Volume control on passive pickup

[Danbruski]

Hello,
I’m readin a lot about the Schatten HFN and going passive.
How do you do volume changes during a song or between songs? The onboard preamp models (Fishman, etc) provides this at hand. I see the HFN has a pot volume control. Is that what passive pickup users use?

I play at church and a few other gigs and I change volume when I change from finger picking to strumming. I also like to turn off the volume when moving around and changing books and pages.

[jonfields45]

Schatten sells a passive volume control as one option:

https://schatten-pickups.myshopify.c...volume-control

I've got one, but I replaced the pot with a 25K linear to use with active pickups. It comes stock with a 500K analog taper pot which should be fine for an HFN into a high impedance load such as a guitar amp or guitar pedal.

[Captain Jim]

Similar to Jon's post, I use a Taylor V-Cable, a guitar cable with an on/off/volume built into the 90º jack on one end. I originally bought it to use with a guitar with a passive pickup, but found I really get the most use with all my active pickup guitars when changing guitars: roll the switch off and no popping noise when you unplug the cable and plug it into the next guitar.



Taylor isn't selling these anymore, but you can occasionally find old stock in a guitar shop. RapcoHorizon sells a similar cable (and I think originally made them for Taylor). Available at Sweetwater.

[GuitarLuva]

Originally Posted by Captain Jim

Similar to Jon's post, I use a Taylor V-Cable, a guitar cable with an on/off/volume built into the 90º jack on one end. I originally bought it to use with a guitar with a passive pickup, but found I really get the most use with all my active pickup guitars when changing guitars: roll the switch off and no popping noise when you unplug the cable and plug it into the next guitar.



Taylor isn't selling these anymore, but you can occasionally find old stock in a guitar shop. RapcoHorizon sells a similar cable (and I think originally made them for Taylor). Available at Sweetwater.

That is neat! I wasn't aware these existed thanks for sharing. Regarding the question from the OP, if you order the passive Schatten it won't come with a volume control. The do sell them separately as Jonfields said, they are a little pricey though. If you're an avid DIYer any pot will work fine to accomplish what you want, even a typical pot that you see on an electric guitar, though aesthetically it wouldn't be pleasing. You could also buy a thumbwheel off Ebay and solder it yourself. A linear pot would be ideal but a tapered pot would be fine also.

[philjs]

Originally Posted by GuitarLuva

That is neat! I wasn't aware these existed thanks for sharing. Regarding the question from the OP, if you order the passive Schatten it won't come with a volume control. The do sell them separately as Jonfields said, they are a little pricey though.

Depends on your POV doesn't it? The Schatten Black Box (I have two, and nothing I could make myself is nearly as elegant as the newer design) is $45 but the 10' Rapco Horizon V Cable is $52 and the 10' Taylor is $99 (all on Amazon.com).

If you already have decent TS cables then which is "a little pricey though"?

Phil

[GuitarLuva]

Originally Posted by philjs

Depends on your POV doesn't it? The Schatten Black Box (I have two, and nothing I could make myself is nearly as elegant as the newer design) is $45 but the 10' Rapco Horizon V Cable is $52 and the 10' Taylor is $99 (all on Amazon.com).

If you already have decent TS cables then which is "a little pricey though"?

Phil

Ummm I dunno if you misunderstood what I said so I guess I'll have to clarify. I was referring to this:

[IMG][/IMG]

That sells for $35.95 USD from StewMac. Good quality I'm sure but a little pricey for what it is. You can get the thumbwheels off ebay for a couple bucks, though certainly not the same quality, and solder it in yourself. I thought the cable was a neat idea as I've never seen or heard of them before, it accomplishes the same thing but avoids more stuff inside your guitar. I never once mentioned this "black box", but I just looked it up, it's neat as well, not quite as aesthetically pleasing as the cable though.

[RedJoker]

I use the K&K Pure belt-clip preamp to handle both the impedance matching and volume issue. I switch between bare finger fingerpicking and pick strumming so I want the volume control within reach.

[Gordon Currie]

Any time you stick a pot (variable resistor) in line with a passive pickup, you are likely changing the system impedance with different pot settings. This can (and does) cause things like treble disappearing as you turn down the volume.

Some designs add a capacitor to keep the treble from being affected.

Here is a thread from 12 years ago about K+K with a Schatten Black Box:
https://www.acousticguitarforum.com/...d.php?t=105667

Myself, I like to hit an impedance matching stage first. I use my ToneDexter as the DI stage, and then put a passive volume pedal in the FX loop. ToneDexter also has a Mute which is turning out to be handy.

[jonfields45]

Originally Posted by Gordon Currie

Any time you stick a pot (variable resistor) in line with a passive pickup, you are likely changing the system impedance with different pot settings. This can (and does) cause things like treble disappearing as you turn down the volume.

Some designs add a capacitor to keep the treble from being affected.

Here is a thread from 12 years ago about K+K with a Schatten Black Box:
https://www.acousticguitarforum.com/...d.php?t=105667

Myself, I like to hit an impedance matching stage first. I use my ToneDexter as the DI stage, and then put a passive volume pedal in the FX loop. ToneDexter also has a Mute which is turning out to be handy.

I think this is more about a magnetic pickup. My experience with a piezo pickup is you will be ok with a passive volume control. If you decide to buy the Schatten, Blue Star Music has it a little cheaper.

https://www.bluestarmusic.com/Schatt...ol_p_1016.html

Making one is not hard, but I was not able to match the Schatten for compactness...

[GuitarLuva]

I wired my own 500k pot to a passive Barbera Soloist with no issues. I certainly love having a passive pickup. There are times when I miss the volume at the fingertips though, like the OP. I might take Jon's idea and make my own if I can find a small enclosure to my liking.

[Uncle Pauhana]

I used to just rely on the board settings for volume adjustments, but now I have a Wampler EQuator semi-parametric EQ in the effects loop of my Red-Eye preamp, and use the volume control of the EQuator. It's a superior EQ, and the volume control is a bonus.

.

[dcopper]

I have gone to using an MXR mini-Dunlop volume pedal. It does not have a large amount of “throw” but enough to back off or increase the volume. I use it in front of the HX Stomp or the ToneDexter with MXR pedals in the TD Effects loop.

I also have the Taylor V cables but they are longer than 10’ So a bit bulky in small setups. A lot of time I leave the dynamics to my fingers and playing styles.

Davidc

[761]

Originally Posted by GuitarLuva

I wired my own 500k pot to a passive Barbera Soloist with no issues. I certainly love having a passive pickup. There are times when I miss the volume at the fingertips though, like the OP. I might take Jon's idea and make my own if I can find a small enclosure to my liking.

Sorry to resurrect an old post - but I am confused...
You wired a 500k pot to a passive barbera soloist with no issues. But you say you miss having volume at the fingertips?
So the volume pot was not in/on the guitar, but it worked?

[Marshall]