Fender Strat Floyd Rose Guitar (HH) - pot & cap value recommendation for Pearly Gates

[redscott131]

Hello. I have a (MIM) Fender Stratocaster Floyd Rose Guitar (HH, blacktop model) that I've owned for several years now. I've finally decided to tinker with its electronics, and was looking for suggestions/advice for its pots & caps values. At this point in time, it has had its trem block upgraded to brass, and has had a trem-stop installed (only has downward dive option). Here is a stock picture for reference.

• Body Material: Alder
• Fretboard: Rosewood
• Neck Material: Maple

After hours of research, I decided that the pickups going into it will be a regular Pearly Gates (trem spaced bridge model) and a Pearly Gates (neck model); both uncovered. I know the CC is also a poplar bridge suggestion for a HH strat.

Anyways, I'm not trying to reinvent the wheel, so I was just seeing what the general consensus/recommendation for potentiometers and capacitor values are, based on experience with of a similar setup type. From what I've read, 250K pots work really well Pearly Gated pickups in strat guitars that are either HSS (in bridge) or SSH (in neck), but both of those are mixed with single coils.

Let me know what you have to say. I play classic rock going into Marshall Amps and Cabinets.

[jmcorey]

Re: Fender Strat Floyd Rose Guitar (HH) - pot & cap value recommendation for Pearly G

Sweet looking guitar. I'll post here b/c I intend to do the same thing with one of my strats.

[jeremy]

Re: Fender Strat Floyd Rose Guitar (HH) - pot & cap value recommendation for Pearly G

does it have two volume controls or two tone controls? i would put a 500k pot on the neck and use a 250k pot on the bridge.

[redscott131]

Re: Fender Strat Floyd Rose Guitar (HH) - pot & cap value recommendation for Pearly G

does it have two volume controls or two tone controls? i would put a 500k pot on the neck and use a 250k pot on the bridge.

One volume, and two tone controls.

[redscott131]

Re: Fender Strat Floyd Rose Guitar (HH) - pot & cap value recommendation for Pearly G

Any more input from forum members?

[jmcorey]

Re: Fender Strat Floyd Rose Guitar (HH) - pot & cap value recommendation for Pearly G

I think that the big apple strat (another HH fat strat) had 500k volume, 500k tone for neck pickup, 250k tone for the bridge.

What does the guitar have now? You could always just replace the pups and then change the pots if you don't like the new tone.

[Rand-O-Monium]

Re: Fender Strat Floyd Rose Guitar (HH) - pot & cap value recommendation for Pearly G

One volume, and two tone controls.

Fixable while you've got it opened up,if you like...

.02

Lerv teh Silver & Black!

[EDX]

Re: Fender Strat Floyd Rose Guitar (HH) - pot & cap value recommendation for Pearly G

i would wire it with 2 vols and one tone, and i would use 500k push pull pots, that way you can use the push pulls to put a 250k resistor on parallel to the vol pots and turn them onto 250k and wire a push pull as a blower switch for soloing

[Mincer]

Re: Fender Strat Floyd Rose Guitar (HH) - pot & cap value recommendation for Pearly G

I use 500k all around with .047 caps. Volume, tone, tone. I would probably use a Super 5 way switch to split the humbuckers to inner & outer coils in positions 2 & 4.

[treyhaislip]

Re: Fender Strat Floyd Rose Guitar (HH) - pot & cap value recommendation for Pearly G

I have a Strat with the PGb and Phat Catn with just a master volume and master tone–I try to keep things simple. lol I think you will love the Pearly Gates, especially in the bridge! Best of luck and enjoy!

[dotsdad]

Re: Fender Strat Floyd Rose Guitar (HH) - pot & cap value recommendation for Pearly G

just replace the pups and then change the pots if you don't like the new tone.

^^^ this. ^^^

[KKDARLING]

I am awaiting my new Strat.
I just purchased a 2021 Fender Player Series Strat, HSS.....H in the Bridge position....with a Floyd Rose.
I'm removing the horrendous Floyd Rose Special, yes....it's e"special"ly an extremely horrible excuse for a Floyd Rose Bridge, replacing it with an "Original" Floyd.
Here's my Pickup question.
The Player Series Strat, from what I've read, doesn't give high marks for the Pickups.
Having a very good friend lucky enough to work for Fender, explained to me the ONLY DIFFERENCES between the Mexican Strats, starting in the mid 2000's and the American Standard Strats from the late 80's, until roughly 1995 were about 60 miles and 1 Fret.
For Fender to hopefully recapture players looking for excellent quality Guitars and keep them in the $600-$900 range, was to restructure WHERE Fender Guitars were made.
Hence the jump in price of most Mexican Strats as well as some more expensive and less expensive Squires.
So, starting with the Player Series Strats, the Necks, Bodies, Hardware and the vast majority of Pickups are made HERE......IN THE USA BUT ASSEMBLED IN MEXICO!! Labor being much less South of the Border, about 60 miles away from the Corona area, where USA Standards were built.
Now, as far as the Pickups, they did do some price cutting in the Pickup area, STILL MADE IN THE USA....just "OutsourOutsourced to other unknown American Pickup supplier.....my guess was Kent Armstrong but he couldn't tell me.
I read the Neck and Middle Pickups are "Decent," but the Neck left something to be desired.
I'm also ordering the Jackson, Adrian Smith Signature, also a HSS Configuration that comes with the JB Trembucker TB-4 in the Bridge and "Stacked" Singles in the Neck and Middle.
The JB TB-4 B IS WIRED, FROM THE FACTORY, SPLIT.
I play a WIDE RANGE of Music.
From Hard Rockin' Blues.....Joe Bonamassa, Robin Trower and Pat Travers....just to name a few to flat out, Ear Bursting Hard Rock and Metal.
I've always loved the TB-4....it's my "Go To" for virtually everything.
With that said, I really see ZERO NEED in basically lugging around virtually 2 of the same Guitars.
I'm really considering the Pearly Gates...quite a few friends use them.
My question is, and I'm sure I could've asked a million words ago, is the PG available in a "F" Spaced size or is it strictly a STANDARD SIZED, REALLY NICE PAF???
I'd love to keep this Strat as Original as possible, keeping the Neck and Middle Pickups, I'm just wanting to change my tone quite a bit and changing the Bridge to something that's different from every single other pickup I've already tried and have the ability to Tap/Split the Coils and CLEAN UP NICELY whenever I decide to roll it back some.
Okay.....now that my NOVEL HAS ENDED, for the 1 or 2 of you who stuck around, I'd love to hear your ideas and thoughts!!
Thank you so much for your patience!!
Vann "KK DARLING" Benthusien!!

[Mincer]

Welcome to the forum!

Before I recommend pickups, I'd have to ask...what do you not like about the current pickups? Do you need more power? Less treble? The set in the Adrian Smith Strat is a good one. The JB is really the ultimate hard rock pickup. For the singles, you might like the Classic Stack Plus. They have enough output to keep up with the JB, and sound great on their own while still sounding noiseless.