stratoblaster install question

[claytushaywood]

I've noticed when playing active guitars that the volume knob is much more effective over the range of te sweep. There is a better taper and it seems there is no treble loss when you turn dow the knob. I was wondering if this is due to havin the buffer placed before the volume pot and then using a 25k pot for the volume control.

I was wondering if anyone had any insight on doing this with my strat and an alembic stratoblaster clone that I am going to build. Would it help my volume controls effectiveness if I put the blaster in between the switch and the volume pot (or maybe somewhere else before the pot)... what value pot would I want to use and would this work/ help? Wuld it be different than placing It after like the typical blaster install?

Thanks a bunch!!

[waldo041]

what is the difference between a low impedance output versus a high impedance output when a guitar cable is placed after them?

~waldo

[claytushaywood]

what is the difference between a low impedance output versus a high impedance output when a guitar cable is placed after them?

~waldo

a low impedance output will drive the cable better.....

[waldo041]

what is the difference between a low impedance output versus a high impedance output when a guitar cable is placed after them?

~waldo

a low impedance output will drive the cable better.....

agreed, but why does a low impedance output drive a cable better? what is it doing to the signal?

~waldo

[claytushaywood]

What's with all the brain busters waldo? why are you refusing to answer the practicality issue I'm asking about

[waldo041]

The answer is the low impedance output isolates the cable capacitance. So it is not creating a low pass filter like traditional high impedance pickups and cable capacitance do. So with a low impedance output regardless if you use a preamp/buffer in front of or behind a volume control you will not be filtering highs from you signal. Whether you put the blaster in front of a 25k pot or behind a 250k pot the results should be pretty much the same. What you don't want to do is use a 250k after the preamp/buffer because you are not utilizing it's low impedance output and are just recreating a high impedance output. ie.. a low pass filter. This is the reason why active/buffered guitars retain their high end throughout the rotation of the volume pot.

I just assumed with the knowledge you pass and checking out your avatar that you would rather be pushed to answer your question yourself. I was just trying to help instead of just throwing the answer out there.

~waldo

[zambiland]

I've noticed when playing active guitars that the volume knob is much more effective over the range of te sweep. There is a better taper and it seems there is no treble loss when you turn dow the knob. I was wondering if this is due to havin the buffer placed before the volume pot and then using a 25k pot for the volume control.

I was wondering if anyone had any insight on doing this with my strat and an alembic stratoblaster clone that I am going to build. Would it help my volume controls effectiveness if I put the blaster in between the switch and the volume pot (or maybe somewhere else before the pot)... what value pot would I want to use and would this work/ help? Wuld it be different than placing It after like the typical blaster install?

Thanks a bunch!!

I did this as a matter of necessity or laziness, depending on your point of view. I already had a CAE preamp in my strat under the pickguard, so I had changed out the pot to a 25k. Plus, I was lazy, so rather than take off the pickguard and remove the CAE, I just wired in the blaster at the end of the line and got on with it. Sounds great!

[claytushaywood]

The answer is the low impedance output isolates the cable capacitance. So it is not creating a low pass filter like traditional high impedance pickups and cable capacitance do. So with a low impedance output regardless if you use a preamp/buffer in front of or behind a volume control you will not be filtering highs from you signal. Whether you put the blaster in front of a 25k pot or behind a 250k pot the results should be pretty much the same. What you don't want to do is use a 250k after the preamp/buffer because you are not utilizing it's low impedance output and are just recreating a high impedance output. ie.. a low pass filter. This is the reason why active/buffered guitars retain their high end throughout the rotation of the volume pot.

I just assumed with the knowledge you pass and checking out your avatar that you would rather be pushed to answer your question yourself. I was just trying to help instead of just throwing the answer out there.

~waldo

I know all of this, and you could answer your own question with quite a bit more information than stated above. honestly, that's a very basic explanation- "the low impedance isolates the cable capacitance". Why does it do that?
you're answer basically ended up being "the results should be pretty much the same"

I've read that send the volume pot itself a low impedance signal will give you a better functioning volume control- i dont claim to know all that you know waldo, I also dont claim to believe that the science behind a lot of this stuff translates directly to functionality. IE: people in practice believe that sending the volume pot a low impedance signal will cause it to function better than placing the volume control before the buffer.

[waldo041]

honestly, that's a very basic explanation- "the low impedance isolates the cable capacitance". Why does it do that?

duh, because the resistance is too low to create a LOW PASS FILTER!

you're answer basically ended up being "the results should be pretty much the same".

exactly, as the 2 scenarios should be pretty much the same. regardless if you put the proper value volume control in front of or behind, as long as the output is low impedance, it will not react to the cable capacitance it isolates. i could have said they will be exactly the same, HOWEVER, not all pots have the exact same taper so my answer is appropriately stated.

IE: people in practice believe that sending the volume pot a low impedance signal will cause it to function better than placing the volume control before the buffer.

and i am sure some believe it should not matter either way as long as the proper value potentiometers is used keeping the output low impedance.

~waldo