The Chetboard

Is it worthwhile to buy 500K pots while installing new pickups? Thank you.

Stewmac has an article about this. http://www.stewmac.com/freeinfo/Electronics/Pots/w101-controlpots.html

In a nut shell...

High-value pots are stronger resistors than low-value pots, so they retain more highs in the signal to the amp.
If you switch from 250K to 500K pots, your guitar will sound brighter.
If your sound is muddy, you might try using a 1Meg pot to brighten it up.
For a warmer tone use 250K pots. That's always a good way to tame down single-coil pickups that are too bright.

Randy

Thank you for posting. Your information tells me that I want to keep the 250K pots. I appreciate the help I get from this site.

Randy Finney wrote:Stewmac has an article about this. http://www.stewmac.com/freeinfo/Electronics/Pots/w101-controlpots.html

In a nut shell...

High-value pots are stronger resistors than low-value pots, so they retain more highs in the signal to the amp.
If you switch from 250K to 500K pots, your guitar will sound brighter.
If your sound is muddy, you might try using a 1Meg pot to brighten it up.
For a warmer tone use 250K pots. That's always a good way to tame down single-coil pickups that are too bright.

Randy

That's a 'Rule of Thumb' scenario. It's like finding that PERFECT pair of shoes; you just keep trying 'em on until ya finally find 'em . . .

I went through several pots and caps on my country club, until I finally found the right combination to get rid of that damned Mud Switch . . .