modifying tone control on Eastman archtop

[passfan]

I recently changed the pickup on my Eastman 905.I also decided to change some of the electronics.
The tone control on this guitar was almost useless due to the use of a 500k logrithmic pot.Only effective at the very end of the travel and becoming muddy very quickly.The ideal solution would be to use a linear pot.This proved impossible for me to obtain in the thumbwheel configuration.
I soldered a 470k ohm resistor across the tone pot effectively reducing the max resistance to 242kOhm.This gave the tone control a more usable range.In theory this should cut the high frequencies even with the treble fully on but I can't say I noticed any difference.
I also changed the capacitor from 0.022 to 0.015 uF making the tone less muddy when fully rolled off.I used a Russian paper in oil capacitor.I think it must be snake oil they used.An Orange Drop or similar would do just as well.
I must say I'm well pleased with the result.I've now got a tone control that is of some use.
I hope this mod can help someone with the same issues.

[tonedeaf]

Interesting. I have an 805 and I assumed that the thumbwheels were just basically junk and replaced them with CTSs mounted on top of the pickguard. Never occurred to me to try mod'ing the stock stuff.

[Retroman1969]

Thanks, this is interesting info to have.
There's an 805 at my local music store on which the tone pot seems to do nothing, almost like its not connected. Maybe those thumb wheels are junk.

[tonedeaf]

Originally Posted by Retroman1969

Thanks, this is interesting info to have.
There's an 805 at my local music store on which the tone pot seems to do nothing, almost like its not connected. Maybe those thumb wheels are junk.

Well, new electronics and a Benedetto 6 on my 805ce took it from just ordinary to a guitar I can hardly wait to get home and pluck at.