What's the point?

[El cheapo]

Of having 2 volumes and 2 tone controls on a guitar with 2 pickups?

I mean, I'm used to playing telecasters and everything is so simple. The bare bones controls just make sense to me. Same thing with my Samick made Epi Les Paul Special II. So never having played a proper Les Paul with 2 volume and tone controls, what exactly are the benefits of this kind of setup?

 

[Shadow Explorer]

What's the point of having barebone controls, when you can have more options???
I guess personal preference.
IMO better have more than you need, than less...

Different pup setups for different parts can be very useful!

 

[DaveInSoCal]

Yup! Options!
I like to set the neck at a lower volume for semi clean parts and the bridge for lead / heavy parts so I don't have to do the pedal board dance.

 

[El cheapo]

Yup! Options!
I like to set the neck at a lower volume for semi clean parts and the bridge for lead / heavy parts so I don't have to do the pedal board dance.

Yeah, i typically set up my tele like this but I do it by adjusting the pickups. Then use the switch and the tone control. I'm used to it so adjusting on the fly is not a problem.

 

[Davis Sharp]

Good thing you don't play a Gretsch with individual volume knobs, a master volume, and a mud switch.

I converted my Gretsch to a 2V/2T format because it's makes more sense - although it's sacreligious in some Gretsch circles.

 

[Shadow Explorer]

That's the first time I hear this..

 

[TimTheViking]

Versatility with tone. You can get a whole lot of variety when you can mix both volume and treble drop off from the bright and dark pickups.

 

[Cozmik Cowboy]

Of having 2 volumes and 2 tone controls on a guitar with 2 pickups?

I mean, I'm used to playing telecasters and everything is so simple. The bare bones controls just make sense to me. Same thing with my Samick made Epi Les Paul Special II. So never having played a proper Les Paul with 2 volume and tone controls, what exactly are the benefits of this kind of setup?

Oh yeah? Well, take that!
http://www.alembic.com/info/JEfretless.html

 

[Paruwi]

it could be worse.....

 

[Raiyn]

Of having 2 volumes and 2 tone controls on a guitar with 2 pickups?

I mean, I'm used to playing telecasters and everything is so simple. The bare bones controls just make sense to me. Same thing with my Samick made Epi Les Paul Special II. So never having played a proper Les Paul with 2 volume and tone controls, what exactly are the benefits of this kind of setup?

Dude....if you think 2V2T is something wait until you learn about coil splitting, series / parallel switching and phase reversal!

I'm guessing you don't have a 4 way mod in your Tele either, right?

 

[DaveInSoCal]

I do like the single volume on my Strat, its close enough to the bridge that I can adjust with my pinky finger.

 

[Norton]

Ummm real time flexibility from a stage.

Do you ever gig with a band?

 

[El cheapo]

Dude....if you think 2V2T is something wait until you learn about coil splitting, series / parallel switching and phase reversal!

I'm guessing you don't have a 4 way mod in your Tele either, right?

Yeah all my tele's have a 4 way switch, and my Strat has a tone control on the bridge pickup and blender pot wiring. Variety is nice, and maybe I'm just getting old and lazy but after trying all these mods I still like the Tele to sound like a Tele and the Strat to sound Stratty. So for me if I want a different sound I grab a different guitar. I'm not opposed to having options, I just wanted to see whether people find those options useful or not.

 

[Raiyn]

Strat has a tone control on the bridge pickup and blender pot wiring.

Very cool.
The bridge tone mod is standard fare for Strats I rewire.

I like to use a .033uf cap for the bridge since the bridge in a normal Strat wiring setup doesn't run through a tone pot at all so rather than use a .047uF like the Neck & Middle I go for one that doesn't darken it up as much at the minimum setting. It's supposed to be brighter so I give it a sweep that I feel will allow for more in the brighter range without going too dark.

As for my personal Strat Killer Frost, I went a little more in depth. I went with .033uF caps on both tones and it worked out nicely with the Carvin p'ups.

I tried a dozen different schemes (three sets of pickups, etc.) before landing on this setup and this is the one.

 

[El cheapo]

I picked up the Epiphone Les Paul Special II as part of a package deal. Really didn't expect much from it, but as soon as I played it I loved the neck so I'm gonna fix up this little plywood guitar. I bought some Guitar Madness '59er humbuckers which I want to coil split with a push/pull tone pot. Never wired for coil splits before so I hope it's not too crazy. Also want to use trim pots to dial in the single coil sound as close to my tele as possible.

 

[JeffMcLeod]

I guess all I need is a single volume control. And that's mainly just to turn the volume down (off) on the guitar between songs, when we're practicing and standing around talking between songs.

Other than that, it's pretty much:

• Volume: 11
• Tone: 11

 

[Raiyn]

I bought some Guitar Madness '59er humbuckers which I want to coil split with a push/pull tone pot. Never wired for coil splits before so I hope it's not too crazy.

Not hard at all. There are plenty of schematics to be had.

 

[El cheapo]

Not hard at all. There are plenty of schematics to be had.

Guess I'll have to find a good one soon. I'm kinda anxious to get to it but I'm waiting on the Nitro to cure. It's only been 2 weeks since I clearcoated it. Right now I'm getting ready to paint my girlfriend's violin.

 

[Cozmik Cowboy]

I wired my Strat so the bridge p/up is on the tone knob with the middle, and I added a mini-toggle to cut the neck in on positions 3 & 5; someday I want to go 3 on/offs & 3 concentric T/Vs.

And get another to do with master Vol & Master Tone, with the cap replaced by a Varitone in the third hole.

My Tele is standard except for being reversed (Vol/Tone/Switch instead of Switch/Vol/Tone).

Both have .047µF caps - but I did use .033s on my Sheraton.

 

[Bonzo21]

I roll off a bit of tone and volume on the bridge so I have somewhere to go. Usually leave the neck on 10v10t unless im playing clean and im too lazy to go to the amp to turn the hain down. But with only one tone control I have less control over the trebly bridge pickups (e.g. my tele). If its not there I don't miss it, but when its there like on an lp or ES, I use it...alot... Ive never found it to be excessive.