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How many switches is to many.

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:dontknow: Need a drivers licence for this one.

So how many is to many switches & Knobs ?
:icon_scratch: I lost count on this guitar  :doh:
(No it's NOT mine)

It needs a GK-3 from what I can see  :laughing7:
And may-be add some piano keys and a Kaoss Pad, just to top it off.  :icon_jokercolor:

So when I have 3 extra switches on any of my guitar builds, DON'T anyone ever say, I have to many switches.  :icon_biggrin:
 

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I'll never tell you that you have to many switches.
(because I'd say "too many!")
 
I would say you have too many knobs/switches when you need to put labels on them:

37423.jpg
 
I never said YOU had too many switches, just that I wanted a super clean stealth install.

For me too many is when you start to play the controls rather than the instrument.

However, I do have a Hydden side... I keep eyeballing parts at Sparkfun thinking about building a 2 axis headstock accelerometer MIDI controller to modulate effects with. Mostly for wah, but I'm sure I'll come up with something else.

I'll update the build thread after I get a moment to work on it again. We moved last weekend, so everythings in boxes.
 
On some models, I like a few additional switches...keeps folks guessing.  That 1st example had to be a gag.

One guitar I do not like modding is a Les Paul...too classic.

I have always liked the look of Brain May's set up too.

One or two additional switches are cool...like this...
 

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swarfrat said:
I never said YOU had too many switches, just that I wanted a super clean stealth install.
:icon_scratch: I never said you did .... that remark was for cagey & bruno as I know how much they like switches  :laughing7:

Hope they don't fall off there chair when they see that.
Labels on the switches, now thats a classic  :laughing7:

DMRACO said:
On some models, I like a few additional switches...keeps folks guessing.  That 1st example had to be a gag.

One guitar I do not like modding is a Les Paul...too classic.

I have always liked the look of Brain May's set up too.

One or two additional switches are cool...like this...
Yep thats whats how I look at it too  :icon_thumright:
 
I wonder if the Dead Head sticker is any clue to why he needed to label all his knobs & switches? :icon_jokercolor:
 
The labels on the knobs were because at the time NO ONE ELSE had invested in the research, time and cash to make their instruments capable of doing what that bass would.  It not only was it complicated but the effects it employed on-board were just not available to any other band because the Grateful Dead musicians and staff INVENTED them.  Phil Lesh's bass was in such constant modification, and the touring so intense that much of the learning was done on-stage.  For more information about the founding of Alembic and pioneering work of Grateful Dead in sound engineering specifically creating new cords, effects, monitors, monitor mixers, and pa systems please read a short and entertaining book called "Everything I know about business I learned from the Grateful Dead" on newstands now. 
 
I will never ever have more than ONE switch and one push pullpot on my guitar. I used to like it, but now I really don't want to have it anymore. 1's enough. not MORE than enough, its exactly the amount I want it to be ;)
 
Actually if you look at him, the Phil Lesh photo I posted is fairly recent.

And if you search on "Phil Lesh" and "Godfather bass" you can find plenty of pictures of him with that bass back in the day where there weren't any labels.

And lets just say that back in those days Phil wasn't just exactly stone-cold sober all the time.

Which tells you all you need to know about aging. :icon_biggrin:
 
Ddbltrbl said:
I wonder if the Dead Head sticker is any clue to why he needed to label all his knobs & switches? :icon_jokercolor:

....er.... I'm getting the impression you don't know who that guy is.

Back on topic:  For me two switches is one to many.  For Phil Lesh, well as many as he can use!  That's the great thing about custom guitars isn't it?
 
I'll paraphrase Cagey: "I like one volume and one tone and one switch. And I'm not too sure about the tone."

My next build will be one volume and one switch. Crank it to 10 and Rock!
 
Hehe! I was just about to quote Mayfly and say "Two switches is one too many", but you sorta beat me to it.
 
I like it to look SIMPLE with the hood closed, but tinkery with the hood opened.

Gomer said:
6 way rotary chosing Neck, Middle, Bridge p90, Neck + Bridge p90 in series, neck + bridge p90 in parallel, Neck + middle + bridge p90 in series; and a push pull volume pot that adds the rail to any of the combinations.

5226804401_97c108a954_b.jpg
 
My last guitar had two push-push tone knobs for series/parallel switching, but I found I never ended up changing the tone settings, so my next guitar will just have triple shots and no controls. I've never really had any reason to want the volume on anything other than full.
 
drewfx said:
I would say you have too many knobs/switches when you need to put labels on them:

37423.jpg

On a bass?!
Must be an entire head plus a pedalboard inside that thing.
 
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