• Guys, we've spent considerable money converting the Les Paul Forum to this new XenForo platform, and we have ongoing monthly operating expenses. THE "DONATIONS" TAB IS NOW WORKING, AND WE WOULD APPRECIATE ANY DONATIONS YOU CAN MAKE TO KEEP THE LES PAUL FORUM GOING! Thank you!

Treble Bleed. Who's Using Them?

DannyR8

Member
Joined
Mar 2, 2015
Messages
219
I have 500k audio taper pots that have been measured slightly higher than 500k. I have everything wired up in the 50's wiring scheme. Proper PIO caps and push back braided two conductor wire. I should be getting all the "goods" but when I roll back my volume knobs for clean rhythm sounds things get dull still. All of the changes that I have made up to this point have been improvements but I still feel like I need more clarity. I play a friends PRS from time to time that has rolled back clean tones that are fantastic! I also have a Tele with 50's wiring and a treble bleed circuit and it too sounds great. So in the interest of getting the same results with my LP's, what are the values of cap/resistor that I need to try to implement a treble bleed? The Tele was done before I owned it, so I didn't hear a before and after but I like how it sounds. The PRS is a stock S2 Custom 22 and as I said, it sounds a reacts the way I like. Also, I am happy with my LP's full volume tone at the moment, so I am only trying to get better results after I start rolling the volumes back.

I have read about Kinman, Duncan and the simple treble bleed mods and I am not sure which version works best for LP's, especially 50's wired LP's. Any help?

I posted this topic in the repair section also, I don't know if that's okay. Will the mods please let me know?
 

magne-tone

New member
Joined
Jan 21, 2016
Messages
18
Can you post a pic of the treble bleed circuit on the volume pot(s)?

I used to use a 150K / 100K and .001uF in my Strats and it always sounded great. I now use '50's wiring and have no need of the TB circuit.

Your issue may be related to incorrect wiring, perhaps?
 

Albert

Member
Joined
Jun 28, 2003
Messages
38
I have 500k audio taper pots that have been measured slightly higher than 500k. I have everything wired up in the 50's wiring scheme. Proper PIO caps and push back braided two conductor wire. I should be getting all the "goods" but when I roll back my volume knobs for clean rhythm sounds things get dull still. All of the changes that I have made up to this point have been improvements but I still feel like I need more clarity. I play a friends PRS from time to time that has rolled back clean tones that are fantastic! I also have a Tele with 50's wiring and a treble bleed circuit and it too sounds great. So in the interest of getting the same results with my LP's, what are the values of cap/resistor that I need to try to implement a treble bleed? The Tele was done before I owned it, so I didn't hear a before and after but I like how it sounds. The PRS is a stock S2 Custom 22 and as I said, it sounds a reacts the way I like. Also, I am happy with my LP's full volume tone at the moment, so I am only trying to get better results after I start rolling the volumes back.

I have read about Kinman, Duncan and the simple treble bleed mods and I am not sure which version works best for LP's, especially 50's wired LP's. Any help?

I posted this topic in the repair section also, I don't know if that's okay. Will the mods please let me know?
I have a similar situation with a 2011 R0 that used to clean up fine, and still does with the stock neck Burstbucker, but after replacing the bridge pickup with both a used Throbak and a new Wizz, neither of those pickups will clean up properly. I tried replacing the volume knob with another Gibson Historic Spec knob that measured 530k, and I replaced the tone pot with a Luxe bumblebee, but no improvement. I'm thinking there's something about the Gibson volume pots that don't work with the boutique pickups, both of which have A5 magnets.

Did you get anywhere with your situation? I don't think a treble bleed circuit will achieve the clean up effect that '50s wiring does, based on my experience with both.
 

J.D.

Well-known member
Joined
May 24, 2006
Messages
10,030
PRS has been using treble bleed caps for decades.

There's a bunch of circuit variations that all do about the same thing. Inexpensive mod with easy installation that generally works well.
 
Top