How much do pots affect your tone?

[Sykes]

Singles generally use 250k and hB's 500k.

I was wondering because I am putting in a Jazz neck, and as the story goes, Seymour designed the JB/Jazz pups in a tele gib that had 250k pots.
That's probably why people cry about the hi mid spike of the Jb. I bet most are using 500k pots when the pup wasn't designed for that pot. Or am I way off here?

What affect would using 1meg pots on a humbucker have?

Someone educate me on this subject.

Thanks

[Devil Tiger]

I'm interested in hearing about this since I'm putting in a JB with 250k pots and if it's going to sound like **** then should I use 500k pots.

[big_black]

I had a JB in my old MIA Strat, it had two 500k pots. In that guitar the JB sounded good and clear, but I did find myself rolling back the tone knob a bit....not a problem as far as I'm concerned, the tone knob is there for a reason. I'm not so sure I would have liked it with 250k.

[dani]

i prefer the jb with 250k pot. a rounder tone overall by taming the highs and hi-mids. maybe you can try a 250k vol and 500k tone. if its too dark, go 500k vol.

oh yeah, i had the jb in a strat. you'll probably be fine with 500k overall in a lp-type guitar.

[J Moose]

I know I should know the answer to this but I don't.

Is there really that much variation in tone between 250 & 500k pots when the tone control is off, effectively dimed and out of the circuit? I've done some tone control bypass' on basses and stuff in the past and noticed a bit of a difference, usually it was more open up but it was highly subtle, like using a different cable.

I wired my Strat with 500k tone pots and a 250 on the volume because it's what I had around. The guitars a little bright but I actually kinda like the clarity...now I'm wondering if I should switch it around and see if it gets darker.

Hmmm...

[big_black]

I like the clarity of 500k too. You can always roll he highs off a bit.

[Rev Donzo]

the guys i play with who use pot usally not only effect their tone but they usally make mistakes for the first 3 somgs untill the high stablizes.

[dani]

the guys i play with who use pot usally not only effect their tone but they usally make mistakes for the first 3 somgs untill the high stablizes.

[GuitarSandwich]

It doesn't affect your tone at all when the control is all the way up... where it should be.

GS

[big_black]

It doesn't affect your tone at all when the control is all the way up... where it should be.

GS

Unless you are using a no-load pot it will affect the tone.

[DesertRose]

heard the higher the ohms the lesser the stray sounds.
So prolly its needs higher ohms for a humbucker since its more powerful

[martinsixstringcustoms]

I'm interested in hearing about this since I'm putting in a JB with 250k pots and if it's going to sound like **** then should I use 500k pots.

Using a 250K with a JB will tone down the highs...Probably not a bad idea IMHO.

[GuitarSandwich]

Unless you are using a no-load pot it will affect the tone.

Not sure I follow what you mean here.

If the vol pot is all the way up (dead short to output) how would either the vol pot or even the tone pot enter into the equation. The signal is following the path of least resistance anyway. Some of those pesky electrons aren't going to take a detour upstream through the 250k ohm river when they are home free through the shorted terrminal are they?

GS

[ArtieToo]

Not sure I follow what you mean here.

If the vol pot is all the way up (dead short to output) how would either the vol pot or even the tone pot enter into the equation. The signal is following the path of least resistance anyway. Some of those pesky electrons aren't going to take a detour upstream through the 250k ohm river when they are home free through the shorted terrminal are they?

GS

Both the tone pot and volume pot still provide an electrical "load" to the pickup when they are on "10". Unfortunately, the "path of least resistance" thing is a slang term that is actually totally incorrect. It was someone's, somewhere, way of explaining a dead short, and it stuck around. You should ignore it in all electronic discussions. The correct axiom would be . . .

Electricity takes every path that it can. (High, or low resistance.)

Here's a simple experiment that anyone can do to test the affect of different value pots for themselves:

http://www.seymourduncan.com/forum/s...ad.php?t=27328

I did it using a 100k resistor and a 500k pot. The difference in tone going from 100k to 600k was very subtle.

Artie

[big_black]

Thanks Artie, you are a master! I never would have been able to explain why, I just know from practical experience. You saved me from looking like a total idiot, rather than my usual ineptness.

[stonabus]

Seymour designed the JB/Jazz pups in a tele gib that had 250k pots.

thats probably why the jazz sounded so icey in my toronado, i was to inexperienced to even condider trying 250k pots instead..... everytime i am reminded of selling that guitar....

[GuitarSandwich]

Both the tone pot and volume pot still provide an electrical "load" to the pickup when they are on "10". Unfortunately, the "path of least resistance" thing is a slang term that is actually totally incorrect. It was someone's, somewhere, way of explaining a dead short, and it stuck around. You should ignore it in all electronic discussions. The correct axiom would be . . .

Electricity takes every path that it can. (High, or low resistance.)



Artie

Great explanation... and good information. Thanks!

Makes me think about all the other things that people think are correct but never knew the real story.

I read about ten of those on this board every day, like how guitar "Y" is better than brand "X" blah blah blah... when most imported guitars are all made in the same factory to the same specs!

Thanks again for setting me straight on the pot thing!

GS