tone control?

George McLellan · From: Duluth, MN USA

Does anyone know if a tone control that could be clipped on to the leg of my steel is available?

When I double on guitar and steel, my problem is my pickup is bright and powerful on my steel so I have to cut the treble on the amp. The problem..........the pickups on my six string guitars (especially my Jazzmaster) don't have the oooooommmmmppppphhhh so I either have to reach over to the amp to turn up the highs or go with what I have.

If a tone control is available, I could jack up the highs on the amp and cut the highs on my steel. It would be so much more conveniant if steel mfgrs would include a tone control on their steels when they build them.

Any input would be most welcome.

Geo

Lee Bartram · From: Sparta, Kentucky, USA

George I use a Goodrich matchbox just for the tone control.

George McLellan · From: Duluth, MN USA

Thanks Lee, I've thought about that, but with the Telonics VP I don't know if that'd work or not.

Geo

Lee Bartram · From: Sparta, Kentucky, USA

I have a Hilton Pedal I use and it works fine..

Michael Robertson · From: Ventura, California. USA

George I don’t know if you would consider using something like a Digitech RP150.
I play steel and guitar and have specific settings on the RP150 for either.
It’s turned out to be a real work horse/tool for jumping back and forth between the two.
If you think you might be interested in the RP150 more by all means email me.
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Ken Metcalf · From: San Antonio Texas USA

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Little Walter PF-89.
Bunch of stomp boxes

Tim Marcus · From: San Francisco, CA

you can just put a tone pot on the steel. Look at how a guitar tone pot is wired - usually its just a pot with a 10p cap to bleed high frequencies to ground. $5 in parts.
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David Nugent · From: Gum Spring, Va.

George...Rather than chance compromising your steel tone, you might consider this option. Seymour Duncan makes a pedal that boosts the clean signal of your six string pickups, may give you the balance you seek.

Ron Anderson · From: Keystone Colorado, USA

I have a combo volume / tome control pedal (2 in 1)
The tone is side to side.

I got it from music go round and don't remember the make but it could be a dunlop.

George McLellan · From: Duluth, MN USA

Lots of good suggestions and my thanks to all of you for them.

The side to side sounds like the old Fender pedal from the 60's. I had one and gave it away 40 years ago cause I never used it.

I did try the tone pot like Tim suggested, but it didn't seem to make any differance.....that could be a faulty pot, or I didn't do it right.

What worked the best was the days when I had a Fender Twin Reverb with two channels.

Geo

Ken Metcalf · From: San Antonio Texas USA

I use the tone control on my Emmons all the time.
Many people poo poo this concept but it works for me.
Same as a telecaster tone control.
With the Carter I use the Match box.
Come to think of it using a Telecaster with stock pick-ups probably helps.
The only amp I have found that works really well for both is my Vintage Fox 5D6.
Other than that I will have to use 2 amps.
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MSA 12 String E9th/B6th Universal.
Little Walter PF-89.
Bunch of stomp boxes

Stu Schulman · From: Ulster Park New Yawk (deceased)

George,I was told by a steel guitar owner that a steel guitar should not have a tone control it,There is no need for it,I say not while I'm in the driver's seat,A friend of mine made this little tone control for me,It's great,You can pre set the tone and with the two way toggle it can be bypassed,I don't know anything about soldering this stuff together hopefully you can see the value of the parts from the pics,The hardest thing was finding the little aluminum box...if you live in a real city no problem.Good luck,Stu

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John Groover McDuffie · From: LA California, USA

RE Tim's post: A 10pF capacitor is way too small a value to be of much use as a tone control. The more common range is .02 ~ .05mF, which is larger by a factor of 2~5 thousand!

I use an older Matchbox, the one with just a tone control (mounted on top as the box clamps to the leg), and I really like having a tone control at hand.

If you want a passive tone control in a little box that you can clamp to the leg of your steel I could make you one. Perhaps with a 3-way switch - bypass, and two different values of caps, for different corner frequencies. I'd have to figure out the costs to give you a price. Shoot me an email if you are interested.

Dave Beaty · From: Mesa, Arizona, USA

Hi George,
Sounds like you are still playing up a storm.
Are you going to the Texas show? If you make it down to the TSGA Convention I will show you what may be the ultimate solution to your problem, without any compromises on signal quality for either your steel or your guitar.
It would be great to have a chance to visit face to face.
Dave

Steve Hitsman · From: Waterloo, IL

George McLellan · From: Duluth, MN USA

I agree with you Stu, if I cut the highs on my amp for steel, I have to get up and return the highs for my Jazzmaster. For right now I'd have to carry two amps or get one with two seperate channels. A tone control of sorts to clamp on the leg would change that, I could cut the highs on my steel and jack them up on the amp to suit my Jazzmaster. and that's the name of that tune

Nice to see your post Dave, the pedal is still working perfect, it wasn't the pedal that was fading, but a faulty in house power source.

As for playing up a storm, it's more like playing in a storm around here. Embarassed

I was hoping to make it to Dallas this year but something else came up, I hope to do it next year.

Can you send me the info on the item you mentioned?

Geo

Richard Sinkler · From: aka: Rusty Strings -- Missoula, Montana

Couldn't you just use a stomp box EQ pedal on one or the other?
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George McLellan · From: Duluth, MN USA

Thanks Richard, but I'm not a big fan of EQ stomp boxes. I'd rather have control at my finger tips than one more thing on the floor to deal with on low light stages.

Geo

Marc Jenkins · From: Victoria, British Columbia, Canada

George, I built myself a passive tone control just like Stu's. It's all I need, and allows me to play guitar and steel through one amp. While I had tried a Matchbox for similar purposes, I didn't really like what it did to my tone. Probably a total of $15 - $20 in parts, maybe half hour to build.

George McLellan · From: Duluth, MN USA

Thanks Marc, I have a "job box" and old clip and jacs, I would think Radio Shack would have the rest of the parts.

Looks like a perfect project to do during one of our snow storms that seems to be getting more frequent here.

Geo

Dave Beaty · From: Mesa, Arizona, USA

OK George, I'll have the information ready by the Dallas show. It represents about 15 years of work, with heavy design work over the last 3 years. If you would like to try it live, I will be happy to send you one right after the Dallas show.
Great to see you are keeping busy playing!
Dave

George McLellan · From: Duluth, MN USA

Thanks Dave, I sent you an e-mail.

Folks, if Dave designs/builds anything, it's top quality.

Geo

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