CHESAPEAKE
New member
Can someone explain what exactly these values have effect on HUMBUCKERS- and SINGLE COILS ? THANKS
500k Vs. 250k Pots
- Thread starter CHESAPEAKE
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Robert Delahunt
Showmasterologist
Re: 500k Vs. 250k Pots
The brief part is 500K is for humbucker-only guitars, 250K for single coil guitars.
Better Description
Besides, you could use the search function to find the answer....
CHESAPEAKE said:
The brief part is 500K is for humbucker-only guitars, 250K for single coil guitars.
Better Description
Besides, you could use the search function to find the answer....
CHESAPEAKE
New member
Re: 500k Vs. 250k Pots
Thanks for the info, I've played stock Strats basically since I started playing 25 years ago, and now i'm building a 1 Humbucker Charvel Clone with a Custom Custom BRIDGE ONLY. For a HOT - ROD .Just wanted to know about any nuances that might affect the tone. And i'm real particular about my tone. I'm after beaucoup Midrange with smooth - to glass-like highs when the need arises. I'll be putting in a concentric stacked pot to keep the orig. 1 hole config. 500K for the VOL. & 250K for the TONE This is what my luthier buddy suggested .Thanks for the help......
Thanks for the info, I've played stock Strats basically since I started playing 25 years ago, and now i'm building a 1 Humbucker Charvel Clone with a Custom Custom BRIDGE ONLY. For a HOT - ROD .Just wanted to know about any nuances that might affect the tone. And i'm real particular about my tone. I'm after beaucoup Midrange with smooth - to glass-like highs when the need arises. I'll be putting in a concentric stacked pot to keep the orig. 1 hole config. 500K for the VOL. & 250K for the TONE This is what my luthier buddy suggested .Thanks for the help......
Zerberus
Baron Von Shred
Re: 500k Vs. 250k Pots
Just to clarify: while this is "traditionally correct", it´s not a hard and fast rule, for 2 main reasons:
1. there are humbuckers such as the JB which were originally "intended" for use with a 250k pot.
2. Regradless of PU design or type, some people prefer to use 250k on Humbuckers and /or 5000k on single coils, or even higher or lower pot values, or even "no load pots", for tonal reasons. I for example use a 1 Meg( = 1000k) pot on some of my guitars for a bit more bite and sizzle, and many old Gibsons have 300k pots.
What´s most important to remember is that a higher pot value will bleed off less treble to ground (yes, this applies to both volume and tone pots), making the signal brighter and more "open". A lower pot value will bleed off more treble, darkening the signal and removing some of the liveliness and articulation.
Swapping a pot can sometimes make a so-so pu that would have otherwise been switched out into the perfect match for the guitar
*edit* Just noticed the link, lol :beerchug:
TwinReverb said:The brief part is 500K is for humbucker-only guitars, 250K for single coil guitars.
Better Description
Besides, you could use the search function to find the answer....
Just to clarify: while this is "traditionally correct", it´s not a hard and fast rule, for 2 main reasons:
1. there are humbuckers such as the JB which were originally "intended" for use with a 250k pot.
2. Regradless of PU design or type, some people prefer to use 250k on Humbuckers and /or 5000k on single coils, or even higher or lower pot values, or even "no load pots", for tonal reasons. I for example use a 1 Meg( = 1000k) pot on some of my guitars for a bit more bite and sizzle, and many old Gibsons have 300k pots.
What´s most important to remember is that a higher pot value will bleed off less treble to ground (yes, this applies to both volume and tone pots), making the signal brighter and more "open". A lower pot value will bleed off more treble, darkening the signal and removing some of the liveliness and articulation.
Swapping a pot can sometimes make a so-so pu that would have otherwise been switched out into the perfect match for the guitar
*edit* Just noticed the link, lol :beerchug:
Robert Delahunt
Showmasterologist
Re: 500k Vs. 250k Pots
+1
I was always wanting to know the exact science behind it though. I guess it's time for me to take more electronics classes (i.e. geared towards engineering, not geared toward just fixing stuff like the USAF taught me).
So, capacitor value? I wish I had like a 12-slider or higher EQ rack so I could watch my treble frequencies and then decide what pot and cap I want. And too bad you can't make a pot what you want it to be on the fly lol.
Zerberus said:Just to clarify: while this is "traditionally correct", it´s not a hard and fast rule, for 2 main reasons: 1. there are humbuckers such as the JB which were originally "intended" for use with a 250k pot. 2. Regradless of PU design or type, some people prefer to use 250k on Humbuckers and /or 5000k on single coils, or even higher or lower pot values, or even "no load pots", for tonal reasons. What´s most important to remember is that a higher pot value will bleed off less treble to ground (yes, this applies to both volume and tone pots), making the signal brighter and more "open". A lower pot value will bleed off more treble, darkening the signal and removing some of the liveliness and articulation. Swapping a pot can sometimes make a so-so pu that would have otherwise been switched out into the perfect match for the guitar
+1
I was always wanting to know the exact science behind it though. I guess it's time for me to take more electronics classes (i.e. geared towards engineering, not geared toward just fixing stuff like the USAF taught me).
So, capacitor value?
I wish I had like a 12-slider or higher EQ rack so I could watch my treble frequencies and then decide what pot and cap I want. And too bad you can't make a pot what you want it to be on the fly lol.
Last edited:
noth
New member
Re: 500k Vs. 250k Pots
Zerb,
Can you explain this? Say you go with a 500K tone pot. As you turn it down, at some point you reach 250K, and turning it down further will lead to 0. Granted that the change from 250K to 0 will happen faster, but it seems to me you've got more options with a 500K pot. You're starting with more high end, but you can easily cut it as you turn down the tone pot. Or am I oversimplifying things? This is important to me cause I plan to get a JB, but I've already changed my pots to costly conductive plastic (500K). Of course if it's unbearable bright I'll change the pot to 250K, or maybe do the cheap mod of strapping it with a 250K resistor.
Thanks,
Noth
Zerberus said:Just to clarify: while this is "traditionally correct", it´s not a hard and fast rule, for 2 main reasons:
1. there are humbuckers such as the JB which were originally "intended" for use with a 250k pot.
2. Regradless of PU design or type, some people prefer to use 250k on Humbuckers and /or 5000k on single coils, or even higher or lower pot values, or even "no load pots", for tonal reasons. I for example use a 1 Meg( = 1000k) pot on some of my guitars for a bit more bite and sizzle, and many old Gibsons have 300k pots.
What´s most important to remember is that a higher pot value will bleed off less treble to ground (yes, this applies to both volume and tone pots), making the signal brighter and more "open". A lower pot value will bleed off more treble, darkening the signal and removing some of the liveliness and articulation.
Swapping a pot can sometimes make a so-so pu that would have otherwise been switched out into the perfect match for the guitar
*edit* Just noticed the link, lol :beerchug:
Zerb,
Can you explain this? Say you go with a 500K tone pot. As you turn it down, at some point you reach 250K, and turning it down further will lead to 0. Granted that the change from 250K to 0 will happen faster, but it seems to me you've got more options with a 500K pot. You're starting with more high end, but you can easily cut it as you turn down the tone pot. Or am I oversimplifying things? This is important to me cause I plan to get a JB, but I've already changed my pots to costly conductive plastic (500K). Of course if it's unbearable bright I'll change the pot to 250K, or maybe do the cheap mod of strapping it with a 250K resistor.
Thanks,
Noth
Zhangliqun
Questionologist
Re: 500k Vs. 250k Pots
I'm not Zerb, but I am the other "Z" guy for whatever that's worth.
I know what you mean with the turn-down thing, but somehow it just doesn't work that way. You lose a lot of treble turning a typical 500k volume pot down to the 250k point, much more than with a straight-up 250k pot. You can change that by soldering a .001uf cap across the the two non-ground lugs, but it might still not work for what you want.
Soldering a 250k resistor across the lugs of a 500k pot would give you a 333k pot in theory, though probably a bit lower because most pots have pretty wide tolerances and tend to be on the low side, so you typically end up with a pot that's nominally 500k but actually measures anywhere from 400 to 475 or so. (Some guys bring a multi-meter with them to the store to check the pots before they buy them, or they have the guy at the store do it for them if they're ordering on-line.)
Anyway, the resistor across the lugs will also affect the taper of the pot in a way that you might not like.
noth said:
I'm not Zerb, but I am the other "Z" guy for whatever that's worth.
I know what you mean with the turn-down thing, but somehow it just doesn't work that way. You lose a lot of treble turning a typical 500k volume pot down to the 250k point, much more than with a straight-up 250k pot. You can change that by soldering a .001uf cap across the the two non-ground lugs, but it might still not work for what you want.
Soldering a 250k resistor across the lugs of a 500k pot would give you a 333k pot in theory, though probably a bit lower because most pots have pretty wide tolerances and tend to be on the low side, so you typically end up with a pot that's nominally 500k but actually measures anywhere from 400 to 475 or so. (Some guys bring a multi-meter with them to the store to check the pots before they buy them, or they have the guy at the store do it for them if they're ordering on-line.)
Anyway, the resistor across the lugs will also affect the taper of the pot in a way that you might not like.
anewdefguitarist
New member
Re: 500k Vs. 250k Pots
if i have a bright/thin sounding guitar, could i change out the pots to give it a darker sound? and where do i even buy those pots from???
if i have a bright/thin sounding guitar, could i change out the pots to give it a darker sound? and where do i even buy those pots from???
Robert Delahunt
Showmasterologist
Re: 500k Vs. 250k Pots
Use 250K for single coils, 500K for humbuckers. If this still sounds bright, increase the pot resistance (which is the 250K, K ohms). Like if yours sounds bright with 250K, try 500K, etc. If you still don't know, email seymour duncan and ask what pots to use with your guitar. What guitar are we talking about?
Quick "guesses":
Stratocasters and Telecasters (i.e. two or three single coils): use 250K
Super Stratocasters (one humbucker two singles), try 250K first
Jimmy Page setup (humbucker-single-humbucker) try 500K first
Les Paul (two humbuckers) use 500K first
If you're still having issues, take the guitar to a guitar shop and have 'em fix it.
anewdefguitarist said:
Use 250K for single coils, 500K for humbuckers. If this still sounds bright, increase the pot resistance (which is the 250K, K ohms). Like if yours sounds bright with 250K, try 500K, etc. If you still don't know, email seymour duncan and ask what pots to use with your guitar. What guitar are we talking about?
Quick "guesses":
Stratocasters and Telecasters (i.e. two or three single coils): use 250K
Super Stratocasters (one humbucker two singles), try 250K first
Jimmy Page setup (humbucker-single-humbucker) try 500K first
Les Paul (two humbuckers) use 500K first
If you're still having issues, take the guitar to a guitar shop and have 'em fix it.
Zhangliqun
Questionologist
Re: 500k Vs. 250k Pots
That's backwards. If it's too bright with 250k, going to a 500k will make it even brighter.
TwinReverb said:
That's backwards. If it's too bright with 250k, going to a 500k will make it even brighter.
Robert Delahunt
Showmasterologist
Re: 500k Vs. 250k Pots
Oh my badd...
Zhangliqun said:
Oh my badd...
noth
New member
Re: 500k Vs. 250k Pots
I appreciate what you're saying - if it doesn't sound right with a 500k tone pot, I would invest in a 250K pot. The combined value of the pot and resistor is actually much lower than I had stated. If you put a 250K resistor across the outside terminals, you are putting it in parallel with the pot. The total value equals:
1/pot value + 1/resistor value = 1/resultant value.
A calculator with inverse function is the easiest way to to do this, but trust me, the resultant value would be about 166K. Two resistors in parallel will always give you a value lower than either one of them. I goofed - what I really meant was finding a resistor value that brings the final value down to 250K. That would require a resistor about 335K. But it's all moot - it's not the way to go, for the reasons you point out.
Noth
Zhangliqun said:
I appreciate what you're saying - if it doesn't sound right with a 500k tone pot, I would invest in a 250K pot. The combined value of the pot and resistor is actually much lower than I had stated. If you put a 250K resistor across the outside terminals, you are putting it in parallel with the pot. The total value equals:
1/pot value + 1/resistor value = 1/resultant value.
A calculator with inverse function is the easiest way to to do this, but trust me, the resultant value would be about 166K. Two resistors in parallel will always give you a value lower than either one of them. I goofed - what I really meant was finding a resistor value that brings the final value down to 250K. That would require a resistor about 335K. But it's all moot - it's not the way to go, for the reasons you point out.
Noth
