Changing pickups isn't the only way to alter your tone

[Trussrod]

In case some folks aren't aware of this...

I'm all for swapping pups (and there have been a lot of threads on the subject recently) but there are other mods that affect tone.

Too much treble or too harsh?
If the pup you have seems too trebly and you have 500k volume and tone potentiometers try swapping in 250k pots. It will reduce some of the harshness associated with higher frequencies.

Not enough bass?
If your guitar has a Floyd with a pot metal sustain block try swapping in a brass block. If you already have a brass block swap in a larger one. You'll get more bass with this mod.

Not enough sustain/high frequencies lacking?
This mod is all about tightening up loose parts. Lock down any loose parts that can rob the strings of vibration. Make sure the neck screws are tight if you have a bolt-on neck. If you have a tunomatic bridge consider getting a tone-pro w/set screws. If you have a floating point trem wrap teflon tape around the posts so there is no play at all left when the screws are installed in the ferrules. You could also buy the cross drilled Gotoh style ferrules instead of using teflon. You’ll get the high pitched natural harmonics that occur between the nut and the 5th fret on the g and b strings with this mod. I noticed I had a better strat sound with the neck pup after doing this too, but the trem posts were really loose on my guitar.

Any or all of these mods might help you get closer to the tone you want and instead of swapping a good pup for a different one you have the opportunity to get the most out of the pup you already have. Anyone have any other mods to add?

[Grandturk]

Here's a tone changing secret - those knobs on the front of your amp? If you turn them, your sound changes.

[gregthatshreds]

tee hee hee

[Zerberus]

...
This mod is all about tightening up loose parts. Lock down any loose parts that can rob the strings of vibration. Make sure the neck screws are tight if you have a bolt-on neck. .... If you have a floating point trem wrap teflon tape around the posts so there is no play at all left when the screws are installed in the ferrules. You could also buy the cross drilled Gotoh style ferrules instead of using teflon. You’ll get the high pitched natural harmonics that occur between the nut and the 5th fret on the g and b strings with this mod. I noticed I had a better strat sound with the neck pup after doing this too, but the trem posts were really loose on my guitar....

You mean, maintaining something properly can keep it´s performance at an optimal level??

WOW, what a novel Idea

[DonP]

You gotta love this place

Anyone have any other mods to add?

Yes, there are many, many more. Aluminum vs. Zinc vs. Steel tailpieces, Callham stuff, pigtail stuff, the list goes on and on. lightweight vs. heavy tuners, fatheads, [scratch]Super Distortion pickups[/scratch], some of this stuff is probably before you were born

[DalyTek]

What about using different strings? It may be my own weird perception, but I have noticed this is an easy way to get different tone. Not just the thickness of the strings, but the way they are wound, coated/uncoated, etc.

[Trem]

i posted a thread recently about the pots, and shielding my guitar.

http://www.jcfonline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=99991

pots make a huge difference, but i'd try smaller increments for humbuckers, instead of dropping to 250k right off.

there's a huge variance in standard pots so just throwing whatever in there without putting it on a meter first and seeing what you got is functional but you can't fine tune it by choosing specific values and working from there.

another thing using a smaller tone cap depending on what you need a tone knob for.

Tone knob it really is a kick ass functional thing if you've chosen the right tonecap.

standards are like .022uf .043uf - for humbuckers go down to at least a .015uf or lower, and you can use the full range of the tone knob - and it's not like using the knobs on your amp, it's a pre eq.

Alot of pickups have probably been went thru by people, and trying pots and tone caps probably could have changed their mind.

I would try it first before changing pickups, unless they are just too far from what you want.

[Dreamland_Rebel]

i changed out the stock pots on my 2006 Gibson V and now i love the sound of the stock pickups. before they were dull and muddy. now the scream!