Can you increase the max volume of a guitar easily?

[dyerseve]

I have a friend who has 3 guitars(i know, i know). 2 of them are loaded with some hot Seymour Duncan pups and have a significantly higher output than the third guitar(a Parker Fly that the SDs wont fit into without routing which he is keen to avoid).

The reason this is a problem is switching between guitars during a set and forgetting about the different output.

So is there a simple mod that he can carry out on the PF to get the output higher - or on the other 2 guitars to reduce their max output to match the PF?

My initial thought was can you increase the max volume by changing the volume pot value but i think that that value has no bearing on the maximum output because at that stage the resistance is zero?

Any help much appreciated.

Edited January 23, 2019 by dyerseve

[Low End Bee]

A boost pedal like the TC Spark would be my solution.

https://www.andertons.co.uk/guitar-dept/guitar-pedals/boost-pedals/tc-electronic-spark-booster

[paul_c2]

The low output guitar would need a pre-amp of some kind, whether this is built into the guitar or using eg a boost pedal, there's options. Or, different pickups (but then that's quite an alteration).

Alternatively, some kind of pad/volume reduction could be put onto the 2 high output guitars. This could be as simple as setting the volume control lower and a piece of tape to hold it at its setting. But its not ideal to do this (you lose the benefit of the high output, and have less headroom before noise, etc etc).

Personally I'd go for the "boost" pedal route - not sure what pedal has 3 inputs and one output, with the inputs individually controllable/switchable but that would be my preferred option.

[jrixn1]

2 minutes ago, paul_c2 said:

not sure what pedal has 3 inputs and one output, with the inputs individually controllable/switchable but that would be my preferred option.

Radial Bumper or Boss LS-2.

[hooky_lowdown]

Agree with others about a boost pedal. You can also increase the height of the pups so they are closer to the strings - this will also increase the volume.

Edited January 26, 2019 by hooky_lowdown

[jrixn1]

10 hours ago, hooky_lowdown said:

You can also increase the height of the pups so they are closer to the strings - this will also increase the volume.

This is correct. One thing to consider is that it might also change the tone (which could be a bad or good thing).

[Baxlin]

Might be a tad Heath Robinson, but my cheap solution seems to work.  I bought an acoustic guitar EQ for five or six quid, mounted it in a plastic box, with input and output jack sockets.  The hardest bit was finding a suitable box.  Wiring was easy.  Total cost less than a tenner.

[dyerseve]

On 27/01/2019 at 01:03, jrixn1 said:

This is correct. One thing to consider is that it might also change the tone (which could be a bad or good thing).

thanks to everyone for your replies. Yes I had considered the pickup height but there is no movement there sadly due to the type of pups.

Boost pedal it will have to be.

thanks again