So....500k pots for everyone!
- Thread starter Aceman
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Dave Locher
New member
Re: So....500k pots for everyone!
Me either, but if I remember correctly T-tops are BRIGHT!
Me either, but if I remember correctly T-tops are BRIGHT!
Lewguitar
New member
Re: So....500k pots for everyone!
All of my guitars with humbuckers have 500K pots and 50's tone control wiring and a .02 tone cap.
All of my guitars with single coils have 250K pots and "modern" tone control wiring and a .02 cap.
I tried 50's wiring in my Strat and Tele but eventually returned them to standard. Single coils are bright and clear enough for me as is. They don't need to be brighter or clearer.
But my humbucker guitars do, especially the neck pickup when I turn the guitar's volume knob down.
So on some of my PRS guitars with humbuckers I disconnected the tone control from the neck pickup because it makes it clearer and I never turned down the tone control on that pickup anyway. I do need the tone control for the bridge pickup though - on ALL of my guitars.
All of my guitars with humbuckers have 500K pots and 50's tone control wiring and a .02 tone cap.
All of my guitars with single coils have 250K pots and "modern" tone control wiring and a .02 cap.
I tried 50's wiring in my Strat and Tele but eventually returned them to standard. Single coils are bright and clear enough for me as is. They don't need to be brighter or clearer.
But my humbucker guitars do, especially the neck pickup when I turn the guitar's volume knob down.
So on some of my PRS guitars with humbuckers I disconnected the tone control from the neck pickup because it makes it clearer and I never turned down the tone control on that pickup anyway. I do need the tone control for the bridge pickup though - on ALL of my guitars.
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ErikH
Well-known member
Re: So....500k pots for everyone!
For me it depends on the humbucker. In my old Frankenstrat, I eventually went with a 250k volume with the Screamin' Demon pickups that are in it. In my Warmoth Strat, there's a single 500k push/pull with the Jason Becker humbucker. My Les Paul and Dean ML have 500K throughout. My SG Jr with the P90 has a 500k volume and 250k tone. When I had a Gibson SG Classic (dual P90's), I yanked the 300k volumes for 500k yet left the 300k tones. It sounded perfect.
For me it depends on the humbucker. In my old Frankenstrat, I eventually went with a 250k volume with the Screamin' Demon pickups that are in it. In my Warmoth Strat, there's a single 500k push/pull with the Jason Becker humbucker. My Les Paul and Dean ML have 500K throughout. My SG Jr with the P90 has a 500k volume and 250k tone. When I had a Gibson SG Classic (dual P90's), I yanked the 300k volumes for 500k yet left the 300k tones. It sounded perfect.
Re: So....500k pots for everyone!
I have an SG Classic, I am pretty sure the tones are already 500K, it's just the volumes that are 300K.
Al
I have an SG Classic, I am pretty sure the tones are already 500K, it's just the volumes that are 300K.
Al
allstarrme
New member
Re: So....500k pots for everyone!
I usually get the 550k pots, that way even if tolerances are way off I have at least 500k. I’ve had some 500k pots test out at well under.
I usually get the 550k pots, that way even if tolerances are way off I have at least 500k. I’ve had some 500k pots test out at well under.
ErikH
Well-known member
Re: So....500k pots for everyone!
You might be right about that. Mine was a 2008-9 model. I could swear the tones were 300K. Either way, it opened up and sounded so much better with the 500K volumes. I miss that guitar.
You might be right about that. Mine was a 2008-9 model. I could swear the tones were 300K. Either way, it opened up and sounded so much better with the 500K volumes. I miss that guitar.
Dave Locher
New member
Re: So....500k pots for everyone!
What is '50s wiring for a Strat or Tele? (Or what is modern wiring?) I don't know and would like to learn something new
What is '50s wiring for a Strat or Tele? (Or what is modern wiring?) I don't know and would like to learn something new
dr.barlo
New member
Re: So....500k pots for everyone!
It is about how to connect the cap to the volume pot...
Here is some info:
https://www.fralinpickups.com/2020/03/01/50s-wiring-vs-modern-wiring/
B
It is about how to connect the cap to the volume pot...
Here is some info:
https://www.fralinpickups.com/2020/03/01/50s-wiring-vs-modern-wiring/
B
dr.barlo
New member
Re: So....500k pots for everyone!
I am using 500K pots even on my tele!
Sure, it is a bit brighter but that's where using a nice cap and tone pot comes into play. I think, "you cannot add clarity when needed", but with the tone pot "you can always wash off some extra highs".
That said, I know getting used to using the tone control extensively, takes some getting used to.
B
PS. I never got to like a 1M pot tho. I had some lying around (for an amp build, those big alphas) and I kinda found them a bit sterile on my LP. It was as if some sound dude boosted up ~2kHz-3kHz a bit while I am playing... Did not like it at all.
I am using 500K pots even on my tele!
Sure, it is a bit brighter but that's where using a nice cap and tone pot comes into play. I think, "you cannot add clarity when needed", but with the tone pot "you can always wash off some extra highs".
That said, I know getting used to using the tone control extensively, takes some getting used to.
B
PS. I never got to like a 1M pot tho. I had some lying around (for an amp build, those big alphas) and I kinda found them a bit sterile on my LP. It was as if some sound dude boosted up ~2kHz-3kHz a bit while I am playing... Did not like it at all.
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dystrust
Well-known member
Re: So....500k pots for everyone!
I'm pretty sure he means Gibson 50s style wiring. I have that in both my Strat and Tele because I don't care for how modern wiring sounds.
I'm pretty sure he means Gibson 50s style wiring. I have that in both my Strat and Tele because I don't care for how modern wiring sounds.
ItsaBass
New member
Re: So....500k pots for everyone!
Strat wiring, 1954–1976:
three way switch
no tone control on bridge pickup
Note: for the first few months of 1954 Strat production, 100K pots were used
Tele wiring, 1952–1967:
1. bridge pickup, no tone control
2. neck pickup with tone control
3. neck pickup with all treble removed
Tele wiring before that (double Esquires, Broadcasters, nocasters, and early Telecasters) featured a pickup blend control instead of the tone control:
1. bridge pickup, blend control to roll in neck pickup
2. neck pickup with no tone control and no blend control
3. neck pickup with all treble removed, no blend control
IMO, original Strat wiring is far superior to modern, but original Tele wiring is not. That said, I don't like modern Tele wiring either, because I have no use for the both pickups on ("middle") setting, and I don't like master tone controls. I wire for a combination of Esquire and early blend wiring:
1. bridge pickup, no tone control
2. bridge pickup, with tone control
3. neck pickup, no tone control
Positions 1 and 2 are like an Esquire, and position 3 is like the middle position of the early Tele wiring scheme.
Strat wiring, 1954–1976:
three way switch
no tone control on bridge pickup
Note: for the first few months of 1954 Strat production, 100K pots were used
Tele wiring, 1952–1967:
1. bridge pickup, no tone control
2. neck pickup with tone control
3. neck pickup with all treble removed
Tele wiring before that (double Esquires, Broadcasters, nocasters, and early Telecasters) featured a pickup blend control instead of the tone control:
1. bridge pickup, blend control to roll in neck pickup
2. neck pickup with no tone control and no blend control
3. neck pickup with all treble removed, no blend control
IMO, original Strat wiring is far superior to modern, but original Tele wiring is not. That said, I don't like modern Tele wiring either, because I have no use for the both pickups on ("middle") setting, and I don't like master tone controls. I wire for a combination of Esquire and early blend wiring:
1. bridge pickup, no tone control
2. bridge pickup, with tone control
3. neck pickup, no tone control
Positions 1 and 2 are like an Esquire, and position 3 is like the middle position of the early Tele wiring scheme.
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beaubrummels
Well-known member
Re: So....500k pots for everyone!
I’ve seen at least 3 different versions of the Fender Tele dark circuit in various schematics for broadcaster, Esquire and telecaster. When I tried the one with two caps and a resistor it actually didn’t remove all the treble. It seemed to leak the highest treble part of the signal and the result was kind of an arch top sound of you strum up by the neck. You could hear the pluck of the pick on the strings. Very useful, switching from rhythm to lead.
I’ve seen at least 3 different versions of the Fender Tele dark circuit in various schematics for broadcaster, Esquire and telecaster. When I tried the one with two caps and a resistor it actually didn’t remove all the treble. It seemed to leak the highest treble part of the signal and the result was kind of an arch top sound of you strum up by the neck. You could hear the pluck of the pick on the strings. Very useful, switching from rhythm to lead.
