Does this sound like a good idea? (pot values)

[james...]

I have a Carvin guitar I cherish that is really really bright. Makes sense, because it's made of Alder and Maple entirely. It's an HH configuration, and the only pickups I have found that work in it are a Dimarzio Air Classic and Air Norton. Everything else is just wayyy too bright.

Right now the guitar has 500k pots. So I'm thinking...what if I took some 250k pots, and tried to get different pickups like say a Suhr Aldrich set?

Or do you think the difference would be nominal, considering how extremely bright the guitar is?

[Jon Silberman]

As far as pot values go, I believe anything over $100 a lid is too high.



Seriously - yes, trying 250K pots would be an excellent step. Do this first before investing more in new PUPs, you may be positively surprised by the outcome. Also, don't be like so many guitarists who act like they're afraid to use their tone knobs!

P.S. I don't find most alder bodies to be particularly bright.

[gulliver]

My understanding is that you can roll down 500K pots and they will equal 250K at some point ... where? You won't know unless you put an ohms meter on them, but at least you can roll them down a hair for a general idea of tone change. Please correct me if I'm wrong, but I'm pretty sure that's how it works.

I had an all maple Carvin DC200 for 15 years, I could never make that guitar sound great. It was like it was over designed and the sustain was so great it had no note envelope. YMMV, but that's why I sold it. I should have bought the Koa.

[FrankieSixxxgun]

250k pots would work. What about turning down the tone knobs? They're there for that reason and don't cost anything to turn down.

[Husky]

Originally Posted by gulliver

My understanding is that you can roll down 500K pots and they will equal 250K at some point ... where? You won't know unless you put an ohms meter on them, but at least you can roll them down a hair for a general idea of tone change. Please correct me if I'm wrong, but I'm pretty sure that's how it works.

I had an all maple Carvin DC200 for 15 years, I could never make that guitar sound great. It was like it was over designed and the sustain was so great it had no note envelope. YMMV, but that's why I sold it. I should have bought the Koa.

NO the pot load is 250K or 500K, The load is always there regardless of the pot position.
You could simply put a 500K resistor from the input to ground to see what a 250K would sound like but IMO it just ruins the tone and loads it too much, even though you loose highs you also loose response and they sound sluggish and choked. I would suggest a longer cable and not a fancy one, at least 25ft. This is distributed capacitance is pleasing to the ear. You will have increase midrange and less highs. If it is a neck thru and or ebony board it might be something you cant get rid of. Hot pickups will help though and a long cable but stick with the 500K pots, then there is always the tone control.

[dazco]

It would help, but to my ear a inherently bright guitar will always be just that, and if you get rid of enough brightness it will then sound rather uninspiring. I find that in all gear including amps, bright or dark. whatever the inherent character you can never change it to 100% satisfaction because you're going against it's natural tendency. this is all 100% true....FOR ME. You may feel different, but thats my take for what it's worth.