Hot rails, use a 500k pot?

[coachc55]

I know some say hot rails are dark, and some prefer Dimarzio sc sized hb, but I like the tone of the hot rails. That being said, if installing one in the bridge with other normal single coils, should the strat pots be replaced with 500k pots? Thanks.

 

[hamerfan]

Re: Hot rails, use a 500k pot?

Pot values is thing of tones. Rule of thump: high impedance of the pickup, high pot values. On the other hand: If you like it as is, everything is fine. I tend to change all neck vol with humbuckers to 1 meg pot, but this is me. Another point of view is whether you like to fiddle with the pots. The so called taper is a very big thing with some guys here.
There are ways to alter the electronics on stratlike guitars that the humbucker sees 500k while the single coils have 250k.

 

[coachc55]

Re: Hot rails, use a 500k pot?

Yep, probably a good idea to go with a 500k pot.

 

[jeremy]

Re: Hot rails, use a 500k pot?

changing the volume pot to 500k might make your single coils overly bright. is there a tone pot on the bridge pup? on the single coils?

 

[Mincer]

Re: Hot rails, use a 500k pot?

I'd keep the 250k on one tone for both singles, and use 500k for the tone of the Hot Rails. You can keep the 250k volume.

 

[coachc55]

Re: Hot rails, use a 500k pot?

changing the volume pot to 500k might make your single coils overly bright. is there a tone pot on the bridge pup? on the single coils?

Good point. Maybe the answer is to wire tone knob to bridge pup. Haven't bought one yet. Looking for a cheaper strat and most of them don't have a tone knob for bridge pup.

 

[jeremy]

Re: Hot rails, use a 500k pot?

you probably dont want a tone control for the bridge if you are using 250k pots

 

[coachc55]

Re: Hot rails, use a 500k pot?

you probably dont want a tone control for the bridge if you are using 250k pots

Ok, thanks. Might not even mess with it at all and just see how it sounds.

 

[dystrust]

Re: Hot rails, use a 500k pot?

A Hot Rails will work and sound good with either 250K or 500K volume, but "normal" single coils tend to be painfully bright with 500K pots IMO. I would only switch to a 500K volume pot if you're using rails pickups in the neck & mid as well (like the Hot / Vintage / Cool Rails combo).