Pickguard and Volume/Tone placement problem

[Jon-Henry]

You also could just move the volume knob to where the tone knob is now, use a thumbwheel attached under the pick guard for tone control and plug the remaining open hole. I bought some thumbwheels from WD music, don't know what brand they are but i can confirm that they are reliable. I screwed them on a piece of plastic which i glued under the pick guard so they are easily removable. With good quality glue it will not be necessary to worry about falling off.

Good idea about the knobs! And ok about the glue!

[nopedals]

IIRC, the schattens may only be available as 500k, and that a resistor may be required to get the tone where you want it. I will leave that to more tech minded folk.

I am planning a different approach with my L7. I have one of these (close but not exact; I have the model 55 with raised pole piece screws):



I don't use a pickguard, and was thinking of mounting the controls on a "Doug's Plugs" type of thing; cut some hobby board to just a tiny bit larger than the lower F hole, paint it black, screw the control box onto it, and glue insulation onto the back of it so that it fits tightly over the F hole. The pickup sticks nicely with a thin strip of two sided tape on the flange that slides under the fingerboard.

So I get an easy on/off tone box mount that also controls feedback with no holes drilled (I am guessing that the lower f hole is the prime source of feedback, since my arm damps the top one, but you could do both). Everything comes off the guitar for everyday acoustic play.

[Matt Cushman]

I am a big fan of the Schatten type controls. They're so thin that I plan to place one under the fingerboard extension on my current build. Having a thumb wheel at the fingerboard end on the bass side is real close to the picking hand and can be turned with the side of the thumb while still holding the pick! Many archtops don't have the 3/16" space that is needed to mount under the fingerboard. It will be a few months, but when I wire up this guitar I will post a few pics of the process.

[Max405]

Eventually. I'm really busy with three commissions from Mel Bay, all in DADGAD tuning: one Celtic, one Classical, one Blues. Really enjoying getting into that, but on a Taylor steel-string.

Hey Rob, I cant wait to here/see it. That must be cool.
Sorry about your pickguard. Ebony can sometimes be very brittle in the grain direction. A great trick is glue a veneer of some other thin wood (maybe Maple) in the opposite grain direction. Of course on the underside of the pickguard.
Joe D.

[Rob MacKillop]

Thanks for the concern, Joe, but it's not a problem. I just superglued it back in place, and no one can see the join. Se M's to be holding up.

Yes, it's fun writing those books! The blues one is progressing nicely. I'll be making videos to promote them. I'll post the blues ones here.

[Jon-Henry]

When installing the Schatten thumbwheels, is it necessary to exchange the whole pickup system, or is it possible to connect the thumbwheels to the existing pots and jack etc. (if those are the correct terms :/)?

[fws6]

When installing the Schatten thumbwheels, is it necessary to exchange the whole pickup system, or is it possible to connect the thumbwheels to the existing pots and jack etc. (if those are the correct terms :/)?

You dont have to change anything you're just exchanging one pair of pots that has knobs sticking out above the guard, for a set of pots that is attached hidden underneath the guard. You dont have to change out the other components.

This thread started by the OP looking for a new guard, but alternatively the holes in the existing guard could easily be filled in , too.

[Rob MacKillop]

The OP has learned to live with it - always the cheaper option!

[Jon-Henry]

I am afraid I have rather an unorthodox style of playing - very much Django-influenced - and I don't think I might ever really play with ease and comfort with these blasted controls in the way, unlike the OP now, it seems.

I have now been in contact with D'Angelico in New York and they tell me that they have recently launched a new version of the EXL-1, i.e. the EXL-1A. I have been informed by Tim Hall at D'Angelico that this perticular model does not have an active pickup, but a floating bridge with a transducer pickup, i.e. there aren't any controls on this one at all that could get in my way.

This might be a bit astray from the main topic of the thread, but what do you guys think about having a passive pickup, without the controls? It would save me the nuisance of the knobs, but perhaps a passive pickup is a bad idea? I understand it makes the box more prone to feedback, for example.

Also, I'd either have to sell my current D'A EXL-1 or get the store to take it back...on top of that I am a lefty and I am not certain they have any LH of this new model.

How could I miss the knobs...I thought my research was thorough..

[lawson-stone]

The OP has learned to live with it - always the cheaper option!

Did you learn to live with the knob placement or with the thumb-wheels?

Remember that rock player, I think Phil Keaggy, who would hook his pinky over the volume control and manipulate the volume note by note as he played?

[Woody Sound]

Not sure if this helps, but here's what I made for my D'Aquisto when I switched to a Kent Armstrong PAF. I recently sold the guitar, but I still have that whole pickup/pickguard assembly.

[Jon-Henry]

Not sure if this helps, but here's what I made for my D'Aquisto when I switched to a Kent Armstrong PAF. I recently sold the guitar, but I still have that whole pickup/pickguard assembly.

It looks great (!) but I'm afraid I play left handed..but thank you anyway!

[Jon-Henry]

Not sure if this helps, but here's what I made for my D'Aquisto when I switched to a Kent Armstrong PAF. I recently sold the guitar, but I still have that whole pickup/pickguard assembly.

However, that is indeed an even better idea! To get a new pickguard and just move the top knob one downwards. I think that is the answer; thank you very much, mr Woody!!

[Woody Sound]

However, that is indeed an even better idea! To get a new pickguard and just move the top knob one downwards. I think that is the answer; thank you very much, mr Woody!!

Actually I was replying to Rob, but you're very welcome

[lawson-stone]

Not sure if this helps, but here's what I made for my D'Aquisto when I switched to a Kent Armstrong PAF. I recently sold the guitar, but I still have that whole pickup/pickguard assembly.

How thick is that Kent Armstrong PAF? I'm wondering about one for my Peerless Monarch.

[Woody Sound]

How thick is that Kent Armstrong PAF? I'm wondering about one for my Peerless Monarch.

It's a half inch thick. Then the cable adds just a little bit at the corner. PM me if you're interested in buying it. Awesome full humbucking pickup, I just don't have a guitar with a floater anymore.

[Jon-Henry]

Hi again!

I have gone back to the original plan to install Schatten pickups. I have another question: Are the original pots on the EXL-1 500, or 250 k? I understand I have to the right thumbwheels, so it's all compatible.

[JazzNote]

whatever the original pots are (most probably 500k) you can use what you want. For me 500k volume and 250k tone works fine. The range for adjusting the tone seems to be a bit wider with a 250k than with a 500k.

[Jon-Henry]

whatever the original pots are (most probably 500k) you can use what you want. For me 500k volume and 250k tone works fine. The range for adjusting the tone seems to be a bit wider with a 250k than with a 500k.

I see. The thing is, the guy I have been in contact with at my local guitar store says the pots I order (i.e. the Schatten thumbwheels) need to have the same amount of ohms as the D'A-pots. I am completely clueless you have to understand: are the numbers above ohms or something else? If not, does anyone know the ohm number on the D'Angelico Exl-1-pots? I tried to remove the pick guard to check, but failed because the mic is attached to it and I didn't dare go on when I saw the latter move..

[Jon-Henry]

I see. The thing is, the guy I have been in contact with at my local guitar store says the pots I order (i.e. the Schatten thumbwheels) need to have the same amount of ohms as the D'A-pots. I am completely clueless you have to understand: are the numbers above ohms or something else? If not, does anyone know the ohm number on the D'Angelico Exl-1-pots? I tried to remove the pick guard to check, but failed because the mic is attached to it and I didn't dare go on when I saw the latter move..

Idiotic. However, it was the guy at my local guitar store who told me about the ohms on the pots on the guitar having to match the ohms on the Schatten. What he realised today, when I finally had time to bring in the guitar, was of course that the schatten themselves already come with pots, which I now realise is exactly what was explained to me above..therefore they're finally ordered! Can't wait to play this beauty without these infernal knobs!

[Jon-Henry]

And, I of course forgot to say that I decided to go back to the original plan of getting the Schatten. Though, if that modification doesn't suit me, I indeed find Mr. Woody's solution to be a great idea for my next attempt. I wonder if it would be possible to get the guys at D'A to make a pick guard with holes for both controls at the bottom.

[Rob MacKillop]

I'm the original poster here. I got the Schatten wheels installed, and the pick guard fixed. Everything is now working fine.

[marcut]

Sorry about my previous post. I was trying to PM another member in reference to this post and ended up posting on the thread instead. My bad. Sounds like a good solution Rob. I'm considering something similar because I'm getting pretty frustrated with constantly banging into the volume pots on my Aria D'Aquisto New Yorker. I don't know if you have time but it would be great to hear something on your New Yorker with the new configuration. I'm also curious about the amplified sound with the Bartolini pickup.

[Rob MacKillop]

Some day