Eliminating tone pot ... What is the effect on "default" tone?

Charlie Boo

Charlie Boo

New member
I was going back and forth on using a 250k or 500k tone pot for a Humbucker/Single coil build when I realized that I haven't intentionally backed off the tone on a guitar in a couple decades - lol. If I just eliminate the tone knob altogether - what does that do to the natural tone of the pickup? I honestly never truly understood the difference between a 250k tone put set to "10" or a 500k tone pot set to "10" - or if there even is a difference ... will eliminating it basically be the same as having any tone pot set to "10" at all times? Thanks!!
 
Re: Eliminating tone pot ... What is the effect on "default" tone?

You'll get a little bit more top end, a touch of brightness/clarity. Could be too bright (and snappy in the case of single coils) for some people, if they aren't used to pickups straight out. The tone pot, unless it's a no-load type, will affect the sound because there is still a little bit of the signal passing through the resistor material to the cap and ground. Depending your amp and your ears, you may or may not hear that difference.
 
Re: Eliminating tone pot ... What is the effect on "default" tone?

if you can hear the difference between a no load tone pot and no tone pot you have owl ears

but yes, removing the tone pot altogether will give you a slightly brighter tone. some like it, some dont
 
Re: Eliminating tone pot ... What is the effect on "default" tone?

so if you have humbuckers and want to remove the tone pot (lets say to add mini switches for coil tapping on a strat) and change the volume pot from 500k to 250k does that offset eliminating the tone control?

I have an extremely bright (and hot) GFS Crunchy Rail pickup and I'd like to tame it quite a bit. I have 250k tone controls and a 500k volume. I too, run the tone controls wide open. I am planning on redoing this wiring (again) for this new pickup. I should probably save the hassle and buy a better pickup but I'd like to wire it to support best what I am using now and for any future upgrades.
 
Re: Eliminating tone pot ... What is the effect on "default" tone?

Doing a relatively simple wiring technique you can hear the difference as quick as you can flip the switch...

One of my strats has a 3-way blade switch (not 5-way, but doesn't matter) and a single humbucker.

Position 1 - humbucker w/ tone pot
Position 2 - kill switch
Position 3 - humbucker w/out tone pot
 
Re: Eliminating tone pot ... What is the effect on "default" tone?

The tone pot works by placing a variable resistor to stop the high pass filter from siphoning off more highs than you want. At 10, you have the full value of the variable resistor stopping the loss. Hence a 250K pot at 10 will not be the same as a 500k at 10. A no-load pot has the option of the final detent being open circuit or infinite resistance. Hence it is exactly the same as having no pot at all - so not even an owl could tell the difference between 2 identical circuits.
 
Re: Eliminating tone pot ... What is the effect on "default" tone?

like you, I rarely ever use a tone control.
I've wired up a few w/o tone control. on one gtr it made no noticeable difference, on other I couldn't stand it and wired back in a resistor and cap altho it may have been just that that particular guitar was bright -w or without a tone pot.
 
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