No Tone Pot?

[PumpinIron]

I purchased this Warmoth VIP body for my build.

The issue is that it only has room for 2 pots and a three-way selector switch.

My problem is that I would strongly prefer to have a volume pot for each pickup, as I always use the volume, but hardly ever use the tone.

I have however heard that without a tone pot, it will give a lot more high end that it would if there was a tone pot in there, even if it was set to 10.

So how would you guys go about handling this?

Also, is there anyone on this forum who would be willing to build me a custom wiring harness is I paid them?

 

[Verne Bunsen]

You will end up with more high frequencies retained, similar to if you changed your volume pot from a 250k to a 500k. I wouldn’t consider it a deal breaker by any stretch though. “No Load” tone controls that actually break the circuit when up full are not at all uncommon and have the same effect. I say wire it per your whims, turn the treble knob on your amp down a hair, and enjoy! If you find you don’t like it you can always fall back to a Master Volume/Master Tone configuration.

 

[TBurst Std]

Or just wire a correct range cap in that aligns with whatever tone pot you would have used on 10. 

Or drill another hole

Or use a concentric pot on one of those pot holes.

 

[Cagey]

Or, don't worry about it. I recently built a Tele with a bypass switch that pulled the volume and tone controls both out of the circuit and ran the pickup(s) directly to the output. There's an audible difference, but it's a million miles from "dramatic". "Subtle" is a better word to describe the effect.

 

[Rick]

Id use a concentric pot with a center tone and outside volume

 

[TonyFlyingSquirrel]

I don't use Tone Pots at all.
The only reason I have one on the Bari-Tele is because there was a hole for it in the Tele Control Plate.
Since I have it loaded with EMG Ceramic Tele Set, I may replace the tone pot for and EXG or SPC.

 

[PumpinIron]

I'm a bit confused as to how the concentric pots work, for instance, this one:
http://www.warmoth.com/Concentric-Pot-500k-By-CTS-P720.aspx

I assume it's push / pull, and in one position it would be the neck pickup volume, and in another position it would be the bridge pickup volume.

Okay, that makes sense I suppose, but then how does that work? It has some sort of internal memory or something that remembers where you set the other pickups volume position?

Obviously I'm missing something, as there is no way it has "internal memory".

 

[TBurst Std]

Not push pull.  Concentric pots have 2 shafts in one.  Outer and Inner.  Look up concentric pot knobs and that will give you a good visual

 

[PumpinIron]

Ahhh, that picture explained it all. Now I totally get it.

In that case, maybe I'll go that route. That would allow me to have two volumes in one pot location. Man...  I didn't even know these things existed.

So here's the next question... Any idea which concentric pot I need for the VIP body? since it's rear routed, I've had problems with some pots in the past, as the threaded portion of the pot wasn't long enough to actually go through all the way through the top layer of the body.

 

[TBurst Std]

Long shaft

Also consider using 2.  That way you could have a tone and Vol for each pup ala a LP, like you mentioned desired. 

 

[PumpinIron]

I don't believe they make a long shaft concentric pot... at least I can't seem to find one?

 

[Cagey]

I just checked with Digikey, and out of over 6,600 different pot designs, not a one was dual-concentric with a long mounting bushing. Actually, dual-concentrics are pretty thin on the ground even with standard mounts.

So, maybe back to the drawing board, unless you want to thin your top a bit. Forstner bits cut clean, flat bottom holes.

One of those in 1" or slightly larger and a drill press would let you thin the top enough to mount the standard offering.

 

[PumpinIron]

I spoke with Spike at Warmoth. He told me that the CTS concentric pots will fit in the tone position of the PRS style controls on my VIP body, but they won't fit in the volume position unless some material is removed from the backside.

It looks like that drill bit you referenced Cagey is exactly what I would need to get the job done. I wonder how thin the back would end up being.

 

[Cagey]

Well, the typical pot's threaded mounting bushing is about 3/8" tall, and looking at a rear-routed body I have here it looks like there's about 3/16" - 1/4" of wood left, so I don't think you'd want to get it any thinner than 1/8". Plus, while Forstner bits cut flat-bottomed holes, the outside edge cuts just slightly deeper, so you can't really go by how much wood is left in the hole, you have to know it's gonna be very slightly thinner at the edges.

There's really not much, if any stress on those points, and it is a hardwood we're talking about. But, still. I'd cut a bit, see if the pot exposes enough thread to put a nut on it, and as soon as it does, quit cutting.

 

[PumpinIron]

That's what I'll end up doing. Drilling in very small increments and continuing to see if the threaded portion of the pot has enough thread for the nut to hold on.

I found some really cool concentric pot knobs that should look good on it:
https://www.kitharadesign.com/listing/545134810/birdseye-maple-concentric-stacked-pot

 

[Cagey]

Those look nice.

 

[rgand]

I agree. Those would be a nice addition to the top of the guitar.

 

[PumpinIron]

With the dark color of that Zebrawood, I had thought about ebony knobs, but I think they'll get lost in the mix. The maple is bright enough that they will contrast, and it should match decently with the cream colored humbucker trim rings.

The neck is a Warmoth shape in solid Wenge with a matching ivoroid binding, matching headstock veneer, and no inlays.

I'm feeling very "woodsy" with this one!

 

[PumpinIron]

Does anyone here want to build a wiring harness for me if I pay them?

The setup would be as follows:

• 2 Lindy Fralin "Unbuckers"
• Concentric Volume Pot
• Concentric Tone Pot
• 3-Way Switch
• 2 Mini Toggles (for Coil Splitting each pickup)

I know how to solder, but I can't seem to find a wiring diagram for this setup for the life of me.

 

[Cagey]

Does anyone here want to build a wiring harness for me if I pay them?

I'd be happy to.