Pots in a Telecaster

Johnny Nightslayer

Johnny Nightslayer

New member
As some of you may have read, I am taking my Fender Standard Telecaster (Made in Mexico) and replacing the neck and bridge pups with full size humbuckers. The replacements are APH-1s.

My question is regarding the pots. I read a nice article and read on a lot on the forum regarding pots, and I'm beginning to understand. What I am wondering is, do I need to upgrade the pots? I have no idea what is in the Tele right now but I am guessing 250k?

I read on a different post that you should upgrade to 500k because the replacements are humbuckers. What would be the difference between 500k and 1meg?
 
Re: Pots in a Telecaster

Johnny Nightslayer said:
As some of you may have read, I am taking my Fender Standard Telecaster (Made in Mexico) and replacing the neck and bridge pups with full size humbuckers. The replacements are APH-1s.

My question is regarding the pots. I read a nice article and read on a lot on the forum regarding pots, and I'm beginning to understand. What I am wondering is, do I need to upgrade the pots? I have no idea what is in the Tele right now but I am guessing 250k?

I read on a different post that you should upgrade to 500k because the replacements are humbuckers. What would be the difference between 500k and 1meg?
Click to expand...

Since most humbuckers lack the treble of most single coils, 500K retains more treble with a humbucker than 250K would. Standard value in Strats and Teles that use single coils is 250K.

Seymour uses 250K in his Tele that has the Jazz neck humbucker and JB bridge humbucker and the JB is one of those very rare humbucking pickups that sometimes sounds better with 250K pots than it does with 500K.

The 250K pots seem to make the JB sound duller and darker but also smoother and if you bring up the treble control on the amp to compensate for the treble you're throwing away using 250K pots with it, the JB can sound very good with 250K pots.

But generally, 500K for full size humbuckers and P90's and 250K for single coils is my rule of thumb.

Lew
 
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