Guitar wiring issue

BrentSSL

BrentSSL

Active member
Okay so I have two guitars same wood same pickups one of them sounds more aggressive than the other one sounds spongy and not as sharp. The only differences are one has tens one has a nines. Also I possibly had the volume pot replaced in the black one. Here are the pictures of the control cavity. I see a couple differences I think maybe the volume pots are different and there looks like there's some sort of brown capacitor on the black one. Can anyone please help this is maddening.
 

Attachments

  • IMG_20200222_173000_copy_600x800.jpg
    IMG_20200222_173000_copy_600x800.jpg
    221.5 KB · Views: 337
  • IMG_20200222_172955_copy_600x800.jpg
    IMG_20200222_172955_copy_600x800.jpg
    235.3 KB · Views: 332
Are you playing with the tone knob all the way up or are you rolling my the tone knob down any?
I believe the capacitor only comes into play if you roll the tone knob off, then it can make a pretty big difference in taking the bite out.

It’s hard to tell anything from the pics, hard to see where each wire is going.
I like the bite and usually bypass tone knob altogether, but should be about the same when it’s rolled all the way up.
 
Gut them both and clean them up. Bones pots and a NOS Russian cap is my pick. Pots are $5. caps are $8. Use a dual contact Switchraft jack in both too. $3. Then you have everything top notch. Easy and quick job.
 
Wood...plain and simple.
You can also measure pots but 10% tolerance doesn't make such a difference. Strings make bigger difference than pots/caps.
 
bubucci":c1pycrni said:
Wood...plain and simple.
You can also measure pots but 10% tolerance doesn't make such a difference. Strings make bigger difference than pots/caps.
Click to expand...

Good strings AND good pots and caps. They do make a difference. I have gone through four Gibson's two teles and two Strats, big difference every time. Although it does obviously depend on the values and if you change them.

Those two guitars look like a rats nest in the electrical cavity, I would change them, but YMMV.
 
stratjacket":1zw6kwlq said:
Are you playing with the tone knob all the way up or are you rolling my the tone knob down any?
I believe the capacitor only comes into play if you roll the tone knob off, then it can make a pretty big difference in taking the bite out.

It’s hard to tell anything from the pics, hard to see where each wire is going.
I like the bite and usually bypass tone knob altogether, but should be about the same when it’s rolled all the way up.
Click to expand...


I always play with the tone and volume knobs all the way up I almost never turned down the tone knob I think one might be better than the other possibly
 
bubucci":qi2wft19 said:
Wood...plain and simple.
You can also measure pots but 10% tolerance doesn't make such a difference. Strings make bigger difference than pots/caps.
Click to expand...
They are both the same wood
 
thenine":3kuwsgsd said:
Is this how u hear it?
Spongy = 10’s
Sharp = 9’s
Click to expand...

Yes that is exactly what is happening the one with 10 gauge strings almost sounds like a sludgy brick hitting pavement
 
Check the pot values, if they’re the same it could be a wiring issue. It’s like if it’s the same guitar they should be in the same ballpark at least.
 
If the pots are different values, that will have an impact (tone pots included). The capacitor is a treble bleed, so as you roll down the volume, the treble stays up, so it cuts better on a clean sound. This will also change the tone when rolled up.

As others have said, I have the same guitars, same pickups, same pots, but one guitar just sings while the other is okay. Most likely, it's the wood in the body or the neck, just resonates better.
 
Related question. Do you guys think that a pickup/guitar sounds more lively, with more output, with the tone pots unhooked, and run with only volume pots?
 
Beyond Black":2l6otsfx said:
Related question. Do you guys think that a pickup/guitar sounds more lively, with more output, with the tone pots unhooked, and run with only volume pots?
Click to expand...
I would like to know this also
 
shredhead7":1ugdzdvx said:
If the pots are different values, that will have an impact (tone pots included). The capacitor is a treble bleed, so as you roll down the volume, the treble stays up, so it cuts better on a clean sound. This will also change the tone when rolled up.

As others have said, I have the same guitars, same pickups, same pots, but one guitar just sings while the other is okay. Most likely, it's the wood in the body or the neck, just resonates better.
Click to expand...

Can I just break that capacitor off and see what happens or does another wire need to be in its place?
 
Beyond Black":25jeta2z said:
Related question. Do you guys think that a pickup/guitar sounds more lively, with more output, with the tone pots unhooked, and run with only volume pots?
Click to expand...

Yes, in my opinion. I discovered this a few years ago. I bought a new Blackat guitar that just didn’t sound right. It was ok, but sounded like there was a curtain in front of the speaker. I couldn’t get rit of it. I was about to sell it. I ended up snipping the wire connected to the tone pot and it just came alive. Had the edge and bite I wanted. I have the tone knob disconnected on most of my guitars.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top