Mixing pickups and pot values

Dr. Jimmy

Dr. Jimmy

New member
Hi all, in my Strat I have a Cool Rails in the bridge, an Area 67 in the middle and an Area 58 in the neck. The Areas seem to work best with a 250K vol. pot while the Rails likes a 500K pot. I currently have 250K pots in the vol. and tone positions and for the most part everything sounds ok, with the Rails being a tad darker than I'd like. If I use a 500K pot for the bridge tone control will that help? Will it have a negative effect on the other two pickups (in other words make them too bright)?

Thanks!
 
Re: Mixing pickups and pot values

In all probability, a 500k pot will makes your single coils sound shrill.

Compromise solutions include using a 300-330k volume pot or a stacked 250/500k pot.
 
Re: Mixing pickups and pot values

I have my bridge pickup connected to the tone pot that's normally used for the middle pickup and the neck pickup is connected to the other tone pot. If I change the bridge tone pot to 500k (keeping the volume pot at 250K and the neck tone pot at 250K) will that affect the neck and middle pickups as well???
 
Re: Mixing pickups and pot values

I just ordered a DM Injector set. I went for a master volume with a RS Guitarworks 280k pot. I'll see how it works out. I don't want shrill but more important is that the bass doesn't get too prominent, I think the 280k might be a decent compromise?
 
Re: Mixing pickups and pot values

ztevie said:
I just ordered a DM Injector set. I went for a master volume with a RS Guitarworks 280k pot. I'll see how it works out. I don't want shrill but more important is that the bass doesn't get too prominent, I think the 280k might be a decent compromise?
Click to expand...

You can't hear the difference between a 280K and a 250K, and maybe not between a 250K and a 300K. Pots are usually made with a 10% plus or minus tolerence, so pot values vary a lot.
 
Re: Mixing pickups and pot values

So if I use a 500K pot for my bridge tone control (just the bridge) and a 250K for volume, will it: A) sound different compared to a 250K tone pot and B) affect the sound of the neck and middle pickups (both sharing a 250K tone pot of their own)?

Thanks.
 
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