535 volume pot question

[Jenn]

Hi all,

I purchased a beautiful H-535 last year. I’m pretty  new to electrics, though I gig and teach extensively as an acoustic solo fingerstyle player. I love my Heritage very much, but I have a question about the volume controls. 

When both PUs are selected and turn either volume pot all the way down, the sound is also cut for the other pickup, thus resulting in no sound. This doesn’t bother me in the least, but I’m wondering if that’s normal and what is supposed to happen. Does the Gibson 335 operate in the same way?

Many thanks!

Jenn

[pressure]

Welcome Jenn. It's normal, that's the way the controls work. The Gibson 335 operates the same way.

[jacques]

There is something special though (which may be explained by technically better versed members here). I don't know if you, as an 'acoustic solo fingerstyle player' are particularly interested in electric lead guitar sounds, but the 535, as the 335 used to do when it was still a well made guitar, has an extra lovely tone in this position. You already wrote: when either pot is turned all the way down there is no sound at all. But turning the neck pickup volume control half way down with the pickup selector in the middle position gives your otherwise thin sounding bridge pickup some great warmth and bottom end. There are other interesting stages in between 2 and 9, depending on your amplifier and/or the various available stomp boxes you can put between the H535 and the amp. If I am not mistaken I am using this very setting on this here YouTube thingy. Sound was recorded by the film camera, but you get an idea. 

 

[Jenn]

4 hours ago, pressure said:

Welcome Jenn. It's normal, that's the way the controls work. The Gibson 335 operates the same way.

Great, thanks for the info.  I just wanted to make sure that something wasn't wrong!

Jenn

[Jenn]

2 hours ago, jacques said:

There is something special though (which may be explained by technically better versed members here). I don't know if you, as an 'acoustic solo fingerstyle player' are particularly interested in electric lead guitar sounds, but the 535, as the 335 used to do when it was still a well made guitar, has an extra lovely tone in this position. You already wrote: when either pot is turned all the way down there is no sound at all. But turning the neck pickup volume control half way down with the pickup selector in the middle position gives your otherwise thin sounding bridge pickup some great warmth and bottom end. There are other interesting stages in between 2 and 9, depending on your amplifier and/or the various available stomp boxes you can put between the H535 and the amp. If I am not mistaken I am using this very setting on this here YouTube thingy. Sound was recorded by the film camera, but you get an idea. 

 

Marvelous, thanks!

[Jenn]

Here’s the beautiful instrument in question. 

https://www.dropbox.com/s/pykhboy0fs7ytzc/IMG_0012.JPG?dl=0

Jenn

[jacques]

Ah, that is a beautiful specimen for an acoustic lady like yourself - right colour and all! And I see the pickup selector switch is in the right position, so pick up your new friend (who I think is female too) and whip it out, Jenn!

[TalismanRich]

That's a really nice looking guitar,  Jenn.

[Jenn]

15 hours ago, TalismanRich said:

That's a really nice looking guitar,  Jenn.

Thanks! Sound great through my Sewell amp too.