Resistor On My STK-S7?

[zozoe]

Greetings,,, 2 questions; What is that tiny resistor on the back of my STK-S7 doing? My middle & neck 4's don't have one,,, so I wonder.... Also, would my #2 B+M position be noticeably brighter if I had a 4 + 4 rather
than the 7 +4, (bridge & middle respectively...
As always, thanks all~ॐ

 

[freefrog]

If memory serves, the resistor is there for an optimal balance between noise sensor coil and signal coil.

Regarding B+M, it will be brighter with weaker pickups but there's other ways to brighten it than changing pickups. Using a blender volume pot to add the neck PU in parallel to B+M by a small amount can contribute to this goal, for instance. Or adding an inductor / "tone choke" of 2 Henry or more in parallel with the existing pickups. Non limitative list.

 

[Mincer]

Yes, I believe it is there to fine tune the noise cancelling of of the 2 coils.

 

[zozoe]

and MINCER,, your thought on a 4/4 B+M, as opposed to my existing 7/4 B+M for a brighter, funkier #2 it..?
Thanks ॐ

 

[Mincer]

You will absolutely get a brighter, funkier sound with the 4 & 4. It is more traditionally 'strat-like'. The -7 is good if you don't depend on the B+M as the core of your sound and want a thicker, louder bridge pickup.

 

[donaldr]

I didn't try it myself, but instead of changing your STK-S7 here's some options:
1- Remove the STK-S7 from the tone pot.
2- Replace the 250k bridge tone pot with a 500k/1M tone pot.
3- Replace the 250k volume pot with a 500k pot and solder a 470k resistor to ground on the switch for the neck and middle.

My STK-S7 is pretty bright and I need to run it on its own tone pot.

 

[zozoe]

DONALDR & MINCE.... I had a 400k CTS for Volume, & a typical 250k on the tone (who's value I didn't think matter, from what I've read), & I usually make it a Tone on Bridge only set-up,,, so my M & N are never being loaded or affected by the Tone pot unless it's tied to the B in the 2 & 4.... Before i hit the hay well past midnite, I swapped the 404k Volume for a 1M,, i didn't put in my body yet, but the 'tap-test' hinted at what sounded like a generous helping of high end...

SO, am I hearing that the value of the Tone pot does in fact matter & make a difference,, but precisely in what way?? I know a lot, but there's more that I don't know....
All you folks are great, & thank you~ kenny ॐ

 

[Mincer]

Are you saying that the tone did indeed affect the middle and neck, even though it isn't wired to do that?

 

[freefrog]

SO, am I hearing that the value of the Tone pot does in fact matter & make a difference,, but precisely in what way??

The value of a tone pot contributes to the overall "resistive load", with its tendency to squash the resonant peak of a pickup.

See fig. 14 here: http://buildyourguitar.com/resources/lemme/

The neck and mid PUs of a std Strat see 83k (250k vol + TWO 250k tone pots in parallel). The mid and bridge see 125k (250k volume + tone of the mid PU). The bridge PU sees 250k (volume alone)...

With a 400k + a 250k, resistive load = 154k. With a 1M + 250k, resistive load = 200k.

The maximum brightness would be achieved with a no load tone pot, reducing the resistive load to the DCR of the volume control alone.

FWIW: a simple reminder. HTH.

 

[donaldr]

freefrog Thanks a lot, well explained