More in-between positions with two pickups and superswitch?

[davidofchatham]

Another possibly silly idea, but since there are downsides to using a blender pot instead of a pickup selector, and I keep thinking about more in-between sounds....

If it's hard to get useful additional sounds out of a blender pot, because all the variation is very close to the middle, would it be possible to set up a superswitch-type rotary switch for additional in-between positions, say for 100% neck, 55/45, 50/50, 55/45, and 100% bridge (or maybe 90/10 since I don't usually like the bridge pickup on its own)?

I'd guess that if resistors were introduced on one side or the other, that would change the mix, but I might be totally wrong. Or it might not be useful anyway. What say ye?

Note: While I don't think I could fit a rotary superswitch in the pickup selector spot, I have plenty of space in the main control cavity for it. I'd just have to move the volume or tone control elsewhere.

[newey]

Feb 3, 2022 10:46:35 GMT -5 davidofchatham said:

I'd guess that if resistors were introduced on one side or the other, that would change the mix, but I might be totally wrong. Or it might not be useful anyway. What say ye?

I'd say it's been done, numerous different ways and different times. If you want a mix of volumes, for one pickup versus the other, a series of appropriately-sized resistors would do the trick. This could be done on 2 separate rotaries, one for each pickup, or on one single rotary with a pole for one pickup, another pole for the other.

ashcatlt is the one to ask. He hates pots . He has a Ric with nothing but rotaries to control both volume and tone.

[syddd]

Yes it's definitely workable with a series of resistors for each pickup but you would probably need parallel capacitors to function as a treble bleed.

This is how you'd have a five position switch work with neck and bridge at either end, and 50/50 in the middle






Every position of the blend you have at least one pickup completely on, and the other either not connected or having a resistor + parallel capacitor between it and the volume pot.

You would need to tweak your resistor to taste but probably use 0.5-2nF capacitors. 

[Deleted]

Hmm. I like pot myself as I can fake them as a one pole switch, more wafers more poles.

Trying to look at steppers what would mean you can change the resistance of the track in each stage. 21 steps
First blank then next 9 10K the last 11 linked
Lug1 N/A, Lug2 Pickup Lug3 Output
Other wafer linked first 11, next 9 10K and then a blank.
Lug1 Output, Lug2 Pickup, Lug3 N/A
All SMD resisters not sure about the capacitor effect

[davidofchatham]

Feb 3, 2022 15:34:00 GMT -5 newey said:

I'd say it's been done, numerous different ways and different times. If you want a mix of volumes, for one pickup versus the other, a series of appropriately-sized resistors would do the trick. This could be done on 2 separate rotaries, one for each pickup, or on one single rotary with a pole for one pickup, another pole for the other.

ashcatlt is the one to ask. He hates pots . He has a Ric with nothing but rotaries to control both volume and tone.

Thanks, newey. I'm not interested in separate volume controls for the pickups — I know it's popular and time-honored, but seems confusing to me. I was thinking about a single rotary. Something like the 5 Position Rotary Guitar Pickup Selector Switch from PLT&S?

Feb 6, 2022 6:51:51 GMT -5 syddd said:

This is how you'd have a five position switch work with neck and bridge at either end, and 50/50 in the middle

[...]

Every position of the blend you have at least one pickup completely on, and the other either not connected or having a resistor + parallel capacitor between it and the volume pot.

Thanks, syddd, awesome of you to add a drawing! So it would actually be more correct to say that the blends would be, for example, 100%/90% or 90%/100%, rather than 55%/45% or vice versa? 

It surprised me that you suggest treble bleeds — I was thinking at first, "Why wouldn't you need them for the middle position as well, then?" But I guess that's because that's actually 100% and 100%. On the other hand, I've not heard of using treble bleeds with blend knobs. Would it make a big difference, do you think?

Feb 6, 2022 13:14:07 GMT -5 @angellahash said:

Hmm. I like pot myself as I can fake them as a one pole switch, more wafers more poles.

Trying to look at steppers what would mean you can change the resistance of the track in each stage. 21 steps

@angellahash, thanks for the suggestion, but if I were going for that many steps, I think I'd rather just use a blender pot. I really am thinking of more of an enhanced pickup selector with this idea — only a few positions. I'm thinking about not using a pot because I've read that all the useful variation seems to be in a tiny area around the middle, and because it also complicates keeping the overall control resistance where I might want it. 

I might still try a blender to see if I can find any positions I really like so I can measure the resistance as a starting point for resistor values for a switch....

[Deleted]

Resister and capacitor would probably change the bass tones. Like in G&L 2n2F with 250K-1M resistance.

And what I was talking a out is a Switch in a Pot Body. Some thing I played with with a active bass guitar, when the active pot didn't do any thing I gave it a second wafer to make it in to a 1P6T switch.
I got two weeks off work so I better fix the problems with my 4P7T lever switch

[syddd]

Feb 7, 2022 13:33:13 GMT -5 davidofchatham said:

Feb 3, 2022 15:34:00 GMT -5 newey said:

I'd say it's been done, numerous different ways and different times. If you want a mix of volumes, for one pickup versus the other, a series of appropriately-sized resistors would do the trick. This could be done on 2 separate rotaries, one for each pickup, or on one single rotary with a pole for one pickup, another pole for the other.

ashcatlt is the one to ask. He hates pots . He has a Ric with nothing but rotaries to control both volume and tone.

Thanks, newey. I'm not interested in separate volume controls for the pickups — I know it's popular and time-honored, but seems confusing to me. I was thinking about a single rotary. Something like the 5 Position Rotary Guitar Pickup Selector Switch from PLT&S?

Feb 6, 2022 6:51:51 GMT -5 syddd said:

This is how you'd have a five position switch work with neck and bridge at either end, and 50/50 in the middle

[...]

Every position of the blend you have at least one pickup completely on, and the other either not connected or having a resistor + parallel capacitor between it and the volume pot.

Thanks, syddd, awesome of you to add a drawing! So it would actually be more correct to say that the blends would be, for example, 100%/90% or 90%/100%, rather than 55%/45% or vice versa? 

It surprised me that you suggest treble bleeds — I was thinking at first, "Why wouldn't you need them for the middle position as well, then?" But I guess that's because that's actually 100% and 100%. On the other hand, I've not heard of using treble bleeds with blend knobs. Would it make a big difference, do you think?

No worries.

Your assertions are correct and yes I agree presenting both sides of the fraction as being out of 100 is a more precise and less misleading way of expressing it

Also worth considering is that you don't have to have the split mirrored in positions 2 and 4 either - for instance you could have the split being 100/0, 100/40, 100/100, 75/100 and 0/100 if you wanted.

Regarding treble bleeds I can only speak from my own experience - I use it in a switching system I have on my offset Telecaster and it definitely benefits from the bleed being there because adding even a small series resistor that audibly reduces the volume of a pickup is enough to dull the high end unless you give it a bypass (the cap).


I don't have a personal experience with a more traditional, double gang blend pot but I've only ever seen them on select basses where a small loss of treble wouldn't be a big deal breaker for most

[davidofchatham]

Feb 9, 2022 3:16:24 GMT -5 syddd said:

Also worth considering is that you don't have to have the split mirrored in positions 2 and 4 either - for instance you could have the split being 100/0, 100/40, 100/100, 75/100 and 0/100 if you wanted.

Regarding treble bleeds I can only speak from my own experience - I use it in a switching system I have on my offset Telecaster and it definitely benefits from the bleed being there because adding even a small series resistor that audibly reduces the volume of a pickup is enough to dull the high end unless you give it a bypass (the cap).

Yes, I think I'll need to do a lot of testing to find good blends before I (if I) implement this idea. It's great to have your experience on the treble bleed question — thanks! I just wouldn't have thought of it.

I don't have a personal experience with a more traditional, double gang blend pot but I've only ever seen them on select basses where a small loss of treble wouldn't be a big deal breaker for most

Ohh, that's a great point!