independent tone control

Thomas Webb · Post by **Thomas Webb** » 13 Jan 2017 8:38 pm

Hello

Just wondering if anyone has ever come across an independent tone control unit, perhaps something that could be mounted on the leg of a steel to achieve a lap steel type, boo-wah effect. Check out the video, and see what Buddy Merrill does at 0:50.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RF05gVe47S4

I am assuming that control is likely part of the guitar, but id be interested in one that mounts on the leg and could be used on different guitars.

Thanks very much

Tom

Paul Brainard · Post by **Paul Brainard** » 14 Jan 2017 3:07 am

Goodrich made one - I have one although haven't seen too many around. Just a plain, passive tone control - wouldn't be too hard to make one, all you need is a pot and a capacitor, and a project box and a leg clip (George L I think sells those. . )

Scott Duckworth · Post by **Scott Duckworth** » 14 Jan 2017 4:27 am

Here's a circuit for a "treble and bass" control. Build it in a small box. You might have to play with the values of the capacitors to get what you want.

Jeff Mead · Post by **Jeff Mead** » 14 Jan 2017 5:56 am

I suspect it might not be in the ideal position to use it like Buddy did if it was mounted on the leg.

Have you considered one of the volume/tone pedals which had the tone control from side to side. Bigsby, Fender and DeArmond all used to make them. Nobody makes one now but used ones do come up fairly regularly. Fender re-issued theirs a few year back but have now discontinued that too but they are probably the easiest to find.

Personally, I find it much easier to operate the Boo-Wah with my foot.

If you don't use volume swells (as many lap players don't) you could convert a volume only pedal to tone only pretty easily.

Paul Brainard · Post by **Paul Brainard** » 14 Jan 2017 9:42 am

It's true the leg-mounted position isn't all that convenient for boo-wah-ing. A tone-only pedal is a great idea, or you could also have a tone control installed on your guitar. Or maybe some kind of surface-mounted box??

Erv Niehaus · Post by **Erv Niehaus** » 14 Jan 2017 9:46 am

Goodrich's Match Box has a tone control on it and it attaches to the leg. Why couldn't that be used?

Jeff Mead · Post by **Jeff Mead** » 14 Jan 2017 10:00 am

Erv Niehaus wrote:Goodrich's Match Box has a tone control on it and it attaches to the leg. Why couldn't that be used?

Not a dramatic enough tone change for the effect and even if it was, not positioned well enough.

As in interesting aside, because of impedance or something, if you do use a Matchbox then the tone part of a volume/tone pedal has zero effect.

Bruce Derr · Post by **Bruce Derr** » 14 Jan 2017 11:05 am

Jeff Mead wrote: As in interesting aside, because of impedance or something, if you do use a Matchbox then the tone part of a volume/tone pedal has zero effect.

It is indeed because of impedance. The low impedance output of a buffer makes the signal essentially immune to the treble-reducing effect of cable capacitance... and of tone control capacitors as well.

Mike Perlowin · Post by **Mike Perlowin** » 14 Jan 2017 11:57 am

Wouldn't it ne simpler just to hook up a wah wah pedal next to the volume pedal?

Some guys already do this.

Mike Perlowin · Post by **Mike Perlowin** » 14 Jan 2017 11:57 am

Wouldn't it ne simpler just to hook up a wah wah pedal next to the volume pedal?

Some guys already do this.

Jeff Mead · Post by **Jeff Mead** » 14 Jan 2017 12:15 pm

Mike Perlowin wrote:Wouldn't it ne simpler just to hook up a wah wah pedal next to the volume pedal?

Some guys already do this.

It's a completely different sound - active boost rather than passive. OK if that's what you want but it wont sound like the clip the OP posted.

Jack Hanson · Post by **Jack Hanson** » 14 Jan 2017 2:52 pm

Jeff Mead wrote:
Mike Perlowin wrote:Wouldn't it ne simpler just to hook up a wah wah pedal next to the volume pedal?

Some guys already do this.
It's a completely different sound - active boost rather than passive. OK if that's what you want but it wont sound like the clip the OP posted.

To carry this discussion one step further, how difficult would it be to convert a donor Vox, Cry Baby, Dunlop, etc. pedal from its active wah circuit to a passive tone control circuit? In addition, could you retain the pedal's original on/off switch to cut the effect in and out as needed? Being a passive circuit, would the pedal be considered "true bypass" when the pot and cap are switched off?

Lane Gray · Post by **Lane Gray** » 15 Jan 2017 5:45 am

Jack, the answer to the difficulty question is "deaf easy."
The true bypass question would depend on how you wired it.

Jeff Mead · Post by **Jeff Mead** » 15 Jan 2017 6:37 am

I think true bypass might be overcomplicating it - we're only trying to duplicate the sound of a Stringmaster tone control after all.

Lane Gray · Post by **Lane Gray** » 15 Jan 2017 9:21 am

But since the tone knob bleeds highs to ground, true bypass is probably a very easy thing to do.
Switch off; essentially a straight wire from J1 to J2, engaged, pot and cap shunt to ground

Thomas Webb · Post by **Thomas Webb** » 16 Jan 2017 5:43 am

Thanks for all the feedback guys, some great ideas here! very much appreciated.

Tom

Brad Sarno · Post by **Brad Sarno** » 16 Jan 2017 1:36 pm

Tone control and buffer

http://www.sarnomusicsolutions.com/products/fl.html

Jeff Mead · Post by **Jeff Mead** » 16 Jan 2017 2:31 pm

Brad Sarno wrote:Tone control and buffer
http://www.sarnomusicsolutions.com/products/fl.html

I'd certainly be interested to see a demo of this being used in the style of the original clip.

Jack Stanton · Post by **Jack Stanton** » 16 Jan 2017 4:10 pm

Or you could just by yourself an Emmons guitar.

Paul Brainard · Post by **Paul Brainard** » 16 Jan 2017 10:49 pm

What about something based on the idea of a Theramin, but instead of controlling the pitch or volume it controls the tone (or assign it to a freqency sweep, really whatever you want. . .) So you could do the boo-wah thing without a knob, just by waving your hand around. Sure would look cool, anyway.

Thomas Webb · Post by **Thomas Webb** » 17 Jan 2017 7:02 pm

This looks great Brad, do you have any clips of it in action and could it be used to achieve the boo-wah effect?

Thanks Tom