How does hotter pots effect tone

[sweet_lou]

Just wondering does it make it brighter, Louder?

I am thinking of Humbuckers like a 59 n

[STRATDELUXER97]

Re: How does hotter pots effect tone

Just wondering does it make it brighter, Louder?

I am thinking of Humbuckers like a 59 n

Hotter? You mean higher resistance on the pot I think?

The higher resistance pot creates less resistance overall for the pickups,which keeps the highs in more..The taper is different also between a 250k and a 500k....I normally like to stay with 250k for "all" single coils and 500k for humbuckers,except my bridge position strat humbuckers..I'll use a 250k pot there so I can keep my other 2 single coils seeing 250k pot values...

The best guide would be to try both and go with what your ears tell you and not what other's say is right or wrong...

[rspst14]

Re: How does hotter pots effect tone

The pots aren't necessarily "hotter," they just have a higher resistance. Pots with higher resistances let more treble through, and will typically give you a brighter sound. That's why single coils typically use 250k pots and humbuckers typically use 500k pots.

Ryan

[sweet_lou]

Re: How does hotter pots effect tone

That's what I mean, so 500K is higher resistance than 250 right?

[ArtieToo]

Re: How does hotter pots effect tone

However . . . when I added the JB to my Genny, I rewired the volume control as a "variable-load" control exactly so I could hear what the difference is.
Here's an mp3 I made of simple four chord progression, that I repeat twice at each setting:

1. Neck Quarter Pound, tapped, 600k
2. Neck Quarter Pound, tapped, 100k
3. Bridge JB, 600k
4. Bridge JB, 100k

I can't really tell a difference between the two QP settings, and the difference between the two JB settings is so subtle, I'm not sure if its my imagination. The JB might be a bit mellower in the 100k position.

Check for yourself:

Pot load test.mp3

Artie