Pot values

[DavidRavenMoon]

For volume pots, two 500k pots in parallel is 250k (and two 250k pots is 125k).

As stated earlier, tone controls change impedance depending on the frequency and where the pot is set.


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[Teleplayer]

When the volume is at maximum they will sound the same, like others have said here. However when you roll down the volume, the 250k will sound brighter because it has less loss and less prone to high frequency loss due to the cable capacitance.

If using 500k volume control, I always add a treble bleed circuit to restore the high frequencies. It may not be absolutely necessary with a warm humbucker style guitar, but IMO treble bleed is essential if you want a guitar with split-coil tones or Stratocaster style sound

[GuitarDoc]

When the volume is at maximum they will sound the same, like others have said here. However when you roll down the volume, the 250k will sound brighter

What?!

What did I miss? Did you just say that a 250k pot sounds brighter than a 500k pot?

[Teleplayer]

What?!

What did I miss? Did you just say that a 250k pot sounds brighter than a 500k pot?

Sorry my post wasn't clear. In the context of post #1, the OP asked about the difference between a single 250k volume vs a pair of 500k volume + 500k tone pots.

[GuitarDoc]

Sorry my post wasn't clear. In the context of post #1, the OP asked about the difference between a single 250k volume vs a pair of 500k volume + 500k tone pots.

Well, even with that understanding of your post, a single 250k pot will not sound brighter than two 500k pots unless the tone pot of the two-pot scheme is turned down considerably. But that's what a tone pot does with any value pot.

But you need to read Artie's post, there is some complex valuation going on as you turn down that tone pot. You can't just make a blanket statement like that because it simply is not true (except under certain conditions).

[Lewguitar]

Thanks a lot, pal.
For me the neck pickup is never bright enough!

Then disconnect the tone control from the neck pickup. That's what I've done on several guitars with two humbuckers and only two controls: one volume and one tone.

Then you can still use the tone control for your bridge pickup and even preset it so it's turned down to the sweet spot you like, without it affecting your neck pickup when you switch to it.

When the neck pickup is combined with the bridge pickup the tone control WILL be engaged and affect both pickups equally, but when only the neck pickup is engaged it will NOT.

[Pedrogas]

Then disconnect the tone control from the neck pickup. That's what I've done on several guitars with two humbuckers and only two controls: one volume and one tone.

Then you can still use the tone control for your bridge pickup and even preset it so it's turned down to the sweet spot you like, without it affecting your neck pickup when you switch to it.

When the neck pickup is combined with the bridge pickup the tone control WILL be engaged and affect both pickups equally, but when only the neck pickup is engaged it will NOT.

Thanks a lot Lew, that's what I'll do. If I notice an improvement I'm gonna do the same in all my guitars. I use the tone a lot in my bridge PU, even at 0.

[Lewguitar]

Thanks a lot Lew, that's what I'll do. If I notice an improvement I'm gonna do the same in all my guitars. I use the tone a lot in my bridge PU, even at 0.

No problem. Without seeing your guitar, I'm going to say the easiest way I know of is to connect your tone control where your bridge pickup is soldered to your selector switch. Same terminal.

[GuitarDoc]

Yeah mate, and I lowered the humbucker and raised the poles already...

What pups, if any, DON'T you find muddy?

The Jazz is not a muddy pup, in fact it is known for its clarity. There must be something else going on in your system...incorrectly wired, overdrive or other stomps left on increasing the output to the amp, too much od setting on your amp, very high gain preamp tubes, etc.

[Top-L]

with the usual cap values (10n to 22n or higher) 500k volume + 500k tone is the same as one 250k volume + No tone.
Only if you use small tone capacitor values there is a difference!

Is this true, even with everything on "10"?

I have a guitar with a single 500K vol (no tone) and its brighter than I expected. If I replace it with a 250K, it will be the SAME as a normal 500+500 guitar?

If so, thanks for sharing this.

[ToneFiddler]

if it is true, then ONLY with everything ON 10!

if you turn down the volume pot its never really the same and also depends if you have connected your pickup hot to the outer pot tab or inner...

[Pedrogas]

What pups, if any, DON'T you find muddy?

The Jazz is not a muddy pup, in fact it is known for its clarity. There must be something else going on in your system...incorrectly wired, overdrive or other stomps left on increasing the output to the amp, too much od setting on your amp, very high gain preamp tubes, etc.

The only neck pickup I tried that never went muddy even with fuzz or hi-gain OD was the emg 85.

[Lewguitar]

Hey guys, I read somewhere having a pair of 500k volume + 500 k tone is the same as having a single 250k volume, is this right?
I'm planning to remove the tone of my Jazz neck humbucker, since I never use it and I find it muddy sometimes with overdrive.
If I do this, does it means I'll have the equivalent of 1M volume + 1M tone in the Jazz neck?
Thanks in advance.

Not exactly.

If you're playing a guitar with two pickups and each has its own volume and tone control, if you combine those two pickups you also combine the two volume and tone controls in parallel. That does halve the value of the pots so if your volume and tone pots are 500K you get a sound more like a 250K pot would give.

[GuitarDoc]

The only neck pickup I tried that never went muddy even with fuzz or hi-gain OD was the emg 85.

That's not a fair comparison. Maybe I should have asked if there are any passive pups you find not muddy.

If, as you imply, there aren't any, then it's NOT the pup you are finding that sounds muddy...it's the rest of your rig. Because there are plenty of passive pups that sound clear as a bell.

[Pedrogas]

That's not a fair comparison. Maybe I should have asked if there are any passive pups you find not muddy.

If, as you imply, there aren't any, then it's NOT the pup you are finding that sounds muddy...it's the rest of your rig. Because there are plenty of passive pups that sound clear as a bell.

Can you recommend me a couple? I ordered the neck sh6 today.