Benefits of a 1 meg volume pot?
- Thread starter Diego
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modophoto
New member
Re: Benefits of a 1 meg volume pot?
VERY open sound
sounds best with open chords, especially with a p100 or humbucker, it will probably be too much for a single coil though
VERY open sound
sounds best with open chords, especially with a p100 or humbucker, it will probably be too much for a single coil though
idsnowdog
Imperator of Indignation
Re: Benefits of a 1 meg volume pot?
If you have a really powerfull humbucker and its dark you can use one on the tone to brighten it up and give it a wider fequency range. Although the 50's mod is more usefull. Say you have a 250k tone with a .010 capacitor changing to a 500k pot you will need a .022 capacitor to keep the same frequency range. Too high a value pot with any pickup will make it sound clanky. If a single coil is over 10k you can use a 500k pot for volume since it is likely to be dark enough to use it.
If you have a really powerfull humbucker and its dark you can use one on the tone to brighten it up and give it a wider fequency range. Although the 50's mod is more usefull. Say you have a 250k tone with a .010 capacitor changing to a 500k pot you will need a .022 capacitor to keep the same frequency range. Too high a value pot with any pickup will make it sound clanky. If a single coil is over 10k you can use a 500k pot for volume since it is likely to be dark enough to use it.
PoorMan
MoneyForNothingologist
danglybanger
ReelItInologist
Re: Benefits of a 1 meg volume pot?
Jag's have one meg pots
Personally I think they're the secret to the sound.
Just turn down the treble :laugh2:
slade
Jag's have one meg pots
Personally I think they're the secret to the sound.
Just turn down the treble :laugh2:
slade
Diego
New member
Re: Benefits of a 1 meg volume pot?
Different strokes for different folks. I don't like such bright tones. I put my treble low enough already!
Thanks anyway, my friend.
Jag's have one meg pots
Personally I think they're the secret to the sound.
Just turn down the treble :laugh2:
slade
Different strokes for different folks. I don't like such bright tones. I put my treble low enough already!
Thanks anyway, my friend.
Quencho092
New member
Re: Benefits of a 1 meg volume pot?
hm i dig the jangle alot. I may put 500k's in my strat sometime soon. Should one put 500k for tone pot as well, or 250's? I just like a very very open tone.
hm i dig the jangle alot. I may put 500k's in my strat sometime soon. Should one put 500k for tone pot as well, or 250's? I just like a very very open tone.
danglybanger
ReelItInologist
Re: Benefits of a 1 meg volume pot?
the rhythm circuit for a Jag has a one meg volume and a 50k tone :laugh2: that cuts down on the jangle totally, and makes things completely smooth.
Play around would be my guess. though the 1 meg tone and volume on the lead circuit gives the jangliest tones ever :smokin:
the rhythm circuit for a Jag has a one meg volume and a 50k tone :laugh2: that cuts down on the jangle totally, and makes things completely smooth.
Play around would be my guess. though the 1 meg tone and volume on the lead circuit gives the jangliest tones ever :smokin:
goodtimes54321
New member
Re: Benefits of a 1 meg volume pot?
They work good for a Bass tone pot......As in treble and bass tone controls. A different set up from the standard tone control.
They work good for a Bass tone pot......As in treble and bass tone controls. A different set up from the standard tone control.
JB_From_Hell
Jomo's Nimions
Re: Benefits of a 1 meg volume pot?
I’ll buy it from you. I want a 1M for one of my basses.
I’ll buy it from you. I want a 1M for one of my basses.
GuitarStv
Sock Market Trader
Re: Benefits of a 1 meg volume pot?
A 1 meg volume pot makes pickups very bright (almost as bright as wiring directly to the jack). If you're a volume on full, tone on full all the time guy you probably won't like it. With most pickups a 1 meg volume pot requires use of the tone knob to make it manageable. Using a 1 meg tone pot is very similar to using a no-load tone pot . . . when it's full up, there's almost no treble lost.
If it's logarithmic, then the difference between full value and 500k is like 1/10th of the sweep of the pot. You'll receive sound until the very end of the sweep, just like with a regular 500k or 250k pot.
A 1 meg volume pot makes pickups very bright (almost as bright as wiring directly to the jack). If you're a volume on full, tone on full all the time guy you probably won't like it. With most pickups a 1 meg volume pot requires use of the tone knob to make it manageable. Using a 1 meg tone pot is very similar to using a no-load tone pot . . . when it's full up, there's almost no treble lost.
If it's logarithmic, then the difference between full value and 500k is like 1/10th of the sweep of the pot. You'll receive sound until the very end of the sweep, just like with a regular 500k or 250k pot.
Securb
One of Jerry's Kids
Re: Benefits of a 1 meg volume pot?
That is a very generalized statement. My Dimebuckers do not sound bright in any way. Not all pickups with sound "bright" with a 1 meg pot.
That is a very generalized statement. My Dimebuckers do not sound bright in any way. Not all pickups with sound "bright" with a 1 meg pot.
GuitarStv
Sock Market Trader
Re: Benefits of a 1 meg volume pot?
Fair enough. A 1 meg pot will make a pickup very bright in comparison to a 500k or 250k pot.
I'm guessing your Dimebuckers are very dark pickups with regular wiring . . . hence why you're using a 1 meg pot with 'em.
Fair enough. A 1 meg pot will make a pickup very bright in comparison to a 500k or 250k pot.
I'm guessing your Dimebuckers are very dark pickups with regular wiring . . . hence why you're using a 1 meg pot with 'em.
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Clint 55
OH THE DOUBLE THICK GLAZE!
Re: Benefits of a 1 meg volume pot?
Still off. Some pickups plain old don't have a giant resonant peak in the glass shards range that needs to be dampened for the pickup to function like vintage single coils do. If you let the full signal through on a dark pickup, you get more clarity, but it doesn't become overbearingly bright.
Still off. Some pickups plain old don't have a giant resonant peak in the glass shards range that needs to be dampened for the pickup to function like vintage single coils do. If you let the full signal through on a dark pickup, you get more clarity, but it doesn't become overbearingly bright.
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GuitarStv
Sock Market Trader
Re: Benefits of a 1 meg volume pot?
I like a 1 meg volume pot with a Tone Zone because it makes the Tone Zone brighter. Not overbearingly bright, but a lot brighter than the Tone Zone would be with say . . . a 250k pot. If you want to call it 'clarity' instead of brightness, sure . . . whatever.
The way I think of a circuit is that a pickup's maximum brightness is when it's wired directly to the output jack without volume or tone.
When you add in a tone pot (even with the pot on full) you slightly darken that. That's why no-load tone pots are a thing.
When you add in a volume pot, you slightly darken that level of brightness. Using a higher value volume pot will minimize this darkening.
With a pickup you can choose values to tune the pickup for a pleasing output. That's why most people like vintage single coils with 250k volume/tone pots . . . it tames the high end. It's also why high output 'buckers are often wired without a tone knob (or with a no-load tone pot, or with a 1 meg pot) . . . it keeps as much of the high end as the pickup can produce.
I like a 1 meg volume pot with a Tone Zone because it makes the Tone Zone brighter. Not overbearingly bright, but a lot brighter than the Tone Zone would be with say . . . a 250k pot. If you want to call it 'clarity' instead of brightness, sure . . . whatever.
The way I think of a circuit is that a pickup's maximum brightness is when it's wired directly to the output jack without volume or tone.
When you add in a tone pot (even with the pot on full) you slightly darken that. That's why no-load tone pots are a thing.
When you add in a volume pot, you slightly darken that level of brightness. Using a higher value volume pot will minimize this darkening.
With a pickup you can choose values to tune the pickup for a pleasing output. That's why most people like vintage single coils with 250k volume/tone pots . . . it tames the high end. It's also why high output 'buckers are often wired without a tone knob (or with a no-load tone pot, or with a 1 meg pot) . . . it keeps as much of the high end as the pickup can produce.
Clint 55
OH THE DOUBLE THICK GLAZE!
Re: Benefits of a 1 meg volume pot?
Ya I know. I wasn't debating what the most glamorous word for treble is. I was disputing how you said it makes the pickup very bright. Yes, 1 meg is brighter than 250k but will not necessarily make the pickup very bright. I have a 1 meg volume with no tone pot on my JB/Super D w double thick A8 and I still have to dial my amp brighter than neutral.
Ya I know. I wasn't debating what the most glamorous word for treble is. I was disputing how you said it makes the pickup very bright. Yes, 1 meg is brighter than 250k but will not necessarily make the pickup very bright. I have a 1 meg volume with no tone pot on my JB/Super D w double thick A8 and I still have to dial my amp brighter than neutral.
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ItsaBass
New member
Re: Benefits of a 1 meg volume pot?
I use 1M pots often.
They give you more of a "direct to jack" sound. They not only prevent as much leakage of high end to ground, but they also load the pickups differently, creating a higher resonant peak. They also give you much more "active-like" control, i.e. a much more usable sweep, instead of all of the usefulness being bunched up near the top for the pot. Go to linear 1M, and you take this to the extreme (in a good way IMO).
If you want to know what it's like to play a 1M linear volume equipped guitar, try a traditional Fender Jazzmaster. The lead circuit volume pot is 1M linear (though the tone control is 1M audio). The idea is that your "home base" knob positions are set with the knobs down a bit. Then you can add treble or remove it. With 250Ks, you are more likely to be running the knobs at 10, and only be able to remove treble, not add it.
I use 1M pots often.
They give you more of a "direct to jack" sound. They not only prevent as much leakage of high end to ground, but they also load the pickups differently, creating a higher resonant peak. They also give you much more "active-like" control, i.e. a much more usable sweep, instead of all of the usefulness being bunched up near the top for the pot. Go to linear 1M, and you take this to the extreme (in a good way IMO).
If you want to know what it's like to play a 1M linear volume equipped guitar, try a traditional Fender Jazzmaster. The lead circuit volume pot is 1M linear (though the tone control is 1M audio). The idea is that your "home base" knob positions are set with the knobs down a bit. Then you can add treble or remove it. With 250Ks, you are more likely to be running the knobs at 10, and only be able to remove treble, not add it.
