Try This Before Buying New Pickups | Cheap & Easy Mod
Вставка
- Опубліковано 12 вер 2023
- I was amazed at how well this mod works to re-voice your guitar pickups, definitely worth trying before buying some new ones. Best of all, the parts used in this mod cost less than $1....thrifty :)
Unit and Schematic available here
mcphersonmusic.site/product-c...
☕️ Buy Me A Coffee: mcphersonmusic.site/product/b...
Socials
Instagram : / waylon.mcpherson.guitar
Facebook : / waylon.mcpherson
My Originals Project Whiskey Soho
Insragram : / whiskey.soho
Facebook : / whiskeysoho
Spotify : open.spotify.com/artist/2aKUF...
My Day Job "McPherson Stompboxes NZ"
Facebook : / mcpherson.stompboxes
Website :mcphersonmusic.site/
This is such a great mod + it's super cheap #thrifty :)
The Green Gizmo™ build video is now live ua-cam.com/video/zWRD5PawPw0/v-deo.html plus the schematic and pedal are here mcphersonmusic.site/product-category/pickups/the-green-gizmo%ef%b8%8f/
Starting with a great pickup and fine tuning to what you like in your guitar. I've been saying that for years. Make what you already have sound better is a good option if you are on a budget. BTW Great video with lots of great information.
Do you have any plans to make and sell a version of that pedal? I would certainly be a buyer.
@@rickpilcher6576 yes - ua-cam.com/video/zWRD5PawPw0/v-deo.html
I’m new to pedal building but I’ve decided I want this to be the first pedal I build
@@Earthwormjimm I just received my built one. Great useful pedal. Unsolicited tip - move the switch further away from the knob, its fiddly where it is. Also use a big switch .
I see this "Gizmo" being a useful pedal for luthier shops to have, letting customers dial in the sound they want before you install the mod for them
Also literally every guitar player who records, but doesn't have a lot of equipment. Instant way to sound like you have several different guitars that inhabit different parts of the mix.
@@KarstenJohansson I completely agree with that too
@@KarstenJohansson ua-cam.com/video/zWRD5PawPw0/v-deo.html
im making the pedal to put in my pedal board
@@WaylonMcPhersonGuitar Thanks! This'll be a fun project for the weekend. I think I might end up using it as a more permanent fixture, too.
Have you unintentionally just invented a new pedal that strat players would be interested in?
Indeed
It’d be easer.
I think guitar techs would be more interested in your “Gizmo”
We need that pedal and we need it now! 😮
Did you build the switchable capacitor box or are they available?
With 58 years of playing experience, I rarely seen something on UA-cam that's new to me, but you changed that with your clever.and useful info.
Wow you've been playing 58 years & didn't know this? Been playing 50 years and have known this forever.
42 years experience me
In my guitars I actually always swap out one of the knobs for a 6-way switch with different cap values used with the tone knob. I did this to shift the peak frequency. It's also a great mod for making a guitar over-the-top dark for thicc doom sounds.
Great idea!! I was imagining either an extra switch on the guitar just for the capacitors, or Waylon's "gizmo" having a home on the pedalboard. I know next to nothing about guitar electronics...do you see any advantage of replacing the regular tone knob like you do, vs keeping it in, and maintaining the ability to simply roll off high frequencies when you want (plus the resonant peak control)?
A Varitone switch. I don't know why this didn't catch on.
great mod! a buddy in the 1980s got a $40 unbranded japanese burst LP copy from a yardsale, it had the 6-click rotary knob. he drew a little diagram with the cap values and wired it up in abit over an hour. it sounded great.
@@jeke4977 Exactly 👍
Capacitors in parallel wil just drive high frequencies to the ground. It's a filter. But it's a good idea having different types of filter in a stompbox.
Been playing and building guitars nearly 40 years and building valve amps a long time - Its not often I learn something new, Thanks! :D
I'm stoked it was helpful, cheers!
It's a great idea, looks a bit like the Vari-Tone which Gibson used to fit in some models of 335 and little like the "Bill Lawrence/Jerry Donahue" mode for Telecasters. I'll certainly be trying it out. Thanks !!
I think a spectrum analyzer would do this video a lot of justice, but it is definitely nice that you can really hear the difference.
So is it kind of the opposite of compression? Or a sweet spot box lol can u invent some tuners that don't go out of tune too quick for my SG? I'd be most impressed with that! I'd get locking tuners but every bit of it is original even the pearl Gibson tuning pegs. I'll put pics of it on my page it's red heritage cherry 🍒 red but u can see the mahogany grain through it, best axe I've ever bought by a way. I just put new Elixir strings on it so maybe that's got something to do with it, wierd tho cos when I tune it it's sharp not flat ffs n its kept in its flight case when I'm not using it as there's no scratches or dings etc
This is probably the most helpful and approachable "mod" video I've ever seen on YT. A handful of ceramic capacitors (still cheap nowadays) can make a huge difference in letting anyone create their "personal tone." (I bought a decade box specifically for messing around with tone. 👍)
I know a pro blues guy, who always gets the hottest singles he can find. Some of his fans think this is for volume, to overdrive the preamp and get his distinctive growl (he despises stompboxes other than a very occasional wah). It's actually to crowd the mids and get away from the "icepick" tone of singles.
On the other hand, whenever someone says their humbuckers sound "muddy" or "muffled," I tell them to back 'em down a few turns, to un-crowd the mids. And if they get new PUs, to go cooler NOT hotter.
Old timer here haha, and im not the only one but I've been modding caps and pickups since the early 70's but what I'm realy impressed with is your new pedal! I truly hope you have amazing success with it if you decide to design and develop it more and market it.
Done : ) ua-cam.com/video/zWRD5PawPw0/v-deo.html
I am building a superstrat with that revoicer pedal incorporated in the pickguard utilizing a 6 position rotary switch instead of one of the tones. Basically the wiring goes from the switch output to the rotary switch with 5 condensers (one position will be bypass) then to the tone pot which will act over the selected condenser. Doing the math it will end up having 5*5+5= 30 different tones before the pot modulation. Preatty neat having that revoicer pedal incorporated!
Very cool setup!
Now your catching up with BB King.
@@theofficialdiamondlou2418was gonna say! Now all that's missing is an inductor...
Wow!! Great bit of information. I have many squire strats and teles.
Gonna try this
Just a really good idea. The change in the bridge pick-up was profound and obviously useful. I will be doing this as soon as I can get hold of some caps. Thanks a lot.
Thank you for such a powerful idea. Bought a bunch of 560nF silver caps, since the bridge value was addressing a different issue also. Already tried it on a set of AlNiCo-5 Strat pickups. It let just the right amount of air out their tires.
On a spare P-Bass that had questionable pickups, I added one in parallel and a 0.5H ferrite core inductor (in my parts bin for 25 years) in series. It's much more sober and focused now. I didn't know how I was going to get it to sound right but now suddenly it does. Such a cool trick.
Your welcome , stoked you like it :)
Utterly magnificent video! So clear and concise. I echo the thought that all Luthier mod shops should have your gizmo for customers to try sounds before committing to a mod. More videos please👍👍👍
Been doing this and the Volume pot Frequency range bypass mods on guitars since the 90'S great to see others using some RLC bridge ideas to improve their axes. I use an ancient Capacitor decade box its a little ripper
That external varitone box is a really cool idea, although it will sound slightly different on the output of the guitar when compared to putting them directly in parallel with the pickup.
When the caps are directly in parallel they form a resonant LC tank with the pickup's inductance. This resonance will be ever so slightly damped by the cap being after the volume and tone controls. Still, it's a good way to get an idea of the response.
This is only a difference if the volume control is rolled down. If it's all the way up, the cap in the box is also directly in parallel with the pickup along with the tone control (which is also a cap in parallel with the pickup, but with a pot in between) and the volume pot's total resistance value.
The main difference between putting it inside the guitar vs out is that the cables also have parallel capacitance and would contribute to the resonant frequency of the peak.
So, you would really also want to make sure you either measure the capacitance of the cable or use the same type and length of cable if you wanted to be able to exactly repeat it. This is kind of a variable capacitance cable, in effect.
The Source Audio Zio pedal, incidentally, has a tone switch that does this with 3 cap values to choose from and then the rest of the pedal curcuitry comes after so you can dial in a consistent buffered or boosted output
Adding LOT of cable can do similar things, but excellent advice dude
Thanks!!n I found a 3.3nf capacitor at home and put it on my guitar, the bridge humbucker was ultra sharp, with this mod it sounds lovely. You are a Hero!
Really enjoyed watching and hearing you play! The presentation was well produced, presented and highly engaging. Well done! I hope this channel gets the exposure it deserves.
Thank you very much!
I can't believe I never thought of putting the capacitors in a pedal. I've been doing this by using alligator clips and it's always such a hassle. It's so obvious in hindsight.
Have you noticed that turning down the volume pot just a teeny bit loads the pickup to give it a better sound ? I'm assuming the pickup "wants" to see its DC resistance, before going to hot. The treble stays about the same, but as you turn it softly down you can really hear the bass bloom. After that of course the treble rolls off. I play w lots of distortion which really brings the effect out. But it's there clean too.
Gibson did this in the 60's with the Varitone on the 345 and 355
I have been doing this since the mid '80s. Just chanced upon it and pretty much have done this with all my guitars. So pleased to see you have a superb device like you displayed. Super cool indeed.
Thanks!
Seriously solid advice and info! Reminds me of the great Yamaha Soundbook I used as A Bose vendor.
Thank you! This could easily be a MasterClass!
Glad it was helpful, cheers!
I just bought a used Squier Bullet Strat from a pawn shop on evilbay a month ago. I replaced the pickups, the pickguard, and the machine heads. All the stuff that I didn't want any way. The pickguard and pickups, controls, and wire I replaced completely with better components. At least the wire and the capacitor are USA made. Everything else was made in China but it works for me and I love it! I like hotrodding my own guitars when it's something cheap like this and doesn't cost me any money really. And it doesn't matter because I'm not destroying or modifying any of my expensive guitars irreversibly.
I would love to put the caps on push pull pots to be able to turn them on and off for even more tone options. I used to do all kinds of mods but I hadn't thought of simply putting the cap in parallel, Ill be playing with this one for sure. Thanks so much
I like the adjustable capacitance box (revoicer) that you have ... better than having just one fixed value.
How is there not 1000 videos on this?! Im obsessed! bought 100 different caps to experiment with...Thank you for this!!
That right there is the fun part for me, the experimentation part! cheers!
@@WaylonMcPhersonGuitar This may be the dumbest question youve ever heard but please bare with me...Is there any cap or "device" or anything you can wire in series like these caps tame the harsh end, that does the oposite? something that makes a muddy pickup brighter without touching the tone knob? sorry if thats stupid, im new to the electronics part of a guitar. Thanks!
I believe the electronics in Alembic basses work on a similar principle of shifting the resonant peak.
Yup. It was called a Q switch or VQ potentiometer in the Series II electronics. I would say It's hard for most of us to get any of these.
Great job, the difference in tone was instant, surprisingly good and subtle yet obvious. Thankyou for sharing your knowledge 😊
Glad you enjoyed it!
Despite of Your Dog Shiz crayon drawing medium… 😆…this Video shows one and the best description, Visual and explanation of the sound of the hertz of pick ups. I’m a simple man, and a Bass Playing man. So Yeah…
And! I STILL can hear the difference and the concept…. Much Respect from Canada… 😊
Thank you much, don’t change.,and more pls… 🇨🇦❤
haha, thanks so much :)
The difference is dramatic, it actually sounds really good after the mod… And the little green box would actually be a killer tool to have if you’re playing multiple Strats and/or Teles in a live set up situation with different pickups on them! Great video!
Thanks! If you want to build one I've posted a video here
ua-cam.com/video/zWRD5PawPw0/v-deo.html
That’s great, thanks!
Great!
I rewired my tone control on my MiM Strat as the bridge was too bright; this would have been a better option.
I wonder whether this is the same effect that players used to get in a more primitive way back in the day by using long or curly cables? The effect on the bridge pickup was particularly striking.
Yes. Hendrix used it to tame highs
Nice one! Very cool mod 👍
Judging from the vowels and ‘heaps’ I’d guess you’re a Kiwi 🥝
I am one too but I’ve lived abroad for more than half my life. Always cool to hear the accent though!
I’ve subbed and am looking forward to watching more of your vids 😊👍
Note that the input impedance and capacitance of the amp also play into this, so your mod is specific to a particular signal chain, even including the cable, to some degree.
Good to hear someone explaining, without snark or exaggeration, that beyond super cheap cost compromised models, pickup choices are pretty irrelevant.
Loved the gizmo! Subscribed!
ua-cam.com/video/zWRD5PawPw0/v-deo.html
Just discovered your channel. This is the info I've been looking for. I subscribed!
Awesome!
I need to play with one of those boxes for a few minutes.! Thanks
This is the most fascinating thing I've seen in a while on guitar YT, such a simple and clear mod. And, yeah - I think now guitar player just want that pedal of yours.
Done - ua-cam.com/video/zWRD5PawPw0/v-deo.html
And now they can build it or buy it! ua-cam.com/video/zWRD5PawPw0/v-deo.html
If push/pull pots exist with a triple pole switch it would be cool to switch the caps in and out. If not, each of the 3 existing pots could be swapped out for push/pull switched controls. Just a thought
Excellent video! Thanks for this. As another thought, possibly also mentioned in comments already. You could install a notched pot or 3 way micro switch (ON/ON/ON) or a push pull pot to activate different capacitance in built… thus creating a wild variety of tweaking….
The BB King model Gibsons have a similar sort of rotary knob for various caps too. I'm surprised it never caught on more it such an easy way to change the sound of any guitar. Cheers.
@@Peterbrendanalbert Yes, it has about 5-6 different positions on it, I believe.
Well at least two other people know what I do. Lol. It’s like reinventing the wheel. Les Paul (the person ) designed the Varitone for BB King in the early 70’s. If I remember correctly it’s 5 positions ,and a bypass. But I could be wrong on that one. I almost bought and put one in my LTD/ESP. But did something more custom instead. 🤙
Dang, dude, that’s a very cool mod! Great improvement!
Subscribed!
Btw, I really like using positions 2 and 4 as well, and the mod made them even more pleasing! 👍
Thanks man :)
Cool idea and mod. I do a lot of techie work here in Canada on guitars and modding them. The hardest thing is finding capacitors here we have to go all the way to China to find the what we need. Okay so I subscribed
I've never had a use for a 0.022µF tone cap. I almost always replace them with either a 0.01µF or 0.005µF depending on the pickup. This way I have the option of in or out. On occasion I've installed pickups that sounded great save for being a bit brittle and harsh so I put a 1000pF capacitor between signal hot and ground. Tames the harsh without changing the character of the pickup drastically. The difference the 0.01µF or 0.005µF makes is even more noticeable as you add gain and more so on the bridge pickup.
Sounds great. I tend to just go for whatever the the thickest cap I can find is(currently a pack of .05 orange drop's), and try to dial in the tone I'm going for. It usually works out, but I get that thick dark jazz tone that never gets used when the knob is maxed out. It's cool to have as an option though. Especially if I want to make the walls rattle some.
Omg, 20 years palying and i finally understand how Tone control actually works.
Earned a sub from me, what a great channel! Electronics have always been challenging for me to understand and your explanations are just awesome.
I envy you guys who can play well and do great mods! Thank u young man! I have subscribed! God bless 🙏
Thank you :)
Most Strat pickups are the same construction neck to bridge, no "voiding changes" of the pickups themselves. The tone change is due to operating under different string vibration widths. Recent Squier pickups are 'underwound and higher magnet' following advancements Leo Fender did at G&L guitars where he used that technique to increase the signal to noise ratio of pickups. If a pickup is too brash then lower it closer to or flush with the pickguard, tip the bass side up, or get a 'reverse hendrix' pickgurard slot to put the bridge pickup with the opposite slant. Unless specifically wired at the factory or modded later, stock Strats have no tone pot on the bridge pickup - it's just pickup>volume>jack. Some do a switch jumper mod so the second tone pot controls both the middle and bridge pickups.
What a great option.
Thank you mate. 👍
No problem 👍
Just the information I needed, thanks!! I firmly believe that you get the best out of what you have till you decide to put some more money into something. I also believe that you don’t always have to spend a fortune to have a tone that’s great and unique to yourself and your video here is a fine example in my opinion. Liked and subscribed 👍
Glad it was helpful!
just had this done to mine/ what a difference it makes,,,,,.get it done, the Waylon touch
Thanks Eric, glad to hear your guitar is sounding great!
Really interesting. I enjoy your playing too. Thanks! 🎶⭐👍
For a typical 2.3~2.8H Strat pickup, I prefer a slightly higher freq peak. ~2.2kHz has good clarity without sounding harsh. The cap value for that would be in the 1n5F to 2nF range (along with a typical 200-400pF guitar cable and ~140pF pickup capacitance). I use values like that on the tone knob. The useful versatility throughout the sweep is great.
subbed right away! this is very useful info without any BS, love it!
Hi, This is Harry the one who came into ur store today, i will definitely be watching ur channel a ton. and thanks for everything!!
Brilliant! Thanks for sharing
You know what's odd, and I've never thought about this before, but S.Duncans are the literal sound of rock n roll Oo it's such a medium rock sound, and so perfect for what they are, I mean what rock sound can't you make with S.D's?!
Thank You so much for sharing your knowledge. This is just great!
Glad it was helpful!
Super cool! You can also do this by just changing cable length! Longer cables have more capacitance to ground and thus give you a lower frequency resonant peak.
Coiled cables excel at this. Hendrix used them as a sound shaper.
@@terryenglish7132 yep. Radio Shack coiled are the best, cuz they’re the worst. If you know, you know.
@@terryenglish7132 Ritchie Blackmore, David Gilmour and Carlos Santana, among many others, as well.
PRS's Sweet switch in the pre-factory PRS Custom 24s was basically this mod, specifically requested by Carlos Santana when he switched to a wireless system and didn't like the extra brightness, but with a delay line component instead of a capacitor.
O shit, this is God info for any DIYers. Thanks for existing. TC..
🍻
A cap in parallel to the Non grounded pick up , when the p ups are in series , can keep highs from being muffled or shape tones also.
Isn't this the same or similar effect as different cable length? Or rather like how longer lengths of cable or curly cables seem to shift the peak down?
Cool little gadget! Cool video and very interesting, thanks for sharing.
As a electronic nerd who happens to play guitar, that was glorious.
I love my strats but I agree with the bridge pickups being shrill for my taste. My go to has been either and HSS setup or having a mini switch to run bridge/neck together (i.e. the Gilmour switch) but I'll have to play with the caps some time to see what works best for me.
Stoked you enjoyed it!
man I really dig what you did. cant wait to work on my chinese strat lol. im trying to give it all the love possible since theres not any money available
Stoked to hear man, cheers!
Been doing this for literally years. Well done, mate!
This is awesome chief! thank you! One of those few times that UA-cam actually suggested an awesome video! Glad it did... Subscribed!
Wow, the bridge really improved. G&L does something similar with their ASATS with MFD pickups.
Wow the Character of the tone Change thanks mate
This is super cool! Thanks for posting!
Glad you enjoyed it!
The G&L tone control with low pass and high pass filters moves that resonate peak around as well. The "grease bucket mod" and the Fender TBX control both move the peak around. To maximize the usefulness, put a switch that removes the tone control from the circuit or back in. Some Tele players put 1M Ohm potentiometer for a volume control to get "more twang" . Just the difference between Vintage wiring and Modern wiring in a Gibson guitar makes a difference in the resonate peak and the tone control response. Totally touchy stuff, totally cool to mess with it.
A cool thing about Squire STRAT , not Tele , p ups is that since they're wound on a plastic form. You can buy your favorite AlNiCo magnet rods and simply remove the underneath magnet(s) and push out the steel poles w them to get a pick-up as good as anything made. It gives basically a flat response , w no peak . At least thats my ears guess , I haven't analyzed it w equipment. I put 2 together w a bar magnet and it actually sounds like what you would conceive a Strat humbucker to sound like. Like a Strat p up , but fuller. Actual Fender HBs don't do this.
Wouldn't mind seeing how to build the gizmo you're using, that would be ultra useful to play before getting in there with the soldering iron.
Several position switch. Capacitors. Two 1/4” jacks. Box. Bypass switch. Wire the same as done with the pickup switch. Each position on the switch connected to a different capacitor value. Arrange them in ascending or descending order by value. One side of your bypass switch passes the signal straight through, the other passes through the big capacitor switch. Done.
@@oqsy brilliant!!! Thanks for the info, very much appreciated.
Done ua-cam.com/video/zWRD5PawPw0/v-deo.html
That is definitely an improvement. Super cool.
Excellent video Waylon there are also switches that use multiple treble bleed circuits and you flip tiny dip switches and choose which one you like.
I fiddle with my EQ pedal before deciding to change pickups, it sometimes gives me a desirable tone and sometimes it doesn't.
The capacitance trick is another arrow in my quiver!
pickup height is important. first thing i do on a new guitar that the pickups dont seem right, adjust the height up or down and test test test. The other useful too is a decent eq pedal. guitarist have dozens of fx pedals, but no eq.
I like that breakout box you’ve made and you’ve inspired me to create my own; characterizing, tuning, and modifying pickups are on my list.
Here you go : ) ua-cam.com/video/zWRD5PawPw0/v-deo.html
love the tip! love the playing! epic video well done
Awesome! Thank you!
may give this one a shot,, im adding pickup plates shortly and already have a blender control.. could be interesting!
This is blowing my mind. Subscribed
Keep up the actual quality videos.
Pickups are surrounded by so much nonsense in opinions and marketing.
I see others thought same: make a pedal based on your test box so one could have a couple choices; call it The Voice Box. Throw 3 switchable, in series compression circuits for fun. Hey, great simple mod, inspiring for sure.😂
Thanks, I have made it :)
mcphersonmusic.site/product-category/pickups/the-green-gizmo%ef%b8%8f/
One of the best mod videos on the web. Thanks.
Awesome. A super-effective simple mod. Thank you.
Position 4 gave me tingles. Gonna defo try this, thanks for do this vid, subbed.
Wow. I need the schematic for the cap box. You got a sub!
Here you are : ) ua-cam.com/video/zWRD5PawPw0/v-deo.html
This is awesome, I'm getting on this with my tele and my strat ASAP!
Thanks man. This is gold
I actually like the underwound PUPS.
The magic of 4-5 Kohm pups is the
Old Sixties Rickenbacher tones.
Too many guitar players play the
Bridge pup becuse they cant
Hear themselves in a mix, live or recording.
The total failure of on instrument ( guitar)
that is entirely voiced. Above
Muddle "C".
Recovering as much treble as possible from an electric guitar, allows a much wider tonal response with a single tone
knob.
PS this was Jeff Becks SECRET...
An Amp and guitar set to MAX TWANG TREBLE...... before
the tone or cap and resistance knob ...
At ANY position including the
wasted and oten unused
Neck PUP.
You burn fat or twanging with just rolling your tone knob around.
Basically a wah pedal in a knob
Jeffs Big Fat secret along with his
Vibrato and finger picking attack.
Excellent information! Thanks for making the video.
Your gizmo box would also make a great pedal. Get it out there and patented before someone else does!
Thanks you can make it or buy it - all info here : ) ua-cam.com/video/zWRD5PawPw0/v-deo.html
My friend sent me this video and I'm blown away, thank you! Subbed, can't wait to see more content.
That was great. I was actually surprised at how nice it played before the tweaks. I didnt mind listening to that. The bridge was unpleasent was the first thing i noticed but you know, it was okay. But after the tweaks 😱 That made a massive difference, especially to the bridge. Much more enjoyable, the crunch was not as sharp anymore and it had gotten fuller and fatter. Really impressive stuff.
Thanks, Glad you enjoyed it!
This is awesome! Thankyou so much!!!
Very much enjoyed this video. Hope one of your future projects is how to make the cap tester pedal
Thanks, that is literally the next video I am releasing, cheers!
Brilliant idea! Thank you for the info, keep up the good work!
Thanks, will do :)