Electric Guitars how much do you use your Tone knob?

[snarf]

I once read an article that talked about some famous player that I wish I remember who it was. In the article, it talked about how they set both the Vol and Tone knobs on their guitars to 10 and just left them there. Any dynamic in their playing was from their touch or the amp; the guitar was always running wide open.

That's pretty much what I've done for years. Pretty much my thought was dime the knobs and hope for the best. Until recently. I've started fiddling with the Tone knob a LOT more, and have realized that it opens up a whole new set of sounds in the guitar. I've kind of wondered why I never played with it before.

So my question for y'all today is this. Do you use the Tone knob or are you a set it and forget it kind of player?

 

[mountain man]

It depends on the pups. I use the tone knob mostly on my Jeff Beck Artist strat which has noiseless ceramic pups. I also use it on my Eric Johnson Artist strat which has very hot alnico pups. Also on my Gibson Firebird which has ceramic pups. Most all of the other guitars I leave it full on.

 

[MikeS]

1) I usually set it and forget it. (unless I accidentally change it.)
2) I DO set it differently on different guitars due to the flavors of Pickups.

 

[CaptainMoto]

Used to dial it to 10 and forget it, now I use it quite frequently.

 

[Elwood]

I used to use both the volume and tone knobs, then I learned that I shouldn't. Now I use them both again.

 

[CaptainMoto]

I used to use both the volume and tone knobs, then I learned that I shouldn't. Now I use them both again.

Stop trying to learn so much.

 

[straightblues]

I started playing an Esquire (1 pickup Tele). You gotta learn to vary the tone. So you learn quickly to use the tone knob and learn to pick close to the saddles. Once learned, you tend to use the technique on all guitars

 

[ChrisGSP]

On my Epi DOT I have the neck tone at about 7 and the bridge at about 9. The volumes are presently 8 and 10. I often use the middle position on the selector, and those settings give me a sweet result that I like. But that's a reference point that I go back to; I roll the tones around depending on the tune.

 

[Paleo]

What's a tone knob?

 

[Rancid Rumpboogie]

For me, my tone knob is on "10" most of the time and I use no-load tone pots on all of my guitars, so that is the same as having no tone control at all (zero treble bleeding through the capacitor when on 10). I very seldom turn my tone down ... and I mean very seldom ... as in hardly ever.

But I suppose I am not your "average dude". As most of you know, I am extremely anal about the pickups in my guitars! I own 16 and only two of them have not had their pickups replaced. And they have been replaced with pickups that sound excellent when on full treble. So no need to go looking for better tone with my tone knob. I don't even regard them as tone knobs, I think of them as mud knobs.

 

[sdbrit68]

I have a tone knob ?

that explains a lot, I was thinking it was volume part duex

no wonder it didnt get louder

 

[Elwood]

I can't remember where I came across someone saying something like..."you don't put on your stereo and max out all the knobs to listen better, you sure don't get in your car and take off with everything to the max, so why would you run your guitar with all settings to the max?" I guess that made sense to me and I have grown used to having more control (just two knobs) right on the guitar. I'm no good example to model playing or habits after, it's just what I like.

Hmmm.....I just thought of one (maybe) major difference...I don't use any pedals except the virtual stuff on the screen and my Boss looper. Maybe you pedal guys get some of the control back with your pedal, I dont' know.

 

[Al Holloway]

I tend to leave the tone alone when playing a set sound. However when switching between clean and crunch I tend to adjust the tone. If using a higher gain for doing CRGU especially on the bridge I tend to have the tone on 10. For the BGU stuff with lower gain I tend to turn the tone down as I don't like it to trebbly. However this may be because I generally use a Plexi patch which is quite dark and gets darker the more you turn up the gain knob.

cheers

Al.

 

[JohnHurley]

I use my tone knob a lot but where it belongs "as a default" varies to much guitar by guitar. On my gibsons the tone usually starts way up there 8 ish at least. Tends not to be adjusted much on my gibsons.

On the prs guitars it tends to get set at 4 or 5 ish. On softer cooler songs it will stay there. Louder faster things tend to get it set much higher sometimes.

I used to never touch my volume knob wanted to have it at max. Now it gets tweaked a lot. Mostly it starts at 8 ish ...

 

[PapaBear]

I use them occasionally, generally I set my amp and pedals to the guitar I'm playing and don't mess with anything much, other than the different pedals, If I'm using more than one guitar then I'll employ the tone knobs on them

 

[ronico]

1) I usually set it and forget it. (unless I accidentally change it.)
2) I DO set it differently on different guitars due to the flavors of Pickups.

I'm sorta on the same page as MikeS on this as for the guitar. Usually close to or dimed on the tone . Lately been happily twisting Knobs on the amp though. So I took door #2

 

[Crossroads]

I love woman tone on the neck pickup and I can get near zero on my JS 2410 or Jem without mud. Especially through a Dumble tone or Vibro verb.
I used to go to 10 on the bridge but often find my self rollin 6-10 to soften as needed, or rolling up to 10 to crescendo the solo.
On the right guitar with the right amp, even small changes in volume or tone can add a lot to dynamics.

 

[aleclee]

I mainly use it when playing without much dirt. That means I don't use it all that often.

 

[Grateful_Ed]

I answered "I never touch it", but to be fair, I haven't plugged in a guitar in months. I sorta play them "au natural".
It totally takes the pickups outta the tone wood debate..

 

[Ted_Zeppelin]

Every few weeks I get the inclination to adjust the tone knob down a little but I have never been inclined to keep it there. One note or chord and back to 10 it goes! Seems to take all the life out of the guitar. Maybe it’s just my ears. Someone mentioned stereo tone settings. It drives me crazy when someone has the tone dialed back making the music sounds like a pile of crap. If my tone knobs on my guitars went to 11, that’s where they would be set.