Mid-P90 problems

[sonic]

Hi all

I'm looking for suggestions for a mutant guitar I've made (www.ianhughesma.com/2012/04/23/another-guitar/) if you want to see the old version: it now has two black Wilkinson P90s). It has a Warman G-rail humbucker in the bridge and Wilkinson P90s in the neck- and mid-positions. Trouble is, there is little - if any - difference in the sound of the neck and mid pickups, as they both have the same output. I've tried lowering the middle pup, but there is still very little difference. Any ideas on how I can make the two sound separate?

Cheers

Ian

[newey]

sonic-

Hello and welcome to G-Nutz2!

Have you likewise tried raising the neck pickup? Assuming that doesn't cut it, there are various possibilities using a resistor and/or a cap to change the frequency response of a pickup.

I see that you have a master tone control on this guitar, which eliminates the obvious solution of adjusting the middle pickup tone control downward to "re-voice" that pickup. But, you might also consider using a concentric pot for the volume so as to give the middle pickup its own volume control.

(Also, I fixed the link to your photo of the guitar.)

[sonic]

Jan 31, 2014 10:43:57 GMT -5 newey said:

sonic-

Hello and welcome to G-Nutz2!

Have you likewise tried raising the neck pickup? Assuming that doesn't cut it, there are various possibilities using a resistor and/or a cap to change the frequency response of a pickup.

I see that you have a master tone control on this guitar, which eliminates the obvious solution of adjusting the middle pickup tone control downward to "re-voice" that pickup. But, you might also consider using a concentric pot for the volume so as to give the middle pickup its own volume control.

(Also, I fixed the link to your photo of the guitar.)

Hi Newey. Thanks for the welcome and reply - and for fixing the link!

I have tried raising the bridge but it just didn't do anything. I had thought that there might be a way of using a resistor or cap but I am still unsure on which way to go with that - how would they fit into the wiring? However using a concentric pot I hadn't thought of at all. But now the question is, if I get one should I use it for volume or tone? Hmmm. I hate making decisions!

[newey]

how would they fit into the wiring?

There are various ways, depending on what you are trying to achieve. For example, I have a Hofner travel guitar (there are pix and details in the "gallery" section)in which I replaced the single bridge-position HB with a GFS "Dream 90" (a P-90 in a HB size). In order to have some tonal variations from the single coil, I used a 3-position switch to give me a couple of options, including a setting where a .033µf capacitor is connected from the pickup to ground. This gives a very bass-y "tone control at 0" sound, and also cuts the output some as well. It's a faily drastic change with that capacitor, but the value of the cap could be altered so as to lessen the effect.

You can test different values external to the guitar before deciding what you want.

[sonic]

Good idea: thanks. Right, now to order some parts ....

[sonic]

Spent some time yesterday fiddling with caps etc. Turns out my favourite is to solder a small value resistor between the switch and ground. Gives a mellow sound to the pup and makes it distinctly different to the neck pickup. Thanks for the suggestions!

[newey]

Glad you got it to work to your satisfaction, sonic!

If you would, please post the value you used to help the next guy who comes along and reads this.

[sonic]

It reads 25W on the packet, but I bought them aqes ago and can't read resistor codes so can't confirm this! I'm now waiting for a concentric pot so the effect doesn't kick in for all of the pups whenever the middle pup is switched on.

[newey]

I'm now waiting for a concentric pot so the effect doesn't kick in for all of the pups whenever the middle pup is switched on.

While the concentric pot is fine, I'm not sure you have this wired correctly if it's affecting more than the middle pickup. Can you post a diagram of how you wired this?

[sonic]

No need for a diagram. I've put the resistor directly from the mid pup live wire where it joins the 5-way switch and the other wire of the resistor goes to ground. As such, whenever the switch connects with the middle pup (positions 2, 3 and 4) the resistor is directly involved in the circuit.

[newey]

OK, gotcha. It's affecting the middle in combo with the others.

[sonic]

Yep. As I can't think of any other way to take the resistor out of the circuit without it affecting positions 2, 3 and 4, I'm now waiting for a delivery. Unless I decide that having a tone control is pointless ....