Author Topic: Confusing Electronics - California Special (Read 459 times)

lido · « **on:** September 10, 2008, 11:01:58 AM »

The electronics on my 1988 California Special are listed as AE-1, SSH, on/off. Although I do understand the notation, I am a bit confused on the function of the switches and tone control. I can obviously turn the pickups on and off but the bottom 2 are three way and don't seem to do much of anything in the up position. Also,the tone control is just barely noticable.

Does anyone know what the additional switch position are for and why the tone control has such little effect on the sound.

(BTW - I do have a fresh battery installed)

Thanks!!

David Houck · « **Reply #1 on:** September 10, 2008, 12:00:08 PM »

Hi Geoff, welcome to the board.

I'm not highly versed in California Special controls but I'll try and help until someone else with more knowledge comes along.

Not all California Specials have the same controls, but I'm guessing you've got two knobs and three switches, and no pickup selector.

The tone control is a low pass filter. Open all the way, full clockwise, all frequencies are allowed to pass (up to 6khz); as you roll it back, you begin lowering the threshold above which higher frequencies are rolled off. Closed all the way, you should only be hearing low frequencies, around 60hz. So it should be very noticeable.

The three switches should be on/off switches for the three pickups. The two that are three way may have a treble boost in addition to on/off. Remove the control cover on the rear. You should see some little blue square boxes with white round adjusting slots on top; these are trim pots. If there are more than two, then you may find that two of these are in proximity to the two three way switches; if so, then these two pots control the amount of the treble boost.

lido · « **Reply #2 on:** September 10, 2008, 12:19:34 PM »

Thanks for the reply! You're right, 2 knobs and three switches. There is only one trim pot however and it seems to be a control for the EQ. I don't see any treble boost functionality associated with the switches either. Here's what I've got:

mica · « **Reply #3 on:** September 10, 2008, 12:25:45 PM »

There's usually no 3-position switches on a California Special as the pickup selectors are strictly on/off. The notation for the electronics is standard, so either there's been some modification or a repair.

If you can post a clear picture of the electronics cavity, I can hopefully tell what's going on.

mica · « **Reply #4 on:** September 10, 2008, 12:28:27 PM »

Wow - I step away from my desk for an hour and so much has happened! Those pictures are nice and clear. I'll review them and get back with you later today.

lido · « **Reply #5 on:** September 10, 2008, 12:36:34 PM »

Sorry - hope these images are a bit better.

lido · « **Reply #6 on:** September 10, 2008, 12:42:41 PM »

Oops - looks like we're steppin' on each others posts. Oh well - you got plenty of pictures now

paulman · « **Reply #7 on:** September 10, 2008, 05:26:40 PM »

I was looking at those first pics of the cavity and thinking man, those are some crisp pics and then saw what Mica wrote. Nice work!

No expert here, but I'd venture to guess that's 3 regular pickup on/off switches with single filter with an output gain trim pot and a volume control. You should hear a big difference when turning the filter, it should almost sound like a Wah pedal if you turn it up and down while letting notes sustain.

Rog

mica · « **Reply #8 on:** September 10, 2008, 06:20:20 PM »

Peek on the switches. Stamped in the metal on the side of the switches should read 7201. If they are 7211, they are 3-positions, and two positions should still work as an on and off, and the middle isn't meaningful. They were never intended to have 7211s, but it sounds as though they do, at least in 2 places.

Only when all three switches are off is the output shorted (the purple wire connecting the switch to the output).

For the filter, the best way to hear what's going on is to hold a sustained note, then rotate the control back and forth. You should hear the wah that Rog is referring to. Let me know if you hear that. Then, compare the tone at the extreme or near extreme ends of the control. Completely clockwise should sound a good bit brighter than counterclockwise. The guitar filters are less dramatic than the bass filters because of the range they are tuned to. You can change out your guitar filter for a bass filter if you want to effect to be more dramatic.

Both sets of pictures were very nice by the way, but the second set was most excellent

terryc · « **Reply #9 on:** September 11, 2008, 05:38:09 AM »

Lido - they are very detailed pics, what camera and setting did you use, looks like a magnifier/close up lens usage

lido · « **Reply #10 on:** September 11, 2008, 05:51:32 AM »

Wow! Thanks for such a quick and thorough response!

The 2 bottom swtches are indeed 7211's. They must have been popped in there accidentely.

I turned the trim pot as you said and noticed no wah effect. The only result was actually a gain change from one end to the other. Occasionally I can hear it but it's VERY subtle.

(Thanks for the thumbs up on my pics! )

lido · « **Reply #11 on:** September 11, 2008, 05:58:43 AM »

I used a NIKON D-200 with an 80~200 VR Lens. I also used an off the shelf table-top OTT-LITE which is just a daylight color balanced flourescent light and sat it over the electronics cavity. Then I just stood obove and zoomed in and shot. Of course I also took it into Photoshop and cropped out some of the un-needed stuff.

For what it's worth, I'm also a Photographer and Web Designer. But it's a simple proceedure.

Thanks for asking!

keith_h · « **Reply #12 on:** September 11, 2008, 06:15:16 AM »

Geoff,
It is not the trim pot that will cause the Wah effect. The trim pot sets the overall gain of the preamp. The Wah effect is when you turn the filter (ie tone) control back and forth. As Mica said on guitars it is not as pronounced as on basses but you should still hear it.

Keith
(fixed typo)

(Message edited by keith_h on September 11, 2008)

lido · « **Reply #13 on:** September 11, 2008, 06:29:33 AM »

OK, I do hear the effect but it really is subtle. Almost unnoticeable, but there. Should it be more pronounced or is that the way it's set up?

Thanks!

lbpesq · « **Reply #14 on:** September 11, 2008, 07:39:37 AM »

In my experience the wah effect when turning the filter is more noticeable with a Q switch that has been turned on. Since this guitar doesn't have a Q switch (which boosts the signal at the cut-off frequency), I wouldn't expect much of a wah effect from turning the filter back and forth.

Bill, the guitar one