SSL-5's with a 500k pot?

[Guitarmusic]

Hello! I have a HSS Strat but the current pickups in the neck and mid aren't doing it for me anymore. I would like to put SSL-5s in the guitar, but the only problem is I have my Strat wired with 5ooK pots(the current Neck and Mid pickups in the guitar are single coil sized humbuckers). If I were to put the SSL5 pickups in the mid and neck, would I need to change the value of the pots from 500k to 250k?

 

[Clint 55]

You could leave your pots as is and see how you like it, then decide if you want to darken things. I once had my SSL1s with a 500k volume and no tone! It's a bright and glassy sound, but very usable. Other common solutions people do is use a 300k volume pot, or put resistors in parallel with the single coils to darken them.

Edit: woops, saw you're talking about SSL5s. Yeah you're good to go with 500k pots. They're kinda dark with the top rounded off kinda like stacks.

 

[playas]

Hmm, what is it you don't like with the current setup?

If they're a bit bright, might be an idea to try your current setup with 250k pots for the tones affecting the middle and neck pickups at least.
It would be a lot cheaper than than replacement pups

 

[Mincer]

I totally think SSL-5s with 500k would be fine. Some people even consider them dark (I don't, really), but before I go buying other parts, I'd see what it sounds like.

 

[jeremy]

i like the ssl5 best in the neck and middle with 500k pots, in the bridge i prefer 250k. i ran a ssl6 (same pup with flat poles) in hss config with 500k pots and i was very happy with it

 

[Guitarmusic]

Hmm, what is it you don't like with the current setup?

If they're a bit bright, might be an idea to try your current setup with 250k pots for the tones affecting the middle and neck pickups at least.
It would be a lot cheaper than than replacement pups

Hello! I have a Dimarzio Satch Track in the Neck and a Cruiser in the Middle position. The Cruiser is underpowered and the Satch Track is too dark for the tone I would like in the neck position of a Strat. I gave the Satch Track a shot and I don't think it is right for that particular guitar.

 

[Guitarmusic]

I totally think SSL-5s with 500k would be fine. Some people even consider them dark (I don't, really), but before I go buying other parts, I'd see what it sounds like.

Thank you, Mincer. I will try that route first.

 

[Guitarmusic]

i like the ssl5 best in the neck and middle with 500k pots, in the bridge i prefer 250k. i ran a ssl6 (same pup with flat poles) in hss config with 500k pots and i was very happy with it

Sounds pretty cool. I actually have my Strat modded to accomodate only one tone knob and both volume and tone are 500k at the moment. I think the SSL5s will be the answer to tone I am looking for. Thank you for your reply.

 

[superpete]

i like the ssl5 best in the neck and middle with 500k pots, in the bridge i prefer 250k. i ran a ssl6 (same pup with flat poles) in hss config with 500k pots and i was very happy with it

i would second this emotion...i had the SSL-5 in the neck and middle of a strat with 250k pots and really didn't like them at all...but looking back the issues i had with them might've been cured with 500k pots. Later I put one of them in the bridge of a different strat with 250k and loved it, so ¯\_(ツ)_/¯...

but yeah try them with 500k!

 

[Guitarmusic]

Update: I had the SSL-5s installed with a Dimarzio AT-1 in the bridge and they all match perfectly. I used 500 K pots for both volume and tone(I only have one tone knob on the guitar) and it sounds great! The SSL-5's are very good and I'm glad they match with the AT-1. I love playing this strat(Ash Body with a Maple neck and Wenge Fretboard).

 

[Mincer]

Update: I had the SSL-5s installed with a Dimarzio AT-1 in the bridge and they all match perfectly. I used 500 K pots for both volume and tone(I only have one tone knob on the guitar) and it sounds great! The SSL-5's are very good and I'm glad they match with the AT-1. I love playing this strat(Ash Body with a Maple neck and Wenge Fretboard).

Great to hear! Thanks for the update.

 

[alex1fly]

IME it's always good to change one thing at a time and evaluate

Thanks for reinforcing my worldview.