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  #1  
Old 06-27-2017, 06:17 PM
JLT JLT is offline
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Default Control location on an acoustic -- your preference?

I've posted this on another builder's forum, but I'd like to get the feedback from you folks as well.

I'm building a parlor guitar and installing a JJB pickup set that has a volume and a tone control. I've seen these with a thumbwheel just inside the sound hole, but there's not a lot of space on this size of guitar. So I'm thinking instead of three options:

1. putting the control knobs on the soundboard itself, like the usual electric guitar setup. The downsides are that the knobs may interfere with fitting the guitar into a hard case, and that the soundboard is so small that I don't want to put anything there that might deaden the sound, especially since I'd have to mount the controls on some sort of reinforcing plate. (Plus they look kind of tacky there, IMHO.)

2. Putting the controls on the upper bout on the bass side, just above the waist, mostly recessed and using thumbwheels instead of knobs.

3. Like #2, but on the flattest part of the lower bout, just below the waist.

I'm thinking that #2 and #3 would present the least problems with fitting it into a case, assuming that I can get a hard case for this beast.

If this were your guitar, where would you most likely want the controls to be?
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Old 06-27-2017, 06:37 PM
ricklt ricklt is offline
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How about upper bout, right next to the neck.

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Old 06-27-2017, 08:16 PM
printer2 printer2 is offline
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How much space do you need in the soundhole? This would be my preferred position.
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Old 06-27-2017, 09:15 PM
Mr Fingers Mr Fingers is offline
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Offboard entirely and ideally controlled by pedals. Sorry (I know I'm a crank) but I hate adding mechanical crap to any guitar.
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Old 06-28-2017, 05:31 AM
kjaffrey kjaffrey is offline
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I would second the notion of squeezing it into the soundhole. I just hate the idea of a hole on a guitar that will still be there after the pickup dies. My second choice would be a pedal type preamp with a boost button so you can at least have some volume control.
Kent
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