Bowtomecha
Active member
I’m upgrading my volume pot to 1 meg from a 500k one. I’m curious who here uses them and in what capacity. What pickups are you using them with? Do you use different caps with your tone pot?
How many of you use 1 meg volume pots?
- Thread starter Bowtomecha
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GuitarStv
Sock Market Trader
Re: How many of you use 1 meg volume pots?
1 meg volume pots raise the amplitude of the resonant peak of the pickup. This usually gives a really sharp initial attack that drops off very quickly . . . which can make a guitar sound piercing and like it has no sustain. It's a big part of why jazzmasters sound so plunky with their traditional wiring.
If your pickups are dark/muted, you may find this change useful. You'll want to use the tone controls a lot more often to tame them on occasion though.
1 meg volume pots raise the amplitude of the resonant peak of the pickup. This usually gives a really sharp initial attack that drops off very quickly . . . which can make a guitar sound piercing and like it has no sustain. It's a big part of why jazzmasters sound so plunky with their traditional wiring.
If your pickups are dark/muted, you may find this change useful. You'll want to use the tone controls a lot more often to tame them on occasion though.
Re: How many of you use 1 meg volume pots?
My Japanese Jazzmaster from the late '90s came with 1 MΩ volume and tone pots. Once I swapped the pickups out, though (a Texas Special and a Duncan Alnico Pro II), it was just too ridiculously trebly, and I swapped in a lower-valued pot.
One of the pots in the rhythm circuit (which I never used) was actually only 50 KΩ (the other was a Meg), I don't remember which was which, but it had a 22 nF cap.
My Japanese Jazzmaster from the late '90s came with 1 MΩ volume and tone pots. Once I swapped the pickups out, though (a Texas Special and a Duncan Alnico Pro II), it was just too ridiculously trebly, and I swapped in a lower-valued pot.
One of the pots in the rhythm circuit (which I never used) was actually only 50 KΩ (the other was a Meg), I don't remember which was which, but it had a 22 nF cap.
DavidRavenMoon
New member
Re: How many of you use 1 meg volume pots?
The one issue with 1 megohm pots is when you turn the volume down (which I never do). Then you put a lot more series resistance between the pickup and the amp, which can dull your tone.
But the load on the pickup is a lot less with the volume up. For very hot pickups that can give you a brighter tone.
Passive guitars are always a trade off.
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The one issue with 1 megohm pots is when you turn the volume down (which I never do). Then you put a lot more series resistance between the pickup and the amp, which can dull your tone.
But the load on the pickup is a lot less with the volume up. For very hot pickups that can give you a brighter tone.
Passive guitars are always a trade off.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Juanhanglo
Active member
Re: How many of you use 1 meg volume pots?
I only use a 1meg pot as part of the tbx tone control in my clapton circuit.
I only use a 1meg pot as part of the tbx tone control in my clapton circuit.
Clint 55
OH THE DOUBLE THICK GLAZE!
Re: How many of you use 1 meg volume pots?
I have a 1 meg volume and no tone on a ax with 2 hot humbuckers. It doesn't make them brittle since they're already compressed it just lets the max amount of detail out that can come thru. My P bass has no controls and sounds great. Doesn't mess anything up whatsoever. Same full bass just max detail. The problem can be when you're using pickups that need to have their resonant peak squashed by a 250k volume to sound full enough and not brittle. Like when I tried a 1 meg volume and no load tone on my ssl1s. Sounded like glass shards. Kind of cool and novel if you want ice pick, but pretty rough for general playing.
I have a 1 meg volume and no tone on a ax with 2 hot humbuckers. It doesn't make them brittle since they're already compressed it just lets the max amount of detail out that can come thru. My P bass has no controls and sounds great. Doesn't mess anything up whatsoever. Same full bass just max detail. The problem can be when you're using pickups that need to have their resonant peak squashed by a 250k volume to sound full enough and not brittle. Like when I tried a 1 meg volume and no load tone on my ssl1s. Sounded like glass shards. Kind of cool and novel if you want ice pick, but pretty rough for general playing.
Re: How many of you use 1 meg volume pots?
Yes, demand for a really well designed bleed circuit I think, even more so than on 500k.
Capacitance in cord will matter even more, being part of the LP filter that is created - so really getting high quality cord will do the same job, almost as doing 1 Mohm pots. Not the resonance part, but brighten all tone up.
Anyway, how I felt going for 60 pF/meter(19 pF/foot) cord. GeorgeL and Klotz has these.
Matters even when volume at 10.
Yes, demand for a really well designed bleed circuit I think, even more so than on 500k.
Capacitance in cord will matter even more, being part of the LP filter that is created - so really getting high quality cord will do the same job, almost as doing 1 Mohm pots. Not the resonance part, but brighten all tone up.
Anyway, how I felt going for 60 pF/meter(19 pF/foot) cord. GeorgeL and Klotz has these.
Matters even when volume at 10.
Bowtomecha
Active member
Re: How many of you use 1 meg volume pots?
I kind of dread working out the treble bleed. I’ve seen three variations and the values of the caps and resistors in conjunction with my setup will have me experimenting for a good while I think. I might use a trimpot with some alligator clips to work out the resistor I need in end.
I kind of dread working out the treble bleed. I’ve seen three variations and the values of the caps and resistors in conjunction with my setup will have me experimenting for a good while I think. I might use a trimpot with some alligator clips to work out the resistor I need in end.
Clint 55
OH THE DOUBLE THICK GLAZE!
Re: How many of you use 1 meg volume pots?
The top part of the sweep to a 1 meg pot is useless. Above 500k or 300k really, there's almost no audible difference between bypassed. It works better to just use a 250k or 300k no load pot for a tone and have the top part of the sweep actually have an effect instead of having to turn a 1 meg tone down to 2 before you get any effect.
The top part of the sweep to a 1 meg pot is useless. Above 500k or 300k really, there's almost no audible difference between bypassed. It works better to just use a 250k or 300k no load pot for a tone and have the top part of the sweep actually have an effect instead of having to turn a 1 meg tone down to 2 before you get any effect.
Demanic
PenultimateTone Member
Re: How many of you use 1 meg volume pots?
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Only if your hearing is burnt enough not to be able to tell the difference.
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Re: How many of you use 1 meg volume pots?
Probably brighten up a bit even with pot on 10.
Turning tone all the way down is probably enough that you ever use anyway.
Thats the same as swapping cap to half value on a Gibson, or quarter even for strat usually 250k+47nF.
Probably brighten up a bit even with pot on 10.
Turning tone all the way down is probably enough that you ever use anyway.
Re: How many of you use 1 meg volume pots?
Is it possible you tried linear instead of log pot, or vice versa?
As I recall linear make everything happen in one end. So does not follow how we hear as well.
Some pots are audio taper, not sure how they differ from normal log.
Is it possible you tried linear instead of log pot, or vice versa?
As I recall linear make everything happen in one end. So does not follow how we hear as well.
Some pots are audio taper, not sure how they differ from normal log.
Clint 55
OH THE DOUBLE THICK GLAZE!
Re: How many of you use 1 meg volume pots?
^ Yeah you pretty much have to use log for 500k or else it won't taper for ****. Especially if u had 1 meg.
I do notice a *slight* difference between a 500k tone on 10 and bypassed. But 1 meg.. wtf? Just use a no load. If you want a broad sweep just use a 300k no load tone.
^ Yeah you pretty much have to use log for 500k or else it won't taper for ****. Especially if u had 1 meg.
I do notice a *slight* difference between a 500k tone on 10 and bypassed. But 1 meg.. wtf? Just use a no load. If you want a broad sweep just use a 300k no load tone.
Bowtomecha
Active member
Re: How many of you use 1 meg volume pots?
I plan on using the 1 meg strictly for volume with my sentient 7 and Pegasus 7. I thought no load only applies to tone pots.
I bought a fender 250k no load tone I plan on wiring in this week. Not even so much for tone but to bypass it but still have an option of using it. I have a stock 500k volume which I haven’t measured but I feel that it’s much lower than 500k. I use a George L cable and I’ve disengaged the tone without getting much improvement. Before I clip my pole screws lower, I want to get what I can out of the electronics first to get more treble out of this. I’m hoping it was just a bum pot all along.
I plan on using the 1 meg strictly for volume with my sentient 7 and Pegasus 7. I thought no load only applies to tone pots.
I bought a fender 250k no load tone I plan on wiring in this week. Not even so much for tone but to bypass it but still have an option of using it. I have a stock 500k volume which I haven’t measured but I feel that it’s much lower than 500k. I use a George L cable and I’ve disengaged the tone without getting much improvement. Before I clip my pole screws lower, I want to get what I can out of the electronics first to get more treble out of this. I’m hoping it was just a bum pot all along.
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