Volume Knob Configuration ~ How long have I been bass ackwards

[mwd]

Got a new ESP the other day that I keep in the studio so I have only played it 3 times prior to last night. I'm a 'leave the volume knob at 10' type guy but last night the bridge pickup was a bit bright so I wanted to use middle position and roll a bit of neck p/u down. For a tamed bridge effect.

Knob config is V,V,T. I went to choose my volume knob (to the left looking down) to roll down neck pickup and nothing. Moved middle knob and it controlled neck. What?????

Wrote to ESP telling them my pickups were wired backwards and they responded (very quickly I might add) and said it was done that way because of artist and design team preferences and that my guitar was indeed wired correctly.

Every guitar I have ever owned has aligned, looking down, left volume = left pickup, middle volume volume = bridge, right knob master tone, on a 2 pickup guitar.

I think....

Did I miss something?

 

[Jeries]

It makes sense- you're more likely to use the bridge and have that closer to control- you're also likely to have the neck on zero for several reasons so having that second makes sense too...

You can easily have it wired- $20 tops any way you want it...

A lot of things don't make sense in wiring- like a strat doesn't have a bridge tone control- and two separate tones for neck and middle are a waste- mine are wired into MASTER VOL/MASTERTONE/BLEND and it blends whatever pickup is NOT on

 

[Geezerjohn]

Personally, I would struggle with that configuration. Like @Jeries said, you can have it rewired for a modest charge. If I loved the rest of the guitar, I'd have it rewired. I play a lot of live gigs. i don't want to have to think about the mechanics of working the guitar. Too confusing.

 

[Admin M@]

mine are wired into MASTER VOL/MASTERTONE/BLEND

Mine too

 

[mwd]

It makes sense- you're more likely to use the bridge and have that closer to control- you're also likely to have the neck on zero for several reasons so having that second makes sense too...

Ahhh.... Jeries you have identified where I am bass ackwards. I far prefer neck pickups. I rarely use the bridge p/u on any of my guitars. Kind of why I was messing with the bridge pickup in the first place to see if it would be any different experience for me.

 

[Jeries]

if someone disconnected all my middle pickups to all my guitars it would take me at least 3 years to realize it
and half my neck pickups

NOW in your case- if it's second in line you have no chance of knocking it accidentally down-

 

[mwd]

Very true. I just installed a Fluence set in my Marler Strat Style with domed knobs and I keep accidentally rolling down the neck pickup volume. Hmmm.... if I strategize that I paid big bucks for this ESP 'custom' configuration I'd probably be a lot happier about it...lol.

 

[TG3K]

...mine are wired into MASTER VOL/MASTERTONE/BLEND and it blends whatever pickup is NOT on

I like that approach. Anyone have a link to a schematic for that? Actually, now that I think about it, I suspect I'd like having three volume controls and doing away with the tone controls altogether. I ca'n't remember the last time I actually used a tone knob.

if someone disconnected all my middle pickups to all my guitars it would take me at least 3 years to realize it...

With Strats, I'm on my bridge or bridge/middle setting about 98% of the time. My Strat neck pickups don't get a lot of use.