Custom Custom with 250K pots OR no tone control

[scpa105]

I have a HSS strat. The singles are standard Fenders and the humbucker is a custom custom.

It's been set up for awhile now, but I'm certain there's a 500k pot in there for the volume or the tone (I custom wired it for only one tone and one volume AND the 'bucker is wired so it has a tone control).

I love the custom custom, but I use the single coils about 85% of the time. The singles don't seem crazy bright and harsh, but they do seem like they could be a bit warmer (they are ceramic, but they sound pretty good, so I've left them in there)...I'll probably upgrade to alnico 2's or 5's at some point).

So, I'd like to lower my pot values so they support the singles (250K pots) more than the 'bucker (500k)...BUT I'm concerned that lowering the pot value on the alnico II custom custom might make it too dark and muddy.

So, which options would you recommend?
1. Using 250K pots for volume and tone? How would that effect the 'bucker?

2. Using 250K pots for volume and tone AND NOT hooking the 'bucker up to a tone control (I've heard that lets more treble through for the 'bucker)?

3. Should I just bag it and go to a s/s/s set-up (like my ssl-1/ssl-1/ssl-5 strat)?

I know it's always an engineering struggle to get 'buckers and singles to 'play nice' in the same guitar...I just want to do the best I can with it without doing any crazy modifications. Thanks for you input!

 

[WGTP]

Re: Custom Custom with 250K pots OR no tone control

Take the tone control off the CC and us it on the single coils before you change pots. The CC wouldn't have much treble with 250K pots.

 

[IanBallard]

Re: Custom Custom with 250K pots OR no tone control

I would never use a 250k pot with a CC. That's a recipe of for mud-city. They sound their best hooked straight up to a volume pot, IMHO.

 

[idsnowdog]

Re: Custom Custom with 250K pots OR no tone control

Convert one of the tone controls to a volume for the neck/middle with a 250K pot and use a 500K pot for the CC. With a 250K pot the CC will be very dark and muffled. All of my H/S/S and most of the H/S/H guitars have a second 250K volume for the single coils and a 500K for the humbuckers. The schematic is basically a modified Jazz Bass.

 

[Aceman]

Re: Custom Custom with 250K pots OR no tone control

Also, run the pole pieces up a bit if you are losing treble from the CC with a 250. I run mine with 300k's.

 

[scpa105]

Re: Custom Custom with 250K pots OR no tone control

Thanks, guys!

 

[Chad]

Re: Custom Custom with 250K pots OR no tone control

I'd try option 2 first.