Custom guitar build pickup wiring and audio pot suggestions

[NathanT]

Hey all

Background: So I'm currently planning out a custom build guitar, and have the wood on its way and should arrive in a few months. It'll have mahogany body and neck, with an ebony fretboard. It'll have a HSS configuration, and at this point I'm thinking about having the 59/custom hybrid in the bridge, the custom stack plus in the middle (leftover from another build) and a classic stack plus in the neck. I've never been a huge fan of the mid pickup by itself, but appreciate how it sounds split with the neck or bridge. So with that, I'm thinking about implementing this confusing wiring system, namely Hss5: http://guitar-parts.biz/hp543113/HSS.htm?ITServ=C126bc15aX15718f8933dX1727 . The difference between my guitar and these diagrams, however, is that I'll have 1 volume and 1 tone.

So these are my questions:
1. I don't want to have to compromise the single coils or the humbucker, so does anyone have any advice about what pots I should get? I understand that 500k is the standard for humbuckers, and 250k for single coils, so what can I do in order to avoid compromising the tone of any of the pickups?

2. I can make sense of the wiring diagram from that site, but not sure how to apply the seymour duncan colour code to it. Does anyone have an alternative diagram or another resource that could help me out?

Cheers guys

ps: in case these questions come up, I play blues rock, hard rock and metal. I am using an orange th30 combo amp, and love the tones of Van Halen, Randy Rhoads and Hendrix.

 

[Artie]

Re: Custom guitar build pickup wiring and audio pot suggestions

1. I don't want to have to compromise the single coils or the humbucker, so does anyone have any advice about what pots I should get? I understand that 500k is the standard for humbuckers, and 250k for single coils, so what can I do in order to avoid compromising the tone of any of the pickups?

2. I can make sense of the wiring diagram from that site, but not sure how to apply the seymour duncan colour code to it. Does anyone have an alternative diagram or another resource that could help me out?

1. If it were me, I'd go with 250k pots, and then use a "bright" humbucker. Like a JB, for example.

2. The singles will be white/black, and the the HB'er will be black to 7, red/white to 6, and green/bare to ground.

 

[Artie]

Re: Custom guitar build pickup wiring and audio pot suggestions

Then again, if you use noise-canceling singles, (like the STK series), I'd go with 500k pots. Kinda a personal call.

 

[NathanT]

Re: Custom guitar build pickup wiring and audio pot suggestions

Mate thank you so much for the adjustments to the diagram, it goes a long way in helping me out

Did some thinking, and I might switch to the JB and use the 500k pots as I will be using noise cancelling singles. Given it's on Mahogany, it hopefully shouldn't come out too bright for any of the pickups. Best way to find out is to give it a shot. Thanks for your advice man

 

[GuitarDoc]

Re: Custom guitar build pickup wiring and audio pot suggestions

With the mahogany body and neck, I'd stick with the 59/Custom hybrid rather than the JB (the JB is fickle about the wood that it goes in and not very consistent in mahogany). And go with 500k pots.