Strat Tone Controls

[JimTidmarsh]

I have always set my Strat neck p/u tone control about 2 or3 and the the middle p/u tone control about 6/7, but have become disenchanted with these settings recently since the neck p/u now sounds 'muddy' to my ears. I use a similar setting on my Burns Legend and the sound remains clear and typlically 'Burnsy'(!).

What do other people do??

Also, I have never used the push/pull pot on my Legend, does anyone else??

[noelford]

I hardly ever have my tone controls below max on the guitars. I user the push-pull most of the time on my Apache, as I really like the tone from bridge and neck PUs for melodic instrumentals.

[roger bayliss]

Tone controls are generally wide open at 10 sometimes I roll back a bit depending on tune and accoustics

[ecca]

I inadvertently put a log pot in the middle tone control instead of a linear and the best thing I've done.
Great wah wah effect playing a la Jeff Beck with very little movement of the knob. (6 inch thumb stretch required )

[Bill Bowley]

Neck on 7/8 and middle on 9 for both Strats and Burns Marvin alike is what I've always used - not saying that is the best way, just what suits me.

[cockroach]

Ehh?

Do you all use the same settings all the time?! Surely not? Or have I misunderstood?

I usually set the amp up with some appropriate clean channel tones, a reasonable amount of treble, bass and middle, and effects if required, echo, reverb etc then give the amp plenty of volume, and then control everything else from the guitar volume and tone controls and the pickup selector- these settings then not only vary from tune to tune but may also change during the tune (e.g. going from rhythm to a solo and back to rhythm again)

I've always found the tone and volume controls on Fenders and Fender type single coil guitars to be very versatile and usable for all styles, whether for live work, studio stuff etc.

(For instance, should I want to change sounds for different styles very quickly on the Squier Tele, the front pickup with tone rolled nearly off (nearly full bass) and a highish guitar volume setting gives me a great jazz sound, then back the guitar volume right off with both pickups on and full treble on the guitar tone control gives a very good almost acoustic sounding Bruce rhythm sound, then onto the back pickup with about two thirds volume and the tone control backed off a little from full treble, and it's great for Buck Owens or Luther Perkins. Similar quick tweaks on my Strat copy work just as well to give a wide tone and volume range for virtually all styles)

[noelford]

I've always, most of the time, set all guitar controls to max and controlled tone from the amp or preamp. The only real exception is with my Barney Kessel, where I roll the tone off the neck pickup for a nice jazz tone.

[Bill Bowley]

Ehh?

Do you all use the same settings all the time?! Surely not? Or have I misunderstood?

I usually set the amp up with some appropriate clean channel tones, a reasonable amount of treble, bass and middle, and effects if required, echo, reverb etc then give the amp plenty of volume, and then control everything else from the guitar volume and tone controls and the pickup selector- these settings then not only vary from tune to tune but may also change during the tune (e.g. going from rhythm to a solo and back to rhythm again)

I've always found the tone and volume controls on Fenders and Fender type single coil guitars to be very versatile and usable for all styles, whether for live work, studio stuff etc.

(For instance, should I want to change sounds for different styles very quickly on the Squier Tele, the front pickup with tone rolled nearly off (nearly full bass) and a highish guitar volume setting gives me a great jazz sound, then back the guitar volume right off with both pickups on and full treble on the guitar tone control gives a very good almost acoustic sounding Bruce rhythm sound, then onto the back pickup with about two thirds volume and the tone control backed off a little from full treble, and it's great for Buck Owens or Luther Perkins. Similar quick tweaks on my Strat copy work just as well to give a wide tone and volume range for virtually all styles)

'Roach,

Just as I said. I use the different pickups to vary the tone in conjunction with pedals and other effects, even leave the amp set up the same only changing volume as necessary, mostly by volume pedal. A flick of the pickup selector will give me an instant tone change that is as I expect it to be, and these days with 'amp modelling' etc even the tone gets automatically reset for you for the sound you want at that precise time. You would also be aware that the early Stratocaster (and the original Marvin for that matter) had no tone control at all on the bridge pickup, and the other two in my opinion were a 'set and forget' affair anyway.

Each to their own though, what suits you is right for you in the end methinks.

[John Boyd]

I'm pretty much like Noel and Roger on this one. Everything up to the max and do any fine tuning at the amp.
It's often been said that there's more 'a--e than class' in my playing, but what more can one expect from a former three chord wonder
who just enjoys trying to play some of those great Shadows melodies along with other great instrumentals that I can remember.
Rough and ready guitar - that's what I play and enjoy.

[JimTidmarsh]

Thanks for all your comments, chaps.

I'll go away and do some experimenting now - obviously nearly everyone does things different to me!!