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Post subject: Volume and tone index marks
Posted: Tue May 06, 2008 7:07 pm
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I would like to use the numbers 1-10 on my strats' volume and tone controls so that I can return to certain settings but alas, there are no index marks on the pickguard or elsewhere to use.

Anyone ever set this up? Any thought on how I can make this work?


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Posted: Tue May 06, 2008 7:38 pm
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I rarely use my tone controls, so the volume is the only one that I "index" ... by using the bridge pickup adjusting screw as the marker.

The number closest to that screw is the setting of my volume.

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Posted: Tue May 06, 2008 8:09 pm
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Hello Stratoholic,

I suppose you could scissor up a tiny
favorite shape and use it as a marking
devise on an appropriate spot on the
pickguard. Hope this helps.

Cheers.


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Posted: Wed May 07, 2008 6:32 am
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Stewart MacDonald's site implies that position indicators are for bell and speed knobs on Gibsons (see http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Knobs/Posit ... ators.html). But I can't see why you couldn't pull the knobs off a Strat and fit these under the mounting nuts of the pots. Then set it to where you like it and refit the knob calibrated to match.

But I don't have position markers on my Gib, so I don't know if there's something I'm overlooking...


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Posted: Wed May 07, 2008 8:46 am
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This got me thinking about how I index. I've been doing it by feel, but looking closely at my strat I just noticed something. Now, what I'm going to say may be just me, my height, the length of my strap, and the fact that I have an after market pickguard, etc. so take it for what it's worth...

I turned up all my knobs to 10 and then looked down at them. This is what I saw: Looking along the left hand side of the volume knob it lines up with the 10 on the first tone knob. Then looking along the right hand side of the first tone knob it lines up with the 10 on the second tone knob.

Interesting.


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Posted: Wed May 07, 2008 8:54 am
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Truth is, if you "drive" your amp from the guitar then you're adjusting the knobs all the time anyway. And you are setting them by the sound of your playing, not numerically. After all, your "perfect" settings are always going to change, day by day, as other things change - the room, your mood, the bass player's angry expression...


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Posted: Wed May 07, 2008 8:56 am
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Ceri wrote:
Stewart MacDonald's site implies that position indicators are for bell and speed knobs on Gibsons (see http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Knobs/Posit ... ators.html). But I can't see why you couldn't pull the knobs off a Strat and fit these under the mounting nuts of the pots. Then set it to where you like it and refit the knob calibrated to match.

But I don't have position markers on my Gib, so I don't know if there's something I'm overlooking...


Those things are usually pretty sharp and lots of guitar players have stuck their fingers with those.

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Posted: Wed May 07, 2008 8:59 am
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orvilleowner wrote:
I rarely use my tone controls, so the volume is the only one that I "index" ... by using the bridge pickup adjusting screw as the marker.

The number closest to that screw is the setting of my volume.


thats the way i know how loud the volume on my guitar is!...

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Posted: Thu May 08, 2008 8:52 am
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orvilleowner wrote:
I rarely use my tone controls, so the volume is the only one that I "index" ... by using the bridge pickup adjusting screw as the marker.

The number closest to that screw is the setting of my volume.


Right - that's what I'm doing now with the volume... what about tone?


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Posted: Thu May 08, 2008 8:55 am
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The Zencaster's knobs don't even have numbers on them... just one small white dot.

My index marks are in my ears. :D


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Posted: Thu May 08, 2008 9:43 am
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Ceri wrote:
Stewart MacDonald's site implies that position indicators are for bell and speed knobs on Gibsons (see http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Knobs/Posit ... ators.html). But I can't see why you couldn't pull the knobs off a Strat and fit these under the mounting nuts of the pots. Then set it to where you like it and refit the knob calibrated to match.

But I don't have position markers on my Gib, so I don't know if there's something I'm overlooking...


I like this idea so I called stew mac on this. They said that the strat knob and the Gibson speed knob are the same diameter and they should work fine.

Thanks all for your feedback and great ideas!


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Posted: Thu May 08, 2008 10:32 am
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What I've done before is line up the settings for the Volume knob with the bottom screw of the bridge pickup. Then, holding it in a normal playing position, I line up the other knobs so either 10's are all aligned.

I'll use the tone quite often, when I play jazz or something I want to take the edge off a bit, but I rarely care about the exact number (I have knurled black metal knobs with no numbers). I just know that I need to roll it up or down half way, a quarter turn - whatever. It's not an exact science to get the same tone, since whatever number it might be practicing might have to change a bit when I play live somewhere and have to change the EQ of my amp a bit.


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Posted: Thu May 08, 2008 10:50 am
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dgonz wrote:
What I've done before is line up the settings for the Volume knob with the bottom screw of the bridge pickup. Then, holding it in a normal playing position, I line up the other knobs so either 10's are all aligned.


This is exactly what I'm currently doing...I just felt the need for more accuracy as often moving a tone knob a very small amount can make a huge difference.


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Posted: Thu May 08, 2008 3:20 pm
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Gotcha.

In that case, what I would do it measure and mark off exactly where I'd want the dots to be (after after having them lined up), drill a 5/16 size shallow hole in the pickguard - just enough to drop a little model paint in there to make your own marker.

You could even get a piece of abalone or some exotic shell and do the same thing.

Or, you could just do a tiny hole, and put a simple, low contrast color that only you can really see.


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Post subject: How about
Posted: Thu May 08, 2008 4:04 pm
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How about using a dry erase marker? That way it won't permantly deface your axe but still be usable and changable.... pretty cool huh?


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