Question about strats and pot values

[glahnb]

I had a strat with two dimarzio humbuckers. I am changing it to three singles, a virtual vintage solo, area 61 middle, and virtual heavy blues neck.

In my pickguard, I already have the switch and 3 pots wired for humbuckers. I figure if I use those, I can easily move around the necessary wires and keep it. Trouble is they are all 500K pots.

Dimarzio has actually suggested 500K pots with my pickups. Any idea what the sound will be if I keep it all 500K. Also, supposing I want 250K pots afterwards, can I wire a resistor or something to make my 500K 250K?

Thanks.

[slider313]

Actually, I believe Dimarzio VV pickups are made to be used with 250K pots.With the 500K pots you may lose too much of the highs.

[glahnb]

Dimarzio said I can use 500K volume and 250K tone. It's easier to keep what I have, but if I need 250K, oh well. thanks.

[Jim Collins]

Actually, you only get more highs, with a 500K, when the volume is full on. As you roll the volume off, more of the highs will be lost. With a 500K volume pot and single coil pickups, many people feel this treble loss is unacceptable. A bypass cap is almost required, in this situation. (Some folks include a resistor with that cap.)

A 250K volume pot will not be as bright at full volume, but will retain more of the highs as you back off on the volume.

[Clorenzo]

Also, supposing I want 250K pots afterwards, can I wire a resistor or something to make my 500K 250K?Yes, you can put a 470 kohm resistor between the outer lugs of each 500k pot you want to "convert" to 250k, or if some pu's work ok with 500k pots but others are too bright, you can put a 240-270 kohm resistor between hot and ground of each individual pu where you want the effect of 250k pots.

[HarryJ]

Yes, you can put a 470 kohm resistor between the outer lugs of each 500k pot you want to "convert" to 250k, or if some pu's work ok with 500k pots but others are too bright, you can put a 240-270 kohm resistor between hot and ground of each individual pu where you want the effect of 250k pots.

The solo may sound great with 500K vol and tone especially if your guitar is on the warm side. (more likely Alder not Ash)
Also the Heavy Blues 2 is usually used in the bridge position, may be kinna dark in the neck... I'm guessing the 500K will help here too..

As Carlos mentioned, a resistor will do the job. I would use a 250K resistor between the hot of the '61 and the ground.

If your guitar is on the bright side, try the same thing, but with a 250K tone

HJ

[glahnb]

It's an ash body, maple neck. Here's the thing. My other strat, also ash, also maple neck, has an open, airy, thin but not in a bad way tone, unplugged.

This strat is heavier, and unplugged sounds duller. This one just doesn't ring out like the other. With the dimarzio pickups, it was muddy.

[HarryJ]

Which model 'buckers did it have before??
Kinna odd, I would think a heavy ash body with maple fingerboard would tend to be on the brighter side... go figure

HJ

[glahnb]

Harry, I was surprised too. It had a dimarzio tone zone in the bridge, air norton in neck. It still sounds like a strat, just darker, thickers, and less lively than my other.

[HarryJ]

Humm.. I have an air norton in the bridge position of my semi hollow Godin and love it. Perhaps a tad much for the neck? But then again It would make perfect sense to warm up that body and neck configuration.
Anyway... VV Solo, '61 and Heavy Blues 2, will be a totally different thing.
Curious, have you tried a 1 meg tone pot with the current pups?

Another thought... Nothing will make up for a body or neck that is lacking.

H