Bare Knuckle Pickups Forum

Forum Ringside => Tech => Topic started by: gingataff on October 09, 2006, 03:36:01 AM

Title: High Pass filter or Treble Bleed?
Post by: gingataff on October 09, 2006, 03:36:01 AM
Whats the difference in use between a treble bleed circuit
http://www.seymourduncan.com/support/schematics/treble_bleed.html
and a high pass filter?
http://i97.photobucket.com/albums/l231/gingataff/jswiring.jpg
Don't they both stop the sound getting muddy when you turn down the volume pot?
Title: High Pass filter or Treble Bleed?
Post by: 3th3r on October 09, 2006, 04:01:16 AM
To answer your question, yes. On the Satriani schematic, the filter can be switched on or off, whereas on teh SD schematic, it's always on. Also some circuits use just a cap, some use a cap and resistor in parallel, and some a cap and resistor in series.  They all are supposed to do the same thing -- keep your highs as you turn down the volume.
Title: High Pass filter or Treble Bleed?
Post by: JamesHealey on October 12, 2006, 09:20:41 PM
this is a good idea on single channel amps im guessing, coz u wont get a muddy tone when u back off the volume to cleaner tone.. i might try this!
Title: High Pass filter or Treble Bleed?
Post by: HTH AMPS on October 12, 2006, 10:33:37 PM
The cap value affects 'how' bright your tone gets when you turn down the tone.  The resistor affects the taper.

I used to like a 470pF cap with a 470k resistor in parallel wired as show in the Seymour Duncan picture.

 :twisted:
Title: High Pass filter or Treble Bleed?
Post by: gingataff on October 13, 2006, 03:18:16 PM
I just bought some 330pF caps (its whats on the Ibanez scematics), some blue ceramic ones that are suppose to be better than the red lentil ceramics and some big ass NOS Japanes OKI caps, they look old so I hope they still work, I also got some (I think) .022uF sprague orange drops (doesnt say the brand name on them) and some NOS sprague Vitamin Qs for my treble pots, can't wait to try them!
Title: High Pass filter or Treble Bleed?
Post by: _tom_ on October 13, 2006, 03:44:32 PM
Does the resistor help retain the bass atall? I put a 001uF (or something like that) across my LPs volume pots and it retains the clarity, but makes it sound thin, no bass!
Title: High Pass filter or Treble Bleed?
Post by: HTH AMPS on October 13, 2006, 10:36:59 PM
Quote from: _tom_
Does the resistor help retain the bass atall? I put a 001uF (or something like that) across my LPs volume pots and it retains the clarity, but makes it sound thin, no bass!


nope, the resistor affects the taper of the pot when wired across the cap.  You can wire a resistor in series with the cap to lessen the effect of the cap.

I personally think a .001uF (1000pF) cap is too much - 470pF is more than enough.

Oh, and I'd stay away from ceramic caps - get silver mica, much nicer (smoother) treble response.

 :twisted:
Title: High Pass filter or Treble Bleed?
Post by: _tom_ on October 13, 2006, 10:48:28 PM
I just picked this one coz I was getting some caps for my strat anyway from WD and this one was suggested for treble bleed :lol: I'll try the value you recommend.
Title: Vitamin Q??
Post by: gingataff on October 19, 2006, 04:11:01 PM
I got some new caps for my guitars and today rewired my Charvel with a 330pF high pass filter and a NOS Sprague Vitamin Q .022uF on the tone, which I also changed from a CTS linear to audio taper pot.
My guitar seems like it's just drunk some Red Bull!

.....But when I turn the tone down it gets very dark, the neck single coil is muffled, the bridge Nailbomb sounds quite jazzy though.

These Vit Qs are supposed to be quite sort after and Brian May uses them (if you believe the internet).
Has anyone else tried them?
I've got some orange drop caps that I tink I'll try next.
Title: High Pass filter or Treble Bleed?
Post by: cnotold on October 19, 2006, 06:37:47 PM
hi gingataff......... really stupid question!!! wuts the difference between CTS linear to audio taper pot?  :o
Title: High Pass filter or Treble Bleed?
Post by: gingataff on October 20, 2006, 03:25:21 AM
Linear taper means that as you turn down the pot (volume or tone) it decreases in a 'straight line' but an audio taper pot decreases in a kind of logarithmic slope, sopposedly this is better for guitars and more natural for the human ear to hear, or something like that. I'm sure someone else can explain better using a graph  :)