Best/worst guitar control layout

[DR5Guy]

Hello!

Please vote for the best and worst control layout (location of the tone controls and switches) of any guitar you have played. The layout should be judged by its ergonomics. My personal choices are - best:

1. 2011-2012 PRS Custom 24
2. Fender Prodigy

worst:

1. EBMM Armada

Thanks

 

[Deed_Poll]

I like a 2 vol / 2 tone layout myself. My favourite is probably my es330 with the switch amongst the knobs, but LP style is fine also. Stock strat layout with vol/tone/tone is my least favourite if you're talking popular guitars as the vol knob gets in the way and you can't roll off the bridge treble! Nightmare. I have my strat master vol / master tone / blender to simplify and get some cool tele sounds. The dead simple tele system is pretty hard to beat, although I hear the volume knob sometimes interferes with the switch.
Most crazy probably is the jag, as you can get a bit carried away with the downstrokes and turn the pickups off! Pretty silly.

 

[scolfax]

USA G&L Legacy. Master vol, master treble, master bass, and 5-way pickup selector.

 

[Ghostmaker]

Best:

Les Paul. Easy to reach anything. As someone who makes quick changes from dirty to clean, I can easily slap the pickup selector as I'm strumming up.

Worst:

Any that put the pickup selector between knobs, such as on Jacksons and BC Rich's.

Also, the PRS rotary knob. Takes too much movement of the hand to select pickups while playing.

 

[B e n]

Best:
Tele

Worst:
Les Paul

 

[V-man]

Randy Rhoads may have wrestled with an obese, restrictive '74 custom "tone monster" but he was rather astute in withholding approval on his Jackson Signature Series Guitar. The "Original Sin" white Rhoads with black pinstripes is a gorgeous axe to behold, and one can easily see the stylistic design cues adapted from his favorite axes: the LP and the Flying V. Unfortunately the first go-round was not very successful from an ergonomics point of view.

Here is a picture of my beloved '92 LTD. You can see from the layout how LP ergonomics don't translate on a V-type...


For starters, you have the pickup switch mounted on top of the guitar -the closest place to situate it as one would on a LP. This makes access rather dodgy on the fly and it is easy to shift the toggle forward out of the neck position,

Second, you have the terrible upper fret access, The LP's single cut construction obstructs everything below the 16th on the top/bass side of the instrument. The top wing of the RR begins here as well true to the LP design cue, but unlike the asymmetrical LP whose cut opens things up, the lower wing of the RR enters symmetrically and inhibits all upper fret access below the 16th.

Finally, one may argue the second tone knob is superfluous, hard to reach, and/or clutters access to the other knobs. In addition, the jack plate was mounted on the lower wing, which is an awkward insertion point.

At any rate, RR's demands gave us the advanced design we have today, complete with a V/V/T pickup switch orientation more in line with (and more advanced than) the flying V, the top wing-mounted input jack, as well as unfettered access to the upper frets until after the 19th (as shown with my other beloved, the PCS)

 

[27sauce]

I would have a Gretsch Setzer Hot Rod by now if it weren't for the control layout.

I also feel the SG layout is a little cramped/awkward. I like the Les Paul and Telecaster, its what I'm used to.

 

[danelectro]

I can't play a Stratocaster without accidentally bumping the volume control. I'm much more comfortable with a Les Paul.

 

[Jason_77]

I can't play a Stratocaster without accidentally bumping the volume control. I'm much more comfortable with a Les Paul.

I was just about to type these same two sentences.

 

[smolder]

I hate it when I have to look at where the pickup switch is because I forget if I have the SG or the Les Paul in my hands. Love the tele... just can't play a strat worth a crap.

 

[EADGBE]

I like a lead pickup only with a 500K volume and a 500K tone. Just like this 1982 Dean Z Baby.

 

[Tone_Terrific]

The EBMM JP has the pup switch in an insane position for anybody who moves their right hand while playing. HOW??
Strat concept is good if tweaked to move the switch and pots down and back.

 

[shane8]

best - all my guitars only have a vol pot
#1 the strat position
#2 the superstrat position

worst - everything else - particularly don't like toggles in the LP position

 

[Reace George]

Best:
Tele's

Worst:
Strat's (stock, I modded mine with master volume and master tone and now it's fun again!)

 

[Adamclayton]

Hello!

Please vote for the best and worst control layout (location of the tone controls and switches) of any guitar you have played. The layout should be judged by its ergonomics. My personal choices are - best:

1. 2011-2012 PRS Custom 24
2. Fender Prodigy

worst:

1. EBMM Armada

Thanks

I was going to say the Custom 24 is the worste with the rotary switch instead of the 5 way toggle.

I guess your meaning the 5 way switch right? Cause I have a 2011 Cu24 that has the rotary switch and been meaning to change it for 3 years now but still havent.

Best control layout for me, since I'm comfortable with it and use to it I vote Les Paul- vol-vol-tone-tone.

 

[hop]

I can get along with most anything but the pickup switch on a Strat always ends up on "Bridge Only" if you're strumming hard.

 

[danelectro]

I can't play a Stratocaster without accidentally bumping the volume control. I'm much more comfortable with a Les Paul.

I always play lead with the side of my palm resting on top of the bridge just behind the saddles so that I can easily mute the strings. I find that with the standard Strat layout my pinky is always bumping the volume knob. I made a black pickguard for my Eric Johnson Strat and I relocated the knobs downward as far as I could go without routing the body. The volume knob is shifted by about 5/8" which although isn't much, it really makes a big difference.

 

[gtraddict]

best g&l legacy, worst to me is some superstrats that have all the mini toggles

 

[Wibcs39]

Glad to see some people saying G&L legacy...I just got a tribute model the other day used and my early impressions are that the controls are incredibly useful/easy. But I haven't played any gigs or anything yet so it's hard for me to really judge.

 

[67mike]

Best....Peavey HP Special


Worst.....SG/LP