Danelectro Volume Pot.

[Brian T. Williams]

Hi,

I've just bought a new Danelectro 59 reissue 12 string that I absolutely love and am now using for gigging in preference to my Gibson 335-12 (unbelievable but true).

I just have one small issue that I hope you can help with.

The volume pot responds from "off" to almost full volume over approximately the first 30% of travel, with very little audible difference over the remaining 70%; (the effect is the same, whatever position the pickup selector switch is set).

Is this a common issue on cheaper electric guitars or Dano's. in particular, or would it be a "feature" of the 59 clone specifications?

Whatever the case, is it just a case of replacing the volume pot with a better quality one?

Any help or advice greatly appreciated.

Thank you.........Brian

[Peter Poyser]

Quote: "please excuse my avocation for this"

 

 

On the contrary Rusty.

Having given purely one side, especially covering the specific issues that are of concern to me personally .

I'm absolutely delighted that different views about all this are being expressed, as that is the best way we can more widely appreciate the many facets that drive other different ideas.

However,  I'm quite familiar with the obsessive attention to detail, and huge expenditure on Highly Specialised Equipment, that many aficionado's of some of the more Extreme Heavy Styles of Rock Indulge.

In the main, this is because of some the Players I came to work with when I was working for Promoters and known, who have successfully taken that Musical Route, Equipment Designers and Design Engineers I know that have links to Manufacturers,  as I am very interested in Manufacturing.

New Studio Owners who have received a lot of Consultancy Help and Advice on Acoustical Design, some of whom specifically specialise in such Types of Music and buy the various Hi Gain Amps and Speakers for the Studio, and talk to me about all of that in very considerable detail, clearly, it is a very specialised field indeed.

Last, but not least, the various, sometimes quite peculiar and singularly individualistic Micing Techniques for Recording and Particular Mic's that are favoured by some Artists for Specific Applications. They have real problems getting exactly the Sound they want in particular Applications, because of the general Amount of Sound Level in the Studio and Live on Stage for that matter, and have to come up with some Rather Unique Approaches to solve certain problems to their satisfaction.

 

 

But these people are spending a lot of money, time and effort towards the furthering of their aims.

None of this Highly Specialised Instrument and Amplification Gear is likely to be found in the Average Music Shop.

And the Groups that Perform this Style of Music tend to serve a narrowly targeted Audience of highly devoted Followers and Fans.

In my experience, almost every single bit of Gear they possess, is likely to have been Highly Specialised to start with, Tweaked, Upgraded or Modified.

 

 

Quote: "Either approach is valid if that's what the punter likes and what time of the day or night it is and how much one has had. So, we can get that out of the way."

 

 

To be honest, I don't think in Recordings.

That its best to have an haphazard approach, but definite method.

For Pedals I like Pete Cornish's Ideas, and have found his Solutions to be the Best Sonically.

http://www.petecornish.co.uk/fxboards.html

http://www.petecornish.co.uk/client.html

 

 

Usually.

For some extraordinary and unfathomable reason.

Whatever the Artists Vision actually is, they seem to have more confidence.

In my proven experience and ability to competently enable them to fully realise their Artistic Vision.

Than their own personal notions, ideas and momentary judgment, about how exactly its best to take the next step.

But then, one particular feature of my own personal approach, is to have extremely thorough Pre-Production Meetings with Artists.

It is there, that a Reciprocal Mutual Respect is Firmly Established, and a Fully Embracing Understanding and Agreement of What Will Be Done and How.

Hopefully, the Artist will go away from those meetings, feeling that they are Personally Understood at a Deep and Profound Level, more so, than at anytime, in their Whole Lives.

I want them to come into the Recording Studio, possessed of the absolute conviction, that Now is their Time, and to that end they have at this Special Moment, the Best Enabled and Facilitated Opportunity, they are Ever Likely to Have.

I want them to Go For It, Big Time with All They Have and Give Me a Stunning Performance that Surpasses, what even They would have they Believed, they are actually Capable Of. I am convinced that this Preparation Work, is All Greatly Confidence Building and Results in a Better Performance.

 

 

Perhaps before you Spray Finish a Newly Built Guitar.

You spend quite a lot of time in Preparation of the Material.

With Me, Artists and New Recordings, it is actually No Different.

 

I actually Produce a Fully Costed Feasibility Study, Comprehensively Covering every Key Factor Involved, in a Huge Folder, and Hit Them with that at the Very First Meeting.

You Never Get a Second Chance to Make a Good First Impression!

This might be interesting for some.

http://www.petecornish.co.uk/case_against_true_bypass.html

 

 

 

Quote: "I particularly warmed to  the observation that the early sounds were achieved with "ear" evaluation and engineering and that subsequent popular technology breakthroughs have generally dumbed-down the tonal palette rather than enhanced the musical experience."

 

 

 

Great.

None of what I wrote was deliberately directed towards Artists and Groups Performing in Highly Specialised Genres of Music, by Deep Devotees of the Styles You Described, I have Long Been Aware of, for the reasons explained..

Rather, there is a Heck of a lot of Poor Sounding Mush Beds of Highly Compressed Distortion commonly used in a Wide Range of Popular Music, but alas by people that seem  unable to tell Good Distortion from Bad. That is the problem from my perspective. Telling Good Sound from Bad.

I even know Producers that actively tell Session Musicians to put their Guitars Out of Tune, so that when they add the Mushy Distortion as they are bound to do, they Create a Sound Very Young, and Inexperienced Players, can Readily Identify With when they Hear it.

These People are of course the Target Audience for the Broadcast Programs and Music they are Making to Sell to Them. It Sounds like them on a far better than average day. "Dumbed-down the tonal palette" puts it rather well I think, and thus congratulate you on that point. I really don't think there is any disagreement here between us at all.

In fact, I was rather hoping others would put the other side of the many Facets involved here, and thus Focused on simply getting my General Points across, knowing that others were better able to explain alternative views.

So thank you for that!

 

Best Wishes

 

P

[Brian T. Williams]

Phew...........this is all getting too much for me to take in; I simply wanted to fit a volume pot that increased the volume smoothly and steadily and thanks to the help I have received here (and bearing in mind that I'm new to electric guitars) I have accomplished that!

The bonus, in depth posts regarding all the other associated material are a little over my head, I just want an instrument that I can plug in with the minimum amount of fuss and that sounds fantastic..........that's my Dano!!

At this point, I'll leave you experts to carry on the discussion and enjoy learning from it; thanks for all your help..............I'm out o' here!

Cheers......Brian

[Russell Vance]

See ya Brian,

It's a classic application of Chaos Theory - in this case the "butterfly effect".......you got your potentiometer problem solved and we get to deal with a ton of extra info and knowledge as a result.  Fair trade I think.

Regards,

Rusty.

[Paul Verticchio]

It was good for me :)  It sure turned my head around and filled it with lots of GOOD info. David gave us the skinny on the parameters of the ingredients so we can develop custom recipes as needed.   Kudos, David and thanks for your superb video work, time & trouble. It's THE MOST DETAILED evaluation of gtr pots ever done.

Brian, you can close this thread (as the original poster) by clicking the 'close discussion' box on YOUR viewing page.

Have a good'un everyone :)

[Peter Poyser]

As was stated earlier.

If a Manufacturer has done a Good Job.

Their Design will not be Bettered, so the Solution Straightforward.

"Whatever the case, is it just a case of replacing the volume pot with a better quality one?"

The original post already had the answer to the question, as to what the best way forward actually was.

It is an absolute no brainer to rectify the problem by simply replacing the existing Faulty Part, with a New, Direct Replacement Part.

As to whether an Audio Taper Potentiometer or a Linear Taper Potentiometer is used or preferred will entirely depend upon the Design of the Instrument.

Both Types have their own Unique Advantages and their own Specific Disadvantages. And writing generally, there are four Types of Player involved in relation to the Different Potentiometers.

Those that have a Distinct Preference for One Particular Type for Specific Functional and Operational Reasons. 1. Traditionally Audio Tapers. 2. Contemporaneous Linear Tapers. 3 Developers that Experimentally Mix and Match. 4 Those that have No Idea about Any Of This.

Usually, the Technical or Functional Disadvantages of whatever Type is Definitely Preferred by a Player, are to them, absolutely negligible to the manner in which they work. The perceived problems, do not exist for them in terms of practical functionality in use. So requiring a Given Type has an Strong Upside for them, but No Downside at all.

That's a Huge Point to Appreciate. People that want the Opposite Choice, are usually looking for an Entirely Different Set of Factors and Features in Operational Use. The advantages of the other Type are of no consequence to them, as they want completely different things and to work in a different way. So the disadvantages involved in a different Design, are all too obvious and a definite inconvenience to those that have a Preference.

 

It's very important to recognise this fact.

And irrespective of one's own personal preferences.

Be aware of the specific requirements, others are dependent upon.

 

Huge Traditional Manufacturers of Iconic Guitar Designs like Gibson, would not produce run of the mill Standard Models, contemporary versions of their Designs as well as Vintage Original Specification Models, if there were not Many Players who have a Particular Requirement and Desire for Instruments that Perform in a Specific Way, Familiar and Preferred by their Customers.

Nor would Potentiometer Manufacturers produce entirely different Types, if as with the Guitars themselves, there were not a definite Market and Demand for Specific Product Lines, that they can make money from, by providing a solution that meets the needs of their Clients.

 

So to my mind.

For anyone genuinely interested in Guitars.

Especially if that is their living, it's better to be aware of these factors.

After all, if one does make their living dealing with Guitars. Clients will eventually and inevitably turn up at ones door.

Looking to one to be the Guru that understands everything that they don't. And in a far greater more sublime depth, than they ever will in their whole life's.

 

Should we Disappoint Them?

Or Delight Them by the fact that we have Insight?

And Instil Confidence in Our Abilities to Resolve the Issues they Struggle With?

 

 Whatever their needs might be!

P

[Thomas James]

This is a valuable thread. Thanks for you time David, Russell, Peter, and all. Tom

[Jeff Highland]

Personally, I prefer to leave volume controls wide open and use a volume pedal after a buffered pedal on my pedalboard.

I also greatly prefer just one switch, 1 volume, 1 tone

The volume cut in middle position on Gibsons when one volume pot is fully down is intentional, but can be changed readily by swapping the input and output to the opposite lugs on the pot(so input from the pickup is on the middle lug rather than the outside) This ensures that there is a 500k resistance between  the hot on the switch and ground so the other pickup is not just shorted out to ground. Whether this is desirable is a matter of preference.

[Brian T. Williams]

Just a BIG thank you to all for the help and a total endorsement of the comments regarding the value of this thread; I have certainly learnt so much.

Cheers...........Brian