Sound of 500K vol/500K tone vs 250K/no tone?
- Thread starter Chad
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STRATDELUXER97
Stratoblaster Tone Meister
Re: Sound of 500K vol/500K tone vs 250K/no tone?
The easy answer is...I still notice a very slight treble shunting with the 500k pot...It's even more noticible with the 250k,as this value loads the circuit a little more and shunts highs to ground..
I make my own 500k No Load tone pots and use these in my Gibson style dual humbucking guitars....On a strat/Tele,I always use 250k and I don't use a No Load tone pot..If anything,I normally use the tone control to roll away highs,especially the bridge position..
The easy answer is...I still notice a very slight treble shunting with the 500k pot...It's even more noticible with the 250k,as this value loads the circuit a little more and shunts highs to ground..
I make my own 500k No Load tone pots and use these in my Gibson style dual humbucking guitars....On a strat/Tele,I always use 250k and I don't use a No Load tone pot..If anything,I normally use the tone control to roll away highs,especially the bridge position..
STRATDELUXER97
Stratoblaster Tone Meister
Re: Sound of 500K vol/500K tone vs 250K/no tone?
When you actually have a No Load pot in the circuit...You do hear a slight increase in the treble and a very very slight increase in volume with the pot set to No Load position of 10.Once you roll it back just enough to introduce the cap/pot load,you then can tell there's a difference,but it's pretty subtle...I never felt that a single strat or Tele needed the No Load pot,but I do prefer using them on my humbucking guitars...Squeezes that last bit of volume and highs out from the pickups...
When you actually have a No Load pot in the circuit...You do hear a slight increase in the treble and a very very slight increase in volume with the pot set to No Load position of 10.Once you roll it back just enough to introduce the cap/pot load,you then can tell there's a difference,but it's pretty subtle...I never felt that a single strat or Tele needed the No Load pot,but I do prefer using them on my humbucking guitars...Squeezes that last bit of volume and highs out from the pickups...
Maynardo
New member
Re: Sound of 500K vol/500K tone vs 250K/no tone?
I know that, I think the question is just for kicks and looking for exact values, for instance vol+tone both 500k is the same load as a '400k' volume pot on it's own or any other number and of course the equation to get to that exact number.
regular pots, not no load pots
I know that, I think the question is just for kicks and looking for exact values, for instance vol+tone both 500k is the same load as a '400k' volume pot on it's own or any other number and of course the equation to get to that exact number.
regular pots, not no load pots
STRATDELUXER97
Stratoblaster Tone Meister
Re: Sound of 500K vol/500K tone vs 250K/no tone?
These days I really spend alot more time playing and getting better on the instruments....Guess would be best to experiment and see what your ears tell ya?
These days I really spend alot more time playing and getting better on the instruments....Guess would be best to experiment and see what your ears tell ya?
Re: Sound of 500K vol/500K tone vs 250K/no tone?
Theoretically, a 500k volume pot with a 500k tone pot both set to max are basically the same load as a single 250k pot set to max.
max is in other words "turned up to 10".
The 500k volume pot is in parallel with the 500k tone pot and the total load is 250k.
But, the 500k tone pot has a capacitor which can affect the load value but not by much when the tone pot is on max.
The capacitor makes the tone pot load frequency dependent and so the tone pots load varies with frequency but when the tone pot is at max, the capacitor is basically out of the tone pot circuit and so the tone pots load is basically whatever value it is and when paired with a volume pot of equal value to the tone pot, the total load is basically 1/2, so 500k volume and tone pots at max basically equal a single 250k pot.
Theoretically, a 500k volume pot with a 500k tone pot both set to max are basically the same load as a single 250k pot set to max.
max is in other words "turned up to 10".
The 500k volume pot is in parallel with the 500k tone pot and the total load is 250k.
But, the 500k tone pot has a capacitor which can affect the load value but not by much when the tone pot is on max.
The capacitor makes the tone pot load frequency dependent and so the tone pots load varies with frequency but when the tone pot is at max, the capacitor is basically out of the tone pot circuit and so the tone pots load is basically whatever value it is and when paired with a volume pot of equal value to the tone pot, the total load is basically 1/2, so 500k volume and tone pots at max basically equal a single 250k pot.
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Re: Sound of 500K vol/500K tone vs 250K/no tone?
Thanks for the info, everybody. To clarify why I was asking the question:
I have a humbucker guitar with 2 volumes and 1 master tone. The volume pots are 250K. The tone is 500K.
I was considering swapping out the 250K volumes for 500K volumes, but then I thought about how I almost never use the tone pot. And how it would be easier/less expensive to swap one pot instead of two. So I modded the stock 500K to be a no load tone pot.
Here is a summary of the options I've considered:
Stock setup "A" with controls at 10 was: 250K vol in parallel with 500K tone = 167K + the effects of the capacitor.
Modified setup "B" with controls at 10 is: 250K vol in parallel + no load tone pot = 250K (and no effect from the capacitor). This is the way I currently have it setup.
Modified setup "C" with controls at 10: 500K vol + 500K tone = 250K + the effects of the tone capacitor.
Modified setup "D" with controls at 10: 500K vol + no load tone pot = 500K (and no effect from the capacitor).
Thinking out loud, I would venture to guess going from brightest to darkest it would go: D, B, C, A.
Sound correct?
Thanks for the info, everybody. To clarify why I was asking the question:
I have a humbucker guitar with 2 volumes and 1 master tone. The volume pots are 250K. The tone is 500K.
I was considering swapping out the 250K volumes for 500K volumes, but then I thought about how I almost never use the tone pot. And how it would be easier/less expensive to swap one pot instead of two. So I modded the stock 500K to be a no load tone pot.
Here is a summary of the options I've considered:
Stock setup "A" with controls at 10 was: 250K vol in parallel with 500K tone = 167K + the effects of the capacitor.
Modified setup "B" with controls at 10 is: 250K vol in parallel + no load tone pot = 250K (and no effect from the capacitor). This is the way I currently have it setup.
Modified setup "C" with controls at 10: 500K vol + 500K tone = 250K + the effects of the tone capacitor.
Modified setup "D" with controls at 10: 500K vol + no load tone pot = 500K (and no effect from the capacitor).
Thinking out loud, I would venture to guess going from brightest to darkest it would go: D, B, C, A.
Sound correct?
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Re: Sound of 500K vol/500K tone vs 250K/no tone?
I hope I can figure out how to use a forum. I just replaced my E.C . lace pups with SD stacked something's. I was advised to add a 250 ohm volume pot. When I try it out, there is a volume position that makes the worst screech ever heard. Is the fact that the "Blackie" has a active side, does this not work with the 250 ohm pot?
I hope I can figure out how to use a forum. I just replaced my E.C . lace pups with SD stacked something's. I was advised to add a 250 ohm volume pot. When I try it out, there is a volume position that makes the worst screech ever heard. Is the fact that the "Blackie" has a active side, does this not work with the 250 ohm pot?
Re: Sound of 500K vol/500K tone vs 250K/no tone?
Anybody? I'm guessing setup "B" (the way I currently have the guitar setup), with all pots on 10 is very similar to setup "C" because the cap would have very little influence on the sound and the net resistance of the pots in both setups is 250K.
Anybody? I'm guessing setup "B" (the way I currently have the guitar setup), with all pots on 10 is very similar to setup "C" because the cap would have very little influence on the sound and the net resistance of the pots in both setups is 250K.
Re: Sound of 500K vol/500K tone vs 250K/no tone?
Looks right in theory.
B and C are very similar except for the slight effect of the tone cap even when the tone pot is maxed.
The effect of the tone cap on a maxed pot can be very slight, depends on taste and ears.
Looks right in theory.
B and C are very similar except for the slight effect of the tone cap even when the tone pot is maxed.
The effect of the tone cap on a maxed pot can be very slight, depends on taste and ears.
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