Brighten up a 2000 Standard

[TheArchitect]

I put an RS kit with 50's wiring in it. I have had a few paf style pickups in it and it still sounds a bit dark. What are some non pickup ideas to brighten, or maybe de-bass the guitarca bit?

 

[metropolis]

I've been down this road and you've done the two things that can have the biggest factor from what I've found. Lighter string gauge makes a small difference in bringing out some highs and the other thing is ensuring the nut and saddles are cut well and ringing true. I did get some titanium saddles but felt the difference was barely apparent so not worth it.

The other thing you could look at if you're up for adjusting wiring to a non-traditional wiring / setup is something like Reverend guitars have in their 'bass contour' control. It rolls off bass frequencies. From some research it's similar to some G&L guitars and is just a pot and capacitor wired up in the correct way, so you could switch one of your tone controls for one.

 

[renderit]

Move your pickups down away from the strings.

Then pole screws up to flavor.

 

[NickiC]

Longer steel tailpiece posts. I like how it gives a piano-ish brightness. Resonant, a bit louder. Not so drastic a change that will thin out the mids and eliminate the bass.

 

[darkwave]

I jotted these notes while reviewing an informational video where there were a lot of tests shared systematically. My guitars are basically all 50's style, so I cannot easily compare, but I've been meaning to confirm these observations personally (haven't yet). It might offer a clue why some don't see much advantage while others do...

• 50's wiring offers no difference from modern wiring when volumes are on 10.
• Treble preservation with rolled down volume is subtle, but real.
• When both vol and tone are rolled down some, interactivity acts as if tone is being rolled back up (getting brighter).

In practice, I rarely have my tones rolled down at all. I suspect most rock players my age are similar. I was using the Bridge tone on my custom at a gig recently, but I wasn't doing much with the volume control that night...

Agree with Renderit above regarding polepieces - I do that on my Heritage H150.

- Douglas C.

 

[DrewB]

I jotted these notes while reviewing an informational video where there were a lot of tests shared systematically. My guitars are basically all 50's style, so I cannot easily compare, but I've been meaning to confirm these observations personally (haven't yet). It might offer a clue why some don't see much advantage while others do...

• 50's wiring offers no difference from modern wiring when volumes are on 10.
• Treble preservation with rolled down volume is subtle, but real.
• When both vol and tone are rolled down some, interactivity acts as if tone is being rolled back up (getting brighter).

In practice, I rarely have my tones rolled down at all. I suspect most rock players my age are similar. I was using the Bridge tone on my custom at a gig recently, but I wasn't doing much with the volume control that night...

Agree with Renderit above regarding polepieces - I do that on my Heritage H150.

- Douglas C.

I agree with the last two, but definitely not the first one. When the tone cap is connected to the same lug on the volume pot as the pickup hot, it bleeds off a little bit of treble even with the volume all the way up. Like point #2, it's subtle but real.

 

[TheArchitect]

I didn't choose the RS kit for the 50s wiring, just the pre-selected pots.

I think maybe this ole girl may just have a fat ass but I will keep experimenting(

 

[Any Name You Wish]

Both pickups or just the neck? As others noted, play with the pickup height and see what happens. New, better strings, 10's. Check the neck relief and string height too. 9 times out of 10 this problem can be cured.

 

[Hiwatts-n-Gibsons]

I put an RS kit with 50's wiring in it. I have had a few paf style pickups in it and it still sounds a bit dark. What are some non pickup ideas to brighten, or maybe de-bass the guitarca bit?

Myself on my Adam Jones USA Standard I put in a set of 500K CTS pots with a Treble Bleed on the rhythm pickup and a No Load Tone Pot on the bridge. Modern wiring obviously with the Treble Bleed. No mud to be found unless I dial it in purposefully with the Tone knobs.

 

[TheArchitect]

Both pickups or just the neck? As others noted, play with the pickup height and see what happens. New, better strings, 10's. Check the neck relief and string height too. 9 times out of 10 this problem can be cured.

Both. It's probably more accurate to say it does not have as much top end chime as I would like than too much low end. I need to pull the 10k Duncan Brobucker out of it and contiunue looking for lower wind options. That experiment did not pan out.

Those new DimarIo 57 pafs might be an option. Something like a duncan 59 or c5 might be worth a look. The mid cut of them would bring out more top

 

[metropolis]

Both. It's probably more accurate to say it does not have as much top end chime as I would like than too much low end. I need to pull the 10k Duncan Brobucker out of it and contiunue looking for lower wind options. That experiment did not pan out.

Those new DimarIo 57 pafs might be an option. Something like a duncan 59 or c5 might be worth a look. The mid cut of them would bring out more top

Pickup-wise my Monty's PAFs are the brightest of the PAF clones I've got, I've also had good luck with a Seymour Duncan Jazz which is higher output but has a nice top end to it.

 

[Parisianwalker]

Pickup-wise my Monty's PAFs are the brightest of the PAF clones I've got, I've also had good luck with a Seymour Duncan Jazz which is higher output but has a nice top end to it.

I also have Monty's PAFs that I used to brighten up my SG to good effect. I am now considering putting them in my R7 which is a bit too bright with the current Custombuckers

 

[gitmohair]

Constantly changing pickups does seem to be a sledge-hammer to crack a nut approach to me, but maybe that's just me. What rig do you run this guitar through? Any chance of a sound clip with commentary about what it is "you" are hearing/want to hear?