Master volume control, who uses it?

[Mr. Chet]

High, I'm new here. I don't want to start a flame war. I just want to know who finds it useful? I've used four control electrics for most of my playing and I find it (the MV) to be redundent. Is there something useful for it to do?

Also, tonewise, I removed it from the circuit of my M75 and the tone improved. I think instead of a 500K pot you'd need a 5M or more to reduce effect on tone, but that's just me :roll:

I plan on replacing the MV with a doble ganged pot for a coil cut control.

 

[dklsplace]

High, I'm new here. I don't want to start a flame war...

No such thing here...but we don't count Darryl & Coastie :wink:

I've never owned a guitar with a master volume, so don't really have any useful input.

 

[coastie99]

What IS a flame war, please ?

 

[Guildmark]

Well, in the old days it had something to do with flatulence around a campfire. On other forums it has something to do with disrespectful posts, but we don't get any of those here at LTG.

Ahh, nostalgia. Camping has always been a gas.

 

[coastie99]

On other forums it has something to do with disrespectful posts, but we don't get any of those here at LTG.

.

Oh yeah??

Darryl's been VERY unkind to me !

Quite a few times !

 

[The Guilds of Grot]

Stepping back from the flames a minute and returning to the original question...

I believe the best purpose of the master volume is to control your overall volume if you have the individual volumes set at different levels to blend the sound of the pick-ups.

Once you've found a happy balance between the neck and bridge pick-ups if you need to change the overall volume of the guitar and can't reach your amp, just adjust the master!

Of couse with most Guilds I've played, the volume pots only really seem to work well cranked up all the way anyhow, so it makes it a moot point but still it gives you that option.

 

[Mr. Chet]

Of couse with most Guilds I've played, the volume pots only really seem to work well cranked up all the way anyhow, so it makes it a moot point but still it gives you that option.

That's what makes me wonder if upping the value of the MV pot would be beneficial. It would reduce loadng on the p/pups, I think.

Anyone have experience w/ this? I estimate a 5Meg or higher value could improve overall one. Treble bypass caps help? If yes, what value? Anyone?

Maye this thread should have been posted in the Tech section. If so, apology offered.

 

[Walter Broes]

I've had two Gretsches with a master volume, and the only thing I found handy about them was that you can turn down the volume between songs (so the guitar doesn't start feeding back) on stage regardless of the pickup selection.
Otherwise, it's yet another control that indeed eats treble, and can get scratchy or die. I don't need it.

 

[northbayj]

I find the MV pretty handy. Like Walter, I was a Gretsch guy and just kind of got used to relying on it. Where it's really useful is when you've got both pickups going. I like to have the neck p.u. on around 8 and the bridge around 6 or 7. You get the big rich bass of the full-on neck setting, but with some added top-end snap. Once that's dialed in, you just use the MV to boost your signal as needed. So if someone's keeping score, put me down as MV positive.

 

[Darryl Hattenhauer]

Coastie,

In the words of the immortal Clarence Frogman Henry, "You always hurt the one you love."

Anyway, I thought a flame war was something like Richard Simmons bitch-slapping Michael Jackson.

 

[john_kidder]

Darryl:

"Good to hear from you", I said in another thread. Now I remember how much we need a counterfoil for Coastie.

 

[billydlight]

I have wired my favorite CE so the switch output goes right to the jack. No volume or tones at all. I love it. I never used them anyway. It's all in the hands: Want to be loud play harder; softer, play gently

 

[doc]

Sweating from the heat of this thread........I have two guilds with the MV, The X-175 and T-400. I find it useful when I am on both pups and want to change the volume quickly and keep the volume relationship the same. When you are on a single pup, its just duplication. When you only use one pup at a time, even the individual volume control is not needed and then you go back to a MV for both, my custom electric is setup with only one volume control for both pups. If you find it a pain then rewire it out and enjoy your new custom guitar. 8)

 

[slidincharlie]

I have two guilds with the MV, The X-175 and T-400. I find it useful when I am on both pups and want to change the volume quickly and keep the volume relationship the same.

To me this is really what a MV is all about... and I love to have this possibility!
Anyway I have wired my Epiphone Riviera (335-style) with one MV and two tones: I hate to deal with two volumes when I have both pup's engaged. Of course the other volume pot rests useless in its place...

--Carlo

 

[proffrog]

The MV on my Starfire V is really useful for a quick turn up on lead parts - I tend to adjust the other pots all the time I'm playing, but leave the MV just rolled off until it's my turn to do the lead thing. I miss it when I play the old X175...