Alternate use for my Precision S1 switch?

[dannybuoy]

I am about to replace the pickup in my MIA Precision which has the S1 switch. I've heard this can be tricky if the new pickup only has 2 wires coming from it, along with recommendations to swap it out for a regular pot. Since I don't like the sound of the S1 anyway, I had an idea.

Could I switch em around and rewire everything so that the tone pot becomes the volume pot, then I can use the pot with built in S1 switch for something different (e.g. switching between 2 different caps) on the tone circuit?

Are volume and tone pots both audio taper? They would need to be to avoid me having to buy a new pot. Any other ideas for a use of the switch, maybe an alternate passive tone shaper like the Varitone?

[Scott01]

Why not a kill/mute switch?

[dannybuoy]

Considered that, but I'd like something a bit more exciting!

I will desolder the pot this weekend and try to figure out how the switch works...

[dannybuoy]

Looks like the switch is just a simple DPDT mounted to the pot. These are my ideas...

- Have switchable caps for altering the tone control

- Make it a vol/tone bypass switch that will hook the pickup straight to the jack

- Make it switch in an extra 250K resistor to emulate the brighter sound of using a 500K volume pot. Would this work?!

[kraigo]

I liked the controls bypass idea the best. Turn your volume down all the way and it becomes a mute switch. Or bypassed could be the "boost" with a lowered volume pot for "normal".

KO

[anubis16]

Try having a hi-pass filter. I did this on my jazz bass.

If you connect a capacitor (.oo47uf is a good value) between the hot pickup lead and the volume control, it will create a hi-pass filter that cuts about 150 Hertz and below. If you then boost the volume to match the original volume before you cut those frequencies, it will make your bass sound brighter and still leave enough low end.

I've never heard of anyone else doing this, but I did it on my jazz bass and it works great. Just use the S-1 to connect/disconnect this capacitor.

[dannybuoy]

Just wired it all up tonight with a Fender Original '62 Reissue pickup, using the S1 switch as a volume/tone bypass. Sounds great, when it's pressed in the pickup goes directly to the output jack instead of the volume/tone pots, which makes it sound much clearer and brighter. I find this sound far more useful than the S1 switching and recommend other people to give it a go! I can post a wiring diagram if anybody needs one.

[panzerjp]

Originally Posted by dannybuoy

Just wired it all up tonight with a Fender Original '62 Reissue pickup, using the S1 switch as a volume/tone bypass. Sounds great, when it's pressed in the pickup goes directly to the output jack instead of the volume/tone pots, which makes it sound much clearer and brighter. I find this sound far more useful than the S1 switching and recommend other people to give it a go! I can post a wiring diagram if anybody needs one.

It would be great to take a look at that Diagram!!!!!

[donut]

Put some flashing Christmas lights on your headstock and control them with it.

[panzerjp]

Originally Posted by donut

Put some flashing Christmas lights on your headstock and control them with it.

Irrelevant commentary.......