Jackson's volume knob placement (yet again)

[Shawn Lutz]

Re: Jackson\'s volume knob placement (yet again)

I do some swells with the volume knob. I don't find the placement a problem at all. I do notice that the metal dome knobs sometimes get in the way of the floyd bar on certain guitars. I prefer the Strat type of knobs on strat style guitars and the Gibson type knobs on Jackson V's and Firebirds

[charveljunkie]

Re: Jackson\'s volume knob placement (yet again)

never had a problem with it
i always like it close by

[MetalMedal II]

Re: Jackson\'s volume knob placement (yet again)

I find it to be in the way, especially the single knobbed ones where it's directly under the bridge pickup. I find it only to be in the way when picking the treble strings during soloing where I find my fingers bump into the volume and the volume gets turned down halfway before the end...hey, with the way I play, maybe that's not such a bad thing! [img]graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]

[MetalGrasshopper]

Re: Jackson\'s volume knob placement (yet again)

The volume knob under the bridge pickup of my Kelly and KV are always in the way...I find that the output gets weaker and weaker then I realize that I've been hitting the damn knob everytime I pick...

[Sunbane]

Re: Jackson\'s volume knob placement (yet again)

It's in the way.

I've had to relocate the volume knob in a few of my guitars because of this, leaving an empty hole where the vol pot used to be. Having to mod a brand new guitar in this manner isn't that fun.

Gibson have the right idea: Move the knobs AWAAAAY from the bridge. [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img] Seriously though, moving it just an inch back and down would take care of the problem.

[Boxcar Willie 84]

Re: Jackson\'s volume knob placement (yet again)

I do swells and change the knob settings to get different tones, because I can't afford nor do I want a volume pedal in my rig...I've got enough shit as it is. I think the knob placement on my Rhoads is horrendous.

[xenophobe]

Re: Jackson\'s volume knob placement (yet again)

Volume knob is just fine. I have never had a problem with them where they are.

[RacerX]

Re: Jackson\'s volume knob placement (yet again)

I never thought knob placement would be a problem for me - until I played out! When I was playing Angel Of Death my SL2H at MetalJam '03, I found I was turning the volume down - D'OH! [img]graemlins/evilimages/icons/tongue.gif[/img]

[shadowcat]

Re: Jackson\'s volume knob placement (yet again)

Originally posted by toejam:
</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Originally posted by Newc:
I've tried fanning my fingers out like Lynch, only to come away with severe wrist cramps, and I know I'm not the only one. I've also tried anchoring my pinky around the knob which either slowed down my picking hand or otherwise impeded my motion, or gave me hand cramps again.

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Not only do I fan my fingers out like Lynch, I also sometimes anchor the pinky on the knob or even the pickup bezels (or side of the pickup if it's an EMG) while doing solos. I started out playing that way, so it's natural to me and I guess that's why I don't get cramps. </font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">I do that as well... actually the only time I'm not anchoring my pinky on the pickup bezel is when I'm playing palm-muted riffs.
Well, maybe I'm just afraid of my hand flying away if it's not fixed on the guitar!? [img]graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]

[shadowcat]

Re: Jackson\'s volume knob placement (yet again)

Oh, and I forgot to mention:

So far I've never hit a knob by accident on any guitar, not even when playing live. And I don't get cramps either. [img]images/icons/cool.gif[/img]

However, the location of the blade switches... [img]graemlins/refuse.gif[/img] [img]graemlins/nono.gif[/img]

[Newc]

Re: Jackson\'s volume knob placement (yet again)

For those who do volume swells and volume changes, are they mostly abrupt changes to get a slightly cleaner tone (and I mean abrubt like Megadeth timing) where your hand cannot travel 5" from the strings before you have to hit the next note, or is there enough time to work the knob if it's as far away as on a Les Paul or SG?

Perhaps if I had started on a Strat copy or even a Charvel or Jackson, I'd be used to it, but since I started on an LP copy, I find the volume (on Warriors, especially) to be in the wrong spot. And no, I don't "windmill" or flog. I do on occasion anchor my pinky on the bridge pickup/bezel, but most of the time I'm pivoting at the wrist on the edge of the bridge (Floyd or TOM), and my pinky and ring finger curl down a bit, thus hitting the knob. On Warriors, the back of my third pinky knuckle (hand) hits the knob, whereas on most other models (SL DK, Fusion, etc) the second knuckle (middle) hits the knob.

Newc

[shreddermon]

Re: Jackson\'s volume knob placement (yet again)

The volume knob placement is fine. As are the other controls. Leave 'em alone.

Do you all get upset if you don't have Hanes 32s from KMart, too? [img]graemlins/images/icons/tongue.gif[/img]

[Newc]

Re: Jackson\'s volume knob placement (yet again)

Don't start that Rainman shit, dammit [img]graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]

I just asked if others found the knob in the way, seeing as how quite a few have said in other posts that they use it for volume swells. Personally, I find volume swells are smoother with a pedal than a pot, as some (most) pots cut in and out quickly if you turn them from 0 to 1 or 1 to 0, instead of a steady fade. Plus, with a pedal between the amp and guitar, you are maintaining your pickup's output level but controlling how much goes to the amp. With the pedal in an FX loop in front of an Arena-style reverb or heavy delay, you can perform "whale songs" and not get the quick cutoff that a typical pot has, plus you are maintaining your full gain setting (which adds to the effect, especially the sustain of the note).

Listen to the intro to Metallica's Damage Inc and Megadeth's This Was My Life - Damage has a very smooth fade in for each swell, but This Was My Life starts with almost too much volume - you can hear it kinda back down as soon as it starts. While I'm sure this can be dismissed as Post-Production, my personal experience indicates that Damage Inc was done with a volume pedal and This Was My Life was done with the guitar's knob.

But then again, as I said before, volume swells IMO are more suited to country pickers pulling steel licks than rock players. Volume CHANGES, yes, but other than those two Metallica and Megadeth tracks, I don't see volume swells being used that often outside country.

Newc

[Sunbane]

Re: Jackson\'s volume knob placement (yet again)

Originally posted by shreddermon:
The volume knob placement is fine. As are the other controls. Leave 'em alone.

Do you all get upset if you don't have Hanes 32s from KMart, too? [img]graemlins/images/icons/tongue.gif[/img]

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Good analogy. The answer is simple: If they don't, I go to another store. See? For some people, the volume knob placement can be the deciding factor in a guitar purchase. How fun do you think it would be to shell out $2000+ on a new guitar with a beautiful select finish, only to have to take away a pot and end up with a friggin hole in it? If my only option would be to order a custom, I'd sooner start looking at what the competition has to offer that is within my price range.

And no, I'm not going to change my playing technique. Would you ask a long-time lefty player to start playing righty?

Newc, we need to start a consumer inspection group, that can review different guitars and label the appropriate ones "vol pot approved" - or something to that effect. [img]images/icons/smile.gif[/img]

[Newc]

Re: Jackson\'s volume knob placement (yet again)

Actually I'm looking into making low-profile pots and dome knobs [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img]

Newc