500K or 250K pots for H/S/S?

[LaXu]

I've currently got a H/S/S guitar with a SH-1 in the bridge and two SSL-1 single coils. Five way switch (with position 4 being split humbucker + middle single coil), one volume and one tone. The problem is that the highs are rolled off quite a bit if you turn down the volume pot, which is the way I like to go to clean tones since I'm using a single channel amp. My LP with Mastertone active pickups and 250K (yes, these can use 250K pots) DiMarzio pots doesn't do this much at all. So I'm thinking maybe the pots are the wrong resistance or just crappy ones?

Currently the guitar has a 500K (or more like ~450K when measured) volume pot and a 250K (~240K measured) tone pot. I checked the schematics section on the S.Duncan website and they recommend 250K for both volume and tone. Why is that?

What should I do? Change the pots to higher quality ones, change both to 500K or 250K or what?

[Luke Duke]

Re: 500K or 250K pots for H/S/S?

I've currently got a H/S/S guitar with a SH-1 in the bridge and two SSL-1 single coils. Five way switch (with position 4 being split humbucker + middle single coil), one volume and one tone. The problem is that the highs are rolled off quite a bit if you turn down the volume pot, which is the way I like to go to clean tones since I'm using a single channel amp. My LP with Mastertone active pickups and 250K (yes, these can use 250K pots) DiMarzio pots doesn't do this much at all. So I'm thinking maybe the pots are the wrong resistance or just crappy ones?

Currently the guitar has a 500K (or more like ~450K when measured) volume pot and a 250K (~240K measured) tone pot. I checked the schematics section on the S.Duncan website and they recommend 250K for both volume and tone. Why is that?

What should I do? Change the pots to higher quality ones, change both to 500K or 250K or what?

Hey Laxu! The reason that Duncan usually recommends the 250ks on singles is due to the fact that 500ks can make singles overly bright. Lots of guys like the Dimarzio Audio Taper 250k and 500k pots.

If you don't want to replace the pots you can put in a treble bleed circuit which will keep your tone intact as you turn down the volume. Mixing pup types makes pots an issue because certain pots do better with certain pups.

I'd try the treble bleed circuit first unless you think that your pots are of poor quality and could do for an upgrade.

Luke

[LaXu]

Re: 500K or 250K pots for H/S/S?

Well, overbrightness is certainly not a problem. I'd give the treble bleed mod a try if I could find the right parts..the electronics stores near me are pretty much useless when it comes to anything that would work with guitar electronics...