Fralin Blender Pot???

Re: Fralin Blender Pot???

No, they're not a standard pot. They're actually a no-load pot, which means that when it's "off", it's completely out of the circuit. That way, you don't have a tiny bit of the non-selected pickup bleeding in. The whole purpose of a blend pot is to wire it up to 2 pickups, say your neck and bridge singles on a strat, and then whichever one is NOT selected via the switch can gradually be brought in via the blend pot. That way you can add a tiny bit of neck to smooth out your bridge tone, or run bridge/neck both full on, or even all 3 pickups. It's a pretty cool mod, though you'll have to replace one of your current pots (I chose to make my strat master volume/master tone/blend) or make a new hole.

EDIT: Here's a CTS 250k blender pot, though it's not Fralin branded. It's what I used on my strat and it worked great.

http://www.acmeguitarworks.com/250K-Split-Shaft-Blender-CTS---250-Bushing-P32C14.aspx
 
Re: Fralin Blender Pot???

I have one on my Strat and it's a great thing to have. FF described it perfectly. If you don't use a hotter bridge pickup it helps take the edge off but you can still have that nasty bridge thing when you need it.
 
Re: Fralin Blender Pot???

COOL!
I figured the standard pot thing was just to easy :)

I will look into the link.

Are the 2 other pots just plain 250 pots?

What about the resistors on the Volume in that picture?

I will prob just stick with the standard 3 knobs, that is enuf before i start to get to confused :smack:
 
Re: Fralin Blender Pot???

aaronl said:
COOL!
I figured the standard pot thing was just to easy :)

I will look into the link.

Are the 2 other pots just plain 250 pots?

What about the resistors on the Volume in that picture?

I will prob just stick with the standard 3 knobs, that is enuf before i start to get to confused :smack:
Click to expand...

Yes, the other two knobs (volume and tone) are just regular pots. The caps on the volume pot are probably a high-pass filter type thing, intended to retain highs as you turn the volume down. I don't use that, I just do the 50's mod. You can search the boards for more info. on that, but it's basically just running the hot to the output jack from the middle lug of your volume pot instead of from the switch.
 
Re: Fralin Blender Pot???

BTW, the blend pot is really easy to wire up. You just shoot wires to it from where the hot pickup leads connect to the selector switch. Very simple.
 
Re: Fralin Blender Pot???

Ok one more question
Does the 5 way switch not function anymore?

Silly question but the wiring is so much different than a "standard" or "modern" strat setup
 
Re: Fralin Blender Pot???

Actually, it isn't different at all. You just add the two wires that come from the blender pot. The rest of the wiring stays, and works, the same.
 
Re: Fralin Blender Pot???

aaronl said:
Ok one more question
Does the 5 way switch not function anymore?

Silly question but the wiring is so much different than a "standard" or "modern" strat setup
Click to expand...

It certainly does. The blender only augments it. For example, looking at the different positions on the 5-way:

Bridge selected - Blender brings in the neck pickup
Bridge/Middle - Blender brings in neck
Middle - Blender does nothing
Middle/Neck - Blender adds bridge
Neck - Blender adds bridge

If the blender is turned all the way off, you'll have a normal 5-way switch with master volume and master tone controls.
 
Re: Fralin Blender Pot???

ArtieToo said:
Actually, it isn't different at all. You just add the two wires that come from the blender pot. The rest of the wiring stays, and works, the same.
Click to expand...

That's a much easier way to say what my previous post did :laugh2:
 
Re: Fralin Blender Pot???

The blender pot works in reverse to a regular pot. It is a no load pot in that when turned to "10" the wiper/center terminal hits a bald spot or insulated spot on the resistive strip inside the pot and the connection broken.

As you turn the pot down towards "1" the pickup you want to blend in is added to the pickup the switch is set to.

So turning the pot down and towards "1" when the selector switch is set for the neck pickup adds the bridge pickup until when you reach "1" on the blender both pickups are fully combined.

Lew
 
Re: Fralin Blender Pot???

ok well the well traveled highway 1 is almost finished the painting stage, then I will probably start in on this, I was going to use the blender with some texas specials.
 
Re: Fralin Blender Pot???

ArtieToo said:
We're 2-for-2. Wanna try again? :D
Click to expand...

As my motto would be in Vegas, "I'll quit while I'm ahead".

That, and I had to drive home from work :laugh2:.
 
Re: Fralin Blender Pot???

Lewguitar said:
The blender pot works in reverse to a regular pot. It is a no load pot in that when turned to "10" the wiper/center terminal hits a bald spot or insulated spot on the resistive strip inside the pot and the connection broken.

As you turn the pot down towards "1" the pickup you want to blend in is added to the pickup the switch is set to.

So turning the pot down and towards "1" when the selector switch is set for the neck pickup adds the bridge pickup until when you reach "1" on the blender both pickups are fully combined.

Lew
Click to expand...


Does that mean it can't be wired to work in reverse...no load at 1 and full blend at 10

ROBRHY
 
Re: Fralin Blender Pot???

robrhy said:
Does that mean it can't be wired to work in reverse...no load at 1 and full blend at 10

ROBRHY
Click to expand...

It could. But I think Lindy does it the way he does because he's working with the audio taper of a normal pot. If you got a reverse taper pot it would be a more expensive part and a less readily available part. That's just a guess but I think it's a good guess! Lew
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

justFred
HH guitar downside of replacing 3 way switch with blender pot?
Replies
7
Views
276
Mincer
Mincer
B
Everything Axe Wiring Plus Blender Pot Question
Replies
2
Views
292
Bonovetters
B
MrZen
No diagram available HHH with Blender
Replies
7
Views
458
Artie
Artie
alex1fly
Swap 3-way for 5-way in a Tele
Replies
2
Views
491
alex1fly
alex1fly
P
Tele neck pickup (humbucker rout) with JD bridge
Replies
10
Views
259
Artie
Artie
Back
Top