to good ideas, hope it all works out.

[Tone Meister]

You might at least try to increase to 500k.

The 500k with the vintage wiring I showed should give more tone roll off.
T

A 250k tone pot is like 500k tone pot turned "halfway" down.

I purposely select 250k tone pots and smaller tone capacitors because I like a subtle rolloff and the taper isn't as sudden. I use varying shades of hf rolloff and never require the rapid and drastic changes that result from 500pk pots and larger tone caps( >0.033uF)

[big_teee]

I purposely select 250k tone pots and smaller tone capacitors because I like a subtle rolloff and the taper isn't as sudden. I use varying shades of hf rolloff and never require the rapid and drastic changes that result from 500pk pots and larger tone caps( >0.033uF)

Sounds like you have it under control.
Good luck, I'm done!
T

[Tone Meister]

Sounds like you have it under control.
Good luck, I'm done!
T

Headed in the right direction, yes. Most definitely open to the 50's wiring or disconnecting the tone from the bridge.

I will certainly know more after tonight's show. Thanks for all the great information!

[Helmholtz]

I purposely select 250k tone pots and smaller tone capacitors because I like a subtle rolloff and the taper isn't as sudden.

What about a linear taper 500k tone pot? Linear is less "sudden" than audio/log taper.

[Tone Meister]

What about a linear taper 500k tone pot? Linear is less "sudden" than audio/log taper.

Good point, but realistically how much influence would increasing the value on the bridge tone pot actually have? The goal here is simply to increase treble/bite and slightly scoop the midrange. To change the tone pot to 500KL would make this guitar's tone control work differently than every other guitar I have.

I feel like I've made some progress toward that goal. I will know much more after the show.

[Chuck H]

I roughly simulated your pickup on LTspice. Since you only have one tone control the schematic you posted can't show us how your switch is wired. If the unused portions of your switch can be used to eliminate the 250k tone control strictly from the bridge only selection you can gain 5dB at the resonant peak of around 1.8kHz. Which is also bumped up in frequency a a couple hundred Hz from where it's at with the arrangement you have. Both effects should give a much "brighter" tone.

[Helmholtz]

Good point, but realistically how much influence would increasing the value on the bridge tone pot actually have? The goal here is simply to increase treble/bite and slightly scoop the midrange. To change the tone pot to 500KL would make this guitar's tone control work differently than every other guitar I have.

I feel like I've made some progress toward that goal. I will know much more after the show.

I can hear an increase in treble with a tone pot having only 20% higher value.

[Helmholtz]

I roughly simulated your pickup on LTspice. Since you only have one tone control the schematic you posted can't show us how your switch is wired. If the unused portions of your switch can be used to eliminate the 250k tone control strictly from the bridge only selection you can gain 5dB at the resonant peak of around 1.8kHz. Which is also bumped up in frequency a a couple hundred Hz from where it's at with the arrangement you have. Both effects should give a much "brighter" tone.

How did you simulate the secondary resonance/antiresonance around 100kHz? Very curious!

[John_H]

I purposely select 250k tone pots and smaller tone capacitors because I like a subtle rolloff and the taper isn't as sudden. I use varying shades of hf rolloff and never require the rapid and drastic changes that result from 500pk pots and larger tone caps( >0.033uF)

What are you using for a treble bleed?

I am asking specifically about ideas to tweak the existing pickup. No doubt the issue is the maple wood in this guitar body and I want to adjust it out.

All my guitars have treble bleeds - and the TBs have no affect on the circuit when the volume is wide open.
I use 10' cables to my pedalboards always, 22 pF/ft
I have 500k pots

[Tone Meister]

What are you using for a treble bleed?

1nF in parallel with a 100k resistor.

Fellas, listen up: I have this very same setup in two other guitars and don't have these issues. The only difference is this guitar has a maple body and a rock maple neck. The other two have alder bodies and maple necks. All three have rosewood fingerboards. I am absolutely convinced the body/neck wood is the culprit here. And the goal is to offset that with some minor tweaks.

[Helmholtz]

1nF in parallel with a 100k resistor.

Fellas, listen up: I have this very same setup in two other guitars and don't have these issues. The only difference is this guitar has a maple body and a rock maple neck. The other two have alder bodies and maple necks. All three have rosewood fingerboards. I am absolutely convinced the body/neck wood is the culprit here. And the goal is to offset that with some minor tweaks.

Maple, being a fairly heavy, dense and hard wood is not known to suppress highs.

[John_H]

I purposely select 250k tone pots and smaller tone capacitors because I like a subtle rolloff and the taper isn't as sudden. I use varying shades of hf rolloff and never require the rapid and drastic changes that result from 500pk pots and larger tone caps( >0.033uF)

I am asking specifically about ideas to tweak the existing pickup. No doubt the issue is the maple wood in this guitar body and I want to adjust it out.

All my guitars have treble bleeds - and the TBs have no affect on the circuit when the volume is wide open.
I use 10' cables to my pedalboards always, 22 pF/ft
I have 500k pots

1nF in parallel with a 100k resistor.

Fellas, listen up: I have this very same setup in two other guitars and don't have these issues. The only difference is this guitar has a maple body and a rock maple neck. The other two have alder bodies and maple necks. All three have rosewood fingerboards. I am absolutely convinced the body/neck wood is the culprit here. And the goal is to offset that with some minor tweaks.

Well, maybe I could help, but now I would rather not.

[Jim Darr]

Fellas, listen up: I have this very same setup in two other guitars and don't have these issues. The only difference is this guitar has a maple body and a rock maple neck. The other two have alder bodies and maple necks. All three have rosewood fingerboards. I am absolutely convinced the body/neck wood is the culprit here. And the goal is to offset that with some minor tweaks.

One sure way to find out if it is the pickup or the maple guitar is to swap the bridge pickups of the two guitars and see if the problem stays with the maple guitar or the pickup!!!

[Chuck H]

One sure way to find out if it is the pickup or the maple guitar is to swap the bridge pickups of the two guitars and see if the problem stays with the maple guitar or the pickup!!!

This^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

It's possible there is something electronically different. The wind, a missed error in the wiring, etc. I wouldn't expect a asymmetrical humbucker in a maple guitar to sound more midrange than normal unless something is pinching off the highs.