volume pot value question

[tenniso]

i have a mexi-strat with a dimarzio hs-2 at the neck, wired parallel, an american strat neck pickup at the middle, and a dimarzio hs-3 wired series at the bridge.

i have eliminated the tone pots and just use the 250k volume pot. i did this because: #1 i always left the tone pots on 10, and #2 i thought that without the tone pots in the circuit i would get more clarity.

i want more sparkle out of my neck and middle pickups. i have tried adjusting the pickups every way you can imagine and i just cant get what i am looking for. the high end sounds to soft, and the low end sounds loose and flabby.
i want a the low end to be tight and articulate and the highs to have that bell like chime that strats are famous for.

would i get results by swapping the current 250k volume pot for a 500k pot?
please feel free to offer any suggestions you might have.
thanks in advance!

[Benjy_26]

Re: volume pot value question

You would get more chime from the neck and middle, but I'm afraid your bridge pickup might sound brittle. To be honest, I'd put the tone pots back and get a set of true single coils, like the Dimarzio Class of 55 or even better, the Duncan SSL-1's. This will give you all the chime and clarity that strats are known for.

[Kent S.]

Re: volume pot value question

I'd try a 1Meg with that set, I don't think that a jump to 500k from 250k will be a large enough jump ...2Meg might be excessive. Don't worry though, you won't have to worry about the HS-3 getting overly bright in the bridge.

[tenniso]

Re: volume pot value question

You would get more chime from the neck and middle, but I'm afraid your bridge pickup might sound brittle. To be honest, I'd put the tone pots back and get a set of true single coils, like the Dimarzio Class of 55 or even better, the Duncan SSL-1's. This will give you all the chime and clarity that strats are known for.

what if i put a tone control on just the bridge pickup or maybe a just a resistor to tame the highs?

[Kent S.]

Re: volume pot value question

what if i put a tone control on just the bridge pickup or maybe a just a resistor to tame the highs?

I really doubt the HS-3 is going to get brittle, more bite on the low strings, but the top will still be smooth. And yeah, you could always knock the HS-3 down with a 470k resistor, or shift it's peak down with a small cap, or you could put the tone control on just it ... Again though, I doubt you'll need to do that, but if so ... very cheap to do so.
No offense to Benjy_26, but it's cheaper than dropping new pups in, also if you later drop knew pups in, well you can just load the pot down via a resistor to get a facsimile of a lowered valued pot if new pups seem to bright (IMHO).

[Benjy_26]

Re: volume pot value question

no offense taken, but, if you want your strat to sound like a strat, why not just configure it like a strat. There are lots of folks who would buy a HS2/HS3 or maybe even do an even trade for real singles.