G&L with a twist

[BatUtilityBelt]

A couple weeks in, it just plays and sounds great. After I got the mud out of the neck pickup (lowering it a ton), I like the sound in all 3 positions. Now it presents a different issue - a good one, I think. With the MFD pickup in the bridge and the humbucker in the neck, the tonal differences between the 3 positions are pretty extreme. That got me thinking...

What would really be great on this particular guitar would be a blend control. I suspect there are amazing voices between the 3 positions that can't be reached any other way. My first thought was replace the 3-way switch with a blend control, but that takes away quick switching, so maybe just add a blend control to the middle position.

Anyone try something like that? I'd love to hear thoughts.

[SamIV]

I would suggest replacing the pickup with the MFD neck pickup. But that would mean a pickguard replacement as well. The middle position with both MFD pickups is very nice.

[BatUtilityBelt]

I would suggest replacing the pickup with the MFD neck pickup. But that would mean a pickguard replacement as well. The middle position with both MFD pickups is very nice.

I agree a 2 MFD ASAT sounds great. I'm not going that way for a couple of reasons. I already have a USA ASAT with 2 MFD pickups, and they are different beasts. Also though, now that the humbucker is lower, the guitar sounds great in all 3 positions.

There is such tremendous difference between the tones of each position that I am sure there are some nice tones hiding between those 3 positions. A blend control would let me find them.

[BatUtilityBelt]

A little update for anyone else considering adding a blend to a tele-like guitar. I went down a rabbit hole, and found other people on TDPRI have gone down the same hole. One of my twisted thoughts was to find a linear (actuating) 500K linear taper pot of this variety in the right size to replace the 3 way switch:

Well, that's a unicorn. They don't exist, and even if they did, they wouldn't likely have the center detent to let you know you're exactly splitting the difference between pickups in a middle position.

So the next thought is to replace control plate and add a blend pot like this one: https://www.philadelphialuthiertools.co ... ntiometer/
Wiring it right would mean necessarily bypassing the 3-way switch altogether. I don't play live, I record more. So I don't mind losing the quick switching capability in favor of dialing in a very specific blend.

That's my current thinking, and if I go that route, I guess I need to either leave the 3-way switch out, or come up with functions for it after adding the blend pot.

[tobijohn]

Why would wiring in a blend pot necessitate bypassing the 3-way switch? I'll have to check the Gretsch guitars I have but IIRC, they have a 3-way toggle and a blend knob. I think my Rick 330 might also have that same feature. Also just thinking out loud but could you rig up a push/pull to enable/disable the functionality of one or the other?

[BatUtilityBelt]

Why would wiring in a blend pot necessitate bypassing the 3-way switch? I'll have to check the Gretsch guitars I have but IIRC, they have a 3-way toggle and a blend knob. I think my Rick 330 might also have that same feature. Also just thinking out loud but could you rig up a push/pull to enable/disable the functionality of one or the other?

Those are good questions! I will have to look up Gretch wiring diagrams, that sounds promising. Because the blend control has to take both pickups in, and combines them, and the 3-way switch does the same, I can't picture how to accomplish keeping both, but a multipole switch in front of both to determine which is in-circuit is certainly possible. If Gretches do it, I just need to find out how. Certainly replacing the tele lever switch with a gibson style 3-way also adds room to work. I also want to hear what these pickups sound like out of phase, but that'd just be icing that I don't have to have.

I forgot to mention I also reject an earlier notion of stacked volume pots to adjust each just because I don't want a knob sticking up that high.

[tobijohn]

Those are good questions! I will have to look up Gretch wiring diagrams, that sounds promising. Because the blend control has to take both pickups in, and combines them, and the 3-way switch does the same, I can't picture how to accomplish keeping both, but a multipole switch in front of both to determine which is in-circuit is certainly possible. If Gretches do it, I just need to find out how. Certainly replacing the tele lever switch with a gibson style 3-way also adds room to work. I also want to hear what these pickups sound like out of phase, but that'd just be icing that I don't have to have.

I forgot to mention I also reject an earlier notion of stacked volume pots to adjust each just because I don't want a knob sticking up that high.

I don't think Freeway has a blend switch per se but I think one of those in conjunction with one of theirs would give you enough options to make your head hurt:

https://www.freewayswitch.com/products/

[BatUtilityBelt]

I don't think Freeway has a blend switch per se but I think one of those in conjunction with one of theirs would give you enough options to make your head hurt:

https://www.freewayswitch.com/products/

Definitely! Thanks for that reminder, I was not yet considering those, but they probably have every likely scenario covered.

[tobijohn]

Actually, I think that extra knob on Gretsches is a master volume, not a blend control as they have individual volumes for the pickups...

[BatUtilityBelt]

Actually, I think that extra knob on Gretsches is a master volume, not a blend control as they have individual volumes for the pickups...

I know that was the case with the Billy Bo I bought once. The only guitar I have with a blend knob (an Eastwood Folkstar) doesn't have a pickup selector, so it's no helpful reference.

[mickey]

Actually, I think that extra knob on Gretsches is a master volume, not a blend control as they have individual volumes for the pickups...

Master Volume yes. But they do not necessarily have volumes for each pickup. The 6122-1959 had a Master volume, and a Bridge volume
but no volume for the neck pup. (Other than the Master.)

[BatUtilityBelt]

Because the guitar has both single coil and humbucker, I wasn't sure whether 250K or 500K would work out better. I found a good deal at Mojotone and ordered a few of each after I saw the wiring diagram Bourns has for adding the blend control to a strat here https://www.bourns.com/docs/ProAudioDoc ... 3258ef1_13
I'll work out the switch and control plate after I can test the pickups through either blend control. That document also convinced me I'll be happy with the tapers. In the detent position, both pickups will be at 100%.

[tobijohn]

Actually, I think that extra knob on Gretsches is a master volume, not a blend control as they have individual volumes for the pickups...

Master Volume yes. But they do not necessarily have volumes for each pickup. The 6122-1959 had a Master volume, and a Bridge volume
but no volume for the neck pup. (Other than the Master.)

I should have been more specific and said on the ones that I have. And actually it isn't an extra knob, there's a master tone and individual volumes so still four knobs total...

[tobijohn]

Because the guitar has both single coil and humbucker, I wasn't sure whether 250K or 500K would work out better. I found a good deal at Mojotone and ordered a few of each after I saw the wiring diagram Bourns has for adding the blend control to a strat here https://www.bourns.com/docs/ProAudioDoc ... 3258ef1_13
I'll work out the switch and control plate after I can test the pickups through either blend control. That document also convinced me I'll be happy with the tapers. In the detent position, both pickups will be at 100%.

If you're going to working with a blank control plate then one possible solution is master volume, master tone and that blend pot. If I understand the description then the blend pot at either extreme turns of one or the other pickup off completely, so no need for a toggle switch, right?

[BatUtilityBelt]

Because the guitar has both single coil and humbucker, I wasn't sure whether 250K or 500K would work out better. I found a good deal at Mojotone and ordered a few of each after I saw the wiring diagram Bourns has for adding the blend control to a strat here https://www.bourns.com/docs/ProAudioDoc ... 3258ef1_13
I'll work out the switch and control plate after I can test the pickups through either blend control. That document also convinced me I'll be happy with the tapers. In the detent position, both pickups will be at 100%.

If you're going to working with a blank control plate then one possible solution is master volume, master tone and that blend pot. If I understand the description then the blend pot at either extreme turns of one or the other pickup completely, so no need for a toggle switch, right?

Yes, I think that's how it is. There are a lot of options, but some speak to my own limitations. I could machine a new control plate pretty easily, but I have no chrome plating ability and nobody local I know for that, so that's a bit of a problem but not insurmountable. Here are some of the things bouncing around in my head:

1. I can keep the 3-way switch acting like a normal 3-way except that in the middle position the blend pot works. That is a bit wasteful as you point out.

2. I am happy replacing the tone pot with the blend pot, first because I typically dime it anyway unless I want 'woman tone' That woman tone cap could be a set capacitor activated by a switch (maybe push-pull on the volume pot).

3. Assuming I don't keep the 3-way switch wired for pickup selection, I could reuse it for phase reversal, aforementioned woman tone cap, series wiring (which I doubt I would use with a humbucker involved), or possible coil tap (which I also wouldn't be likely to use with the neck humbucker).

I looked at the routing. Anything I do outside the control plate area would require additional body routing.

[tobijohn]

...Yes, I think that's how it is. There are a lot of options, but some speak to my own limitations. I could machine a new control plate pretty easily, but I have no chrome plating ability and nobody local I know for that, so that's a bit of a problem but not insurmountable.

Why not buy a blank chrome one and just drill your own holes?

https://www.ebay.com/itm/BLANK-NO-HOLE- ... olid=10001

[BatUtilityBelt]

...Yes, I think that's how it is. There are a lot of options, but some speak to my own limitations. I could machine a new control plate pretty easily, but I have no chrome plating ability and nobody local I know for that, so that's a bit of a problem but not insurmountable.

Why not buy a blank chrome one and just drill your own holes?

https://www.ebay.com/itm/BLANK-NO-HOLE- ... olid=10001

That is an option if the dimensions match. I haven't measured, but I have run into different sized tele control plates before. I will look at that option as well, it's a good one.

Edit: The dimensions are not the same, but look close enough. The length and screw spacing match, but the width (31.5mm) is narrower than the G&L (34.1mm). That doesn't look like a problem, so yeah.

[tobijohn]

You might also need a treble bleed circuit for the bridge pickup with a 500K volume pot...

[tobijohn]

FWIW, I just measured the control plate on my ASAT and it's the same length and thickness as the ne in the link I posted but it's 2mm wider (33mm vs. 31mm). I think it would work but thee are plenty of others available, it was just the first one that came up in a search...

[BatUtilityBelt]

You might also need a treble bleed circuit for the bridge pickup with a 500K volume pot...

LOL, that could be the 3rd switch option. Treble bleed, phase reverse, woman tone. I think that would make Leo cry a little.