Monkey sans stick & Schatten Thumbwheel Controls

[FatPick]

So I want to install a new Dearmond RC1100 with under-the-pickguard Schatten Thumbwheel Controls.

The Schatten Thumbwheel Controls are 500K so I'd like to mod it to 250K or thereabouts.

Anyone done this?

Does anyone happen to know what the control box cap was for the original monkey-on-a-stick?

[Eck]

I know electronics, you can only replace a potmeter with a different one. But you may be able to put 250k in series with the pickup. Sounds like horse behind the cart though. Is there no way you can 250k pots?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Sam Sherry]

The standing internet advice of "use 500k pots for humbuckers and 250k for single-coils" is a guideline. Running a single-coil pickup into a 500k pot tends to add a little extra zip but it's still well within the reach of . . . the tone knobs on your amp.

[guido5]

I use the Schatten thumbwheels with the KA single coil handwound and it works really well.

[zizala]

All my single coils....be they P-90's, Guild Franz, or various DeArmonds work just fine with 500k pots.

If desired, there's never been a problem rolling them off with tone and volume controls or a little EQ.
I like to to get some brightness out of a neck pickup when called for.

[neatomic]

check this prior thread for detailed response

DeArmond 1100 Rhythm Chief


cheers

[omphalopsychos]

You should be using 1000k for that pickup. 250 will sound bad.

[FatPick]

Thanks for all the replies and the pointer to the motherlode Dearmond thread!

I think I'll just wire up the stock Schatten Thumbwheels and see/listen to what happens.

[KirkP]

I used the 500K Schatten thumbwheels for my RC1000 reissue, using the Schatten-provided cap. It sounds great. The tapers of both volume and treble controls suit me perfectly. I was worried that 500K would reduce the trebles too much since the original pickup used a 1M volume pot, but there are plenty of trebles left.

The pickup has a lot of bass, but rolling off the bass on the amp a bit takes care of that and provides a sweet full range tone. The original DeArmond control box had a “rhythm/solo” switch that could put a capacitor in series with the pickup, cutting the bass response for playing rhythm. It would be easy to replicate that in an under-the-pickguard installation, with a small switch to take it and out or another thumbwheel pot across it to act as a bass control. It would be interesting to tinker with that, but I don’t need it. DeArmond may have included it because at the time many amps didn’t have bass controls.

[neatomic]

I think I'll just wire up the stock Schatten Thumbwheels and see/listen to what happens.

exactly!!!

when the original rc1100's came out in 1953, amps were a lot different..octal tubes...different input impedences...speakers...things have changed!

let history guide you, but don't let it limit you

cheers

[sgosnell]

I like the Schatten wheels with my DeArmond 1100. I run it with the tone full open almost always. 250k wheel pots will cut more treble, 1Meg will let more through, but I find that 500k is perfect for me. YMMV. There are plenty of 250k thumbwheel pots available, but I haven't seen any 1Meg, although I haven't looked very hard. The Schattens are easy to find, easy to wire, and sound great.

BTW, it's easy to mount the DeArmond with BluTack, ala Whit Smith, which puts no holes in the guitar. I also use double-stick mounting tape to put the controls in the f hole, but they can go on the pickguard/fingerrest if you prefer that. Some people put a jack there for the cable to the amp, but I prefer an endpin jack. Some also mount the jack on the tailpiece with zip ties or whatever is available. Whatever works.