HSS 2 volume/no tone, different pot values wiring question

Charlie Boo

Charlie Boo

New member
In an effort to have my bridge humbucker at 500k push/pull, and the middle/neck single coils at 250k, I'd like to wire my strat with 2 volumes: one 500k for the humbucker and one 250k for the neck and middle to share (no tone knob, as I'm pretty much a "leave it all the way open" guy). I've done a google search and haven't found any posts/threads for this set up. I'm a novice at really anything to do with strat wiring, etc. as I have pretty much always been a 2 humbucker guitar owner - but I have to believe this is fairly simple and "doable". Anyone have any experience doing something like this to keep the pot values different. Otherwise - is there really THAT much of a difference if I run the single coils (Classic Strat Stack Plus middle and Vintage Hot Strat Stack neck) through the 500k pot? Thanks!
 
Re: HSS 2 volume/no tone, different pot values wiring question

Or you can use a 500k resistor in parallel with the pot to give you a 250k load for the neck.
 
Re: HSS 2 volume/no tone, different pot values wiring question

You will notice that it is brighter, but you may be able to compensate with some EQing somewhere else. You might even like that sound. I have used a Classic Stack Plus with 500k pots all around, and yes, it is brighter, but the difference isn't huge. Use what you got first, and see how you like it. It is easy/cheap enough to change later.
 
Re: HSS 2 volume/no tone, different pot values wiring question

If you are still interested on trying to wire that but not found a drawing then please let me know as I did some hand drawing and have it somewhere, I can share it and let others here to look and review/correct if needed. Basically one of the poles (circuits) of the 5-way switch is wired with the neck/middle pickups then the common connector to a 250k volume pot which goes into the second pole (circuit), separately you can connect the bridge pickup with the 500k volume pot as a single "piece" the wires to the second pole (circuit) of the 5 way switch and its common connector goes to the output jack. In summary, one half of the switch picks either neck or middle, the other half picks either singles or the HB, volume pots are wired out of the switch connectors. I really think a Liberator pot should be used for all this kind of alternate wirings. I have not tried it myself yet, I was just trying to figure out how to wire try this art some point as I have an HSS with a 250k volume pot for which I want the JB to have a bit more of bite.

About the 500k in parallel, that is way easier if you will not change the volume while playing but if you will change it I think that could change the way you dial it.

Taking the original idea of Dave, maybe you can use a single coil that is a bit less bright and combine it with the 500k pot to compensate then avoid complications. I think some people in this forum have tried hotter pickups like the the SSL-5 with 500k volume pot and like it but you should search in the forum or ask the question just to double check.

Finally, I posted an idea in the http://http://sdrl.seymourduncan.com about SD may make a Liberator with both 250k and 500k as volume in a single piece as I think that could make life of HSS players easier when they want to try your approach. If you like that idea post a comment there :)
 
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