Hot Stack neck too bright

[STLMTLHD79]

As some of you have followed my post from a few months back about my Fender Squier FM-211ST, I did a full electronics upgrade on it-new pots, switch and of course Duncans. Red Strat with Floyd, i automatically put a Hot Stack in the neck (to get that Gillis vibe). It is WAY too bright, but looks cool of course. I would like to get something medium/high output and less bright for the neck. Want to keep it duncan. I have a lil' 59 neck and find that pretty bright as well. The default would be a Hot Rails, but never liked the tone from them. Suggestions?

 

[Mincer]

What didn't you like about the Hot Rails?

 

[solspirit]

Maybe you should try a different cap instead of a new pickup. It's a hell of a lot cheaper.

 

[freefrog]

https://www.seymourduncan.com/blog/...ors-to-a-coil-to-change-the-tone-of-my-pickup

 

[Teleplayer]

Can you wire a 1M or 510k resistor across the neck pickup? 1M is like having the tone control limited to 8/10 maximum, whereas 510k makes it limited to 7/10. That is assumes your guitar has 500k audio taper tone control. If you wired your guitar without a tone control, I guess that explains why the pickups are bright.

 

[BeKindRewind]

250k pots might make enough of a difference to tame it a bit, 250k is what they are designed for as far as I know. Ive had similar problem with 500k pots and other hot single coils (SSL3 and SSL4) where they sounded more "normal" on 7 tone - 10 was way too bright. to me those pickups definitely sound better with 250k, so that might help

 

[STLMTLHD79]

I will probably go with a cap as i like the 2x500k pots that are pretty new in the guitar.

 

[freefrog]

If you go with a cap, you'll have to mount it from hot to ground of the pickup. While you'll be at it, don't hesitate to try a resistor too, as suggested above by Teleplayer. Or even the two components altogether if needed.

Reason of this advice: the proper solution depends on the guitar and rig used IME. So, choosing by ear remains the best thing to do IMHO.

Regarding the cap value to select, let's share again a video that I've often mentioned here... It's about cable capacitance but it makes no difference if we think that 1 foot of cable does the same thing than a 30pF to 45 pF capacitor... IOW and for example, when the guy plays through 65' of cable below, it's as if he had added a capacitor of 1950 to 2925pF from hot to ground (= 1.95nF to 2.925nF = 0.00195µF to 0.002925µF). And his maximum added length of 75' is equivalent to a 2.2nF or 3.3nF cap.
I find this video interesting since it shows at which value parasitic capacitance becomes really noticeable, which might help to select a cap of the right value to do the same thing if needed.

https://youtu.be/u2sjeVQpS94?si=xJWmLlqHitRyZ4Mz&t=395

FWIW. HTH.