jwcustomguitars

Custom built guitars, parts and repairs

Control Ideas

Some thoughts on control layout and design:

Many things affect the way a guitar plays, and the way it feels to you, the player, not the least of which is what controls you have and where they are on the guitar. I've put some examples here as food for thought.

Below is one of my newest layouts based on my experience for my style when playing this type of guitar. (1)is the electric master volume, patterned after vintage Gretsch guitars I played for years. It's very accessible while you are playing, but doesn't get in the way. (2)this is a 6 position tone cap selector switch, (similar to Gibson or Gretsch models from about the 1960's) I chose to put it in this location because it can't be accidentally switched while playing as it has solid detentes for each position, and it protects (3) the electric pickup selector from being accidentally switched. (4) is the electric tone control which works like any passive tone control except that it is a slave to the tone cap selector switch which determines the range the tone control has. (one thing unusual is that with the selector switch in the first position the "tone cap" is actually a Black Ice on board overdrive which is made more or less aggressive with the tone control) (5) is the electric / acoustic selector, combiner. It allows you to select just acoustic (all the way back) acoustic and electric (in the middle) and electric only (all the way forward). (6)Acoustic volume control. (7) Graph tech saddle with Fishman matrix acoustic pickup beneath it. (8)Carvin C-22-B 22 pole bridge position humbucking pickup. (9) Carvin C-22-J 22 pole neck position humbucking pickup. (10)electric guitar out put jack (you can't see the actual jack in the photo) (11)Acoustic guitar output jack (you can't see the actual jack in the photo) This is a new layout and seems to be really convenient. One advantage to custom building things is getting to do things like this just the way YOU want it! Another detail here is the indicator lines on the control knobs. They are just standard solid brass, black, mini, dome knobs. I filed a groove to expose the brass so the position of the control is readily obvious. (Even the standard size abalone capped master volume has one but it isn't very visible in the photo.)

Below is a recent guitar laid out to the owners specs. (1) electric master volume control (2) Electric master tone control (this one has a .022mf tone cap with 500k pots for both tone and volume.) (3) Acoustic volume (4) Electric pickup selector switch (5) acoustic / electric selector , combiner switch (forward position electric only, middle position acoustic and electric, rear position acoustic only),. There are also 2 output jacks, positioned as shown above, one for acoustic output one for electric.

This one is modeled roughly after a tele as to order and location. The three control knobs are arranged to follow the body which a Tele doesn't do, and the Tele only has two knobs where this one has three because of the acoustic half. (1) electric pickup selector switch, (2) electric master volume, (3) electric master tone, (4) acoustic / electric selector, combiner (forward position electric only, middle position acoustic and electric, rear position acoustic only), (5) acoustic master volume, (6) graphtech saddle with LR Baggs Element acoustic pickup under it, (7) Seymour Duncan STK-T3 stacked dual coil pickup (tele style), (8) Carvin C22-J neck position pickup. This arrangement works out well in most cases. This one has a Bigsby as you can see and it covers the acoustic / electric combiner, selector. You can still operate it even with the arm as it's shown but you can't see it well. Also players with really active long stroke right hand will find themselves hitting the pickup selector by mistake. There are also 2 output jacks, positioned as shown above, one for acoustic output one for electric.

This one is interesting. The guitar is very "Gretsch-esque" has TV Jones vintage pickups typical Gretsch style master volume, It also has separate volume and tone controls for each pickup more like a Gibson layout. The really unusual thing is the "Black Ice" on board passive overdrive. It is only connected to the Bridge pickup. The black ice control does not disconnect the normal tone control for that pickup but merely can add in a little bite if so desired, and will be there anytime the bridge pickup is on. If you don't want it at all just rotate the control to off or add any amount as desired by rotating it forward. This black ice is wired for one of the milder settings, just enough add some bite, or in a way "de Gretsch" it a bit if needed. Also the tone caps are not the same on each pickup. The bridge has more treble potential than the neck.

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