It is currently Mon Mar 16, 2020 2:35 pm

All times are UTC - 7 hours



Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 4 posts ] 
Author Message
Post subject: Jaguar HH Blacktop tone Pot inactive
Posted: Sun Nov 11, 2012 9:29 am
Offline
Amateur
Amateur

Joined: Sat Jun 16, 2012 4:32 pm
Posts: 109
My MIM Jaguar HH Blacktop tone Pot doesn't seem to function. At "zero" it seems to cut the volume by about 25%, then anything above 1 all the way up to 10 volume is normal but no difference in tone (bright or darker).

Any ideas? I'll be taking it in for a set-up soon so I can ask the tech, but I don't want to sound like a complainer or worse....if this is the way it is supposed to be.

_________________
Aerodyne Strat, Jaguar Blacktop H/H, '65 Band Master, Champion "600" RI, Music Man 112 RD
If it doesn't have a power tube in the circuit...I'm not that interested


Top
Profile
Fender Play Winter Sale 2020
Post subject: Re: Jaguar HH Blacktop tone Pot inactive
Posted: Sun Nov 25, 2012 5:21 pm
Offline
Amateur
Amateur

Joined: Sat Jun 16, 2012 4:32 pm
Posts: 109
Back from the shop...and the diagnosis is the potentiometer is fine but the stock capacitor may not suitable to give noticable Tone change. The stock cap is a 22 mF. The suggestion was to take it upwards to 33 mF. The larger capacitor is needed to give a wider "sweep" with the humbuckers, the 22mF being more suitable for single-coils.

Does that make sense?

Thanks

_________________
Aerodyne Strat, Jaguar Blacktop H/H, '65 Band Master, Champion "600" RI, Music Man 112 RD
If it doesn't have a power tube in the circuit...I'm not that interested


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Jaguar HH Blacktop tone Pot inactive
Posted: Thu Nov 29, 2012 9:10 pm
Offline
Roadie
Roadie
User avatar

Joined: Mon Aug 20, 2012 2:27 pm
Posts: 269
Funny you ask because I just replaced the potentiometers in my Blacktop Jaguar today.

If you search on Google you'll find lots of people complaining that the pots do nothing from 10 to 2 and then abruptly cut out between 2 and 0. The pots are what's known as linear, as in the resistance varies in direct proportion to how far you turn the knob.

What I did with mine was I replaced them with CTS 500K audio taper pots from Stewmac. Audio taper means that the resistance will vary in a way that's more close to human hearing, which is logarithmic and not linear.

The guitar is night and day better now. The volume is like before at 10, but around 6-7 it smooths out some of that aggressive mid character, perfect for clean tones. Both knobs are effective through their entire travel.

I like a big cap and I put an Acme Guitar Works Orange Drop 0.047 µF in mine. They're nice because they are lower voltage than typical Orange Drops and physically smaller so you can better find space for them. I made this change some months ago but was still not happy with the tone knob until today.

These pickups are so sweet now. Nothing wrong with this Jaguar at all, and a few days ago I was thinking of selling it.

edit: I also replaced the toggle switch and output jack with Switchcraft versions. Not because of tone concerns but for reliability. The output jack is accessible when you do the pots. The toggle switch is a little more effort to get to, but worth doing because it needs to be grounded and in my guitar they forgot to do that or just didn't bother. I also grounded my pots although they say that's unnecessary since they are already grounded through the control plate.


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Jaguar HH Blacktop tone Pot inactive
Posted: Sat Dec 01, 2012 8:34 am
Offline
Amateur
Amateur

Joined: Sat Jun 16, 2012 4:32 pm
Posts: 109
Thanks for the detailed post. You hit all of the issues I have had. I am glad there is a good fix.

_________________
Aerodyne Strat, Jaguar Blacktop H/H, '65 Band Master, Champion "600" RI, Music Man 112 RD
If it doesn't have a power tube in the circuit...I'm not that interested


Top
Profile
Display posts from previous:  Sort by  
Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 4 posts ] 

All times are UTC - 7 hours

Fender Play Winter Sale 2020

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 1 guest


You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum

Search for:
Jump to: