Opinions Wanted for New HSS Setup

[Frogman]

I changed up the configuration on my floyded alder/maple/pau ferro partscaster (3rd time now ), and I'm looking for opinions on how to set it up, mainly in respect to pots.

Pickups are a DD/C UOA5 hybrid in the bridge (which is AWESOME btw), and Dimarzio SDS-1's in the middle and neck. 2 volume pots, no tone.

I haven't installed the SDS-1's yet, because I'm waiting on the new pickguard to arrive (the middle & neck are reverse slant -- Jake E Lee style ).
I've read from various places on the net of people stating that the SDS-1 can sound pretty dark in the neck, so I'm thinking about using it with a 1meg volume.

Here are the options I've been contemplating:

Option 1
Volume 1: Bridge only - 500k
Volume 2: Neck & Middle - 500k

Option 2
Volume 1: Bridge & Middle - 500k
Volume 2: Neck only - 1meg

Option 3
Volume 1: Bridge only - 500k
Volume 2: Neck & Middle - 1meg


I like the idea of having the neck & middle on the same volume pot, as I could play cleans on position 4 with the volume lowered, and then flip to position 1 (on 10) for dirt/leads/etc.
With that being said, the neck pickup may be too dark with a 500k, but a 1meg may be to bright/shrill for the middle position, so that's where I'm torn.

I assume the main answer will be "try all 3" lol, which I agree would be the only way to really tell -- buuuut I HATE soldering (& the whole re-setup/take back apart/resolder/etc process),
so if someone has experience with the SDS-1 (or other higher output singles in the middle & neck), hopefully it can save me some time (and lots of frustration ).

Thoughts/experience/opinions?

[jimijames]

Re: Opinions Wanted for New HSS Setup

So both of the pickups are SDS-1's? I can't imagine that having the same pickup in the middle position would be so much brighter as to necessitate using a different pot.

I don't know how bright/dark the custom/DD is having never used one, but you seem set on using a 500k with that so I'm assuming it's brighter than the neck/middle pickups.

If it were me, I'd wire the neck and middle to the same potentiometer, whatever value you choose. And if I were choosing the value I would err on the side of brightness and choose 1 meg - you can always turn down the volume knob or tone knob to take out some of the brightness if it's too much.

And, on top of that, once you have everything back together and strung up, if it's not what you're looking for and you're as OCD as the rest of us on here you'll probably change it to the right value almost immediately anyway haha.

[Frogman]

Re: Opinions Wanted for New HSS Setup

Thanks. I'm with you on the neck and middle being wired to the same pot. Gonna go with option 1 or 3.


Hopefully someone with experience using a 1meg pot with a high output single (or P90) can chime in..