Definitive Trimpot Tweaking Thread

[John J]

Alright, I recently discovered that the second trimpot in the Micro Synth is actually an incredibly useful gate sensitivity control. I’m usually too afraid to twist any knob that isn’t on the outside of a pedal, but there are quite a few unspoken knobs that make an otherwise mediocre pedal sound great. Post a list of your favorite internal trimpots to tweak! The idea here is that no knob with a cool function should remain hidden, but you can post it even if the manual mentions the internal control. One thing, though: don’t be a dick and tell people to turn BBD calibration pots or anything that will screw the pedal up, the idea here is to maximize the sonic usefulness of our pedals. Also, don’t be an idiot and turn anything without marking it’s original position!

Aside from the aforementioned Micro Synth discovery, my all time favorite trimpot is in the MXR block reissue Phase 90. After cutting the components that cause the distorted midrange boost, play around with the trimpot and find the best sound. It affects the center of the sweep as well as the symmetry of the LFO, so in addition to a super breathy phase across the higher frequencies that almost sounds like a flanger, you can wind up with some super choppy vibrato sounds or the most convincing vintage Univibe this side of Mr. Gilmour’s collection.

All of these next ones are featured in the manual, but the Nano Soul Preacher has a super useful input gain control on the inside that can be used to tame the intentional distortion in the circuit, and the Fulltone ’69 fuzz has an internal trimmer that can go from a snarling, trebley, spitty fuzz to the smoothest fuzz this side of a Big Muff. All of the new Way Huge pedals have three internal controls that make it super easy to find a rad tone, although in my experience (I own a Fat Sandwich and I played with a Swollen Pickle in the shop) the factory settings sound the best.

Alright that’s my contribution, now post away!

[JRiggles]

There’s a trimpot in the Nano Dr. Q that seems to adjust the overall frequency range of the pedal. I tweaked this a bit to make it work with my bass, and it’s never given me a problem. Turn the Range knob all the way up, and adjust the trimmer (while playing) until it sounds good. Oh, and also there’s a trimmer in the Soul Preacher that adjusts the input gain…feel free to mess with it a little.

[richoz]

Quote:

There’s a trimpot in the Nano Dr. Q that seems to adjust the overall frequency range of the pedal. Turn the Range knob all the way up, and adjust the trimmer (while playing) until it sounds good.

Thanks! I’m gonna try this.

[Jaypee]

Boss CE-2 has a trimpot in it also. Adjusts the “intensity” of the effect. Sounds more like a wet/dry mix trimpot. I’ve got mine full cranked to the “wet” position. Full Counter Clockwise is a dry uneffected sound and full Clockwise is wet. But not like full Clockwise wet on a Holy Grail external Knob, just thoroughly choroused.

[Chumley]

There were a couple of pretty cool trimpots inside that Prophet VS, but its owner chased me away before I could completely remove the anti-aliasing circuit…

Good times.

[Dreamhunter]

I just opened to take a look inside my Boss Ce-2 but i didn’t see the trimpot, it must be somewhere under the circuit board and i am afraid to pull that out. I would have liked to try to see what difference it makes.

[Jaypee]

It’s not on the side looking at you when you pull the bottom cover off. It’s on the other side. You just have to be VERY careful with the wiring when you remove it.

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