The Chetboard

I'm thinking of changing my Gretsch Nashville Classic to put the volume control on the bass pickup instead of the treble pickup. Has anyone tried that? I think I would rather be able to turn down the bass pickup.

I also read somewhere that you could put an 8 ohm resistor on the bass pickup at the pickup selector switch. That would reduce the volume on the bass pickup. Then you could still lower the volume of the treble pickup.

Thanks,
GaryL

My Nashville Classic (2004 model year) already has a volume control just for the rear pickup. The other volume control is a master which adjusts the volume of both pickups simultaneously (or at the same time as Chet might say). I remember Paul saying with that arrangement, the front pickup really needs no individual volume control. Putting the 8 ohm resistor would not change the volume so much because it is the 8 ohm balanced against 8K ohms which would not affect much of a change at all. It should take an 8k ohm resistor in series to reduce it by half. You can already do that with the rear volume control - so I see very little benefit.

What could be done is to find a good value of capacitor to go between the center wiper of the master volume to the output jack so that reducing the volume would not also muddy the tone. I've noticed that the overall tone on my NC is affected slightly as I back the master volume from maximum. On those gigs where it matters, I use an Aphex exciter like the one Thom Bresh uses to get the sound out of the mud.

That is my 2 cents worth, since you offered a penny for thoughts in general. The other penny can go to charity if you choose. Ha ha!

Terry,
Thanks for your comments and as you suggest, I'll donate a cent to charity on your behalf (and in your name). Ha ha!

We have the same guitars.
What I read about the 8 ohm resitor is to put it on the bass pickup and not the treble. This would reduce the volume of the bass pickup and you could still use the trebles volume control.

I've also read about working on the master volume like you mentioned as a "treble bleed" fix. I think that's on TV Jones web site.

I'm also thinking about just putting another volume control so that each pickup would have one.

Thanks,
GaryL