AR500 Gain Knob Question

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Author Message   Jimmys Username: Jimmys Registered: 5-2003 Posted on Friday, August 10, 2007 - 6:44 am:    Hi, I just got an AR500AV. Awesome guitar in very good condition! The third of the volume/tone knobs (the "Gain" knob) has a detent - i.e. you can feel a notch at the half-rotated point. It is like a TBX tone control pot that some Fender Strats have. Is this the correct pot for the guitar? Not that I am worried - this thing sounds so good as is, even without the 9V battery for the EQ! Can't wait to try the EQ out. Thanks, James   Strings Username: Strings Registered: 1-2005 Posted on Friday, August 10, 2007 - 9:16 am:    Scared me too, Jimmy. I have a 2622 and a '79 AR500 (more like a hopped up 2622...w/Super 80s and etc.) and both go from 0 - 11 ; with no stop. And those drive to a much higher output. After ping-ing the group out here about it, I found that they all had the config you mention for their 2nd generation (1980+) 500...so, all is good!   Strings Username: Strings Registered: 1-2005 Posted on Friday, August 10, 2007 - 9:22 am:    ps...I noticed that I failed to mention that I was referring to an '81 AR500AV I purchased recently...TOTALLY different than my '79. Wait till you try neck p-up only, trisound-parallel...clean...the single coils are REAL good too.   Jimmys Username: Jimmys Registered: 5-2003 Posted on Friday, August 10, 2007 - 7:45 pm:    Thanks String. That's great to know. Mine's an 81 also. Totally different to my 81 AR300CS, which now seems muddy sounding compared to the AR500. The AR500 has a half brass nut also - is this standard?   Jimmys Username: Jimmys Registered: 5-2003 Posted on Friday, August 10, 2007 - 7:46 pm:    Sorry, should have been "Strings", not "String"!   Strings Username: Strings Registered: 1-2005 Posted on Monday, August 13, 2007 - 2:35 pm:    Sometimes I feel like I'm running on just one "String"...; Mine does not have the half/half nut...I don't think they were stock on the 1980+ ARs. Could be wrong tho. Also, my 81AR300CS sounds no more muddy when run clean to amp...it is slightly different/slightly higher natural output...sorry to hear yours is a bit less distinctive.   Jimmys Username: Jimmys Registered: 5-2003 Posted on Tuesday, August 14, 2007 - 8:20 am:    Mate, I have had the flu so have definitely been running on one string lately! It is going around down here. The nut looks stock as it is coated in what looks like factory clear lacquer at the ends. I got a 9V battery and gave the EQ a go on the weekend. Man, this thing has boost. I was able to distort my Roland JC60 solid state amp at really low volumes. Mind you, it is a pretty average amp, but the difference between the guitar with the EQ on and turned up, and the EQ off, is huge. I reckon this guitar would sound amazing through a decent valve amp. Maybe that'll be the next purchase! I'll have to try the 81AR300CS against it properly. I do reckon the brass nut makes a difference though.   Strings Username: Strings Registered: 1-2005 Posted on Tuesday, August 14, 2007 - 10:37 am:    Do the comparison of both thru warm tubes and then you'll hear your AR300 in its proper context...humbuckers require it. The 500 has so many sweeteners that it would easily attract the ear over the 300 when run thru SolidState. I've never heard mid-range freqs handled well thru SS...sounds like snapping a piece of paper with one's finger. Feel better J!! ps...I (and I speak for myself) would never use the boost as an overdrive...but it absolutely accentuates/broadens the EQ settings as you open it up.

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