Help with this issue... please!

[5F6-A]

Imagine this:

Gibson Les Paul with a Strat-style  neck pickup wound with heavy formvar, alnico IV magnet bar, DCR 7.5K -ish ( VERY unusual, I know ).

The tone by itself is a bit like mid 90's Knopfler's tone when he was playing Suhr guitars. Nice. ;)

I'm using two 500k pots (vol and tone), using a 0.010 PIO cap and 50's wiring (using "leftover" wiring from previous neck humbucker ).
Unfortunately although I love the tone I find it a bit brash ( especially when vol pot is at 10 ). Also the tone knob does not darken the tone enough for the versatility I want.

At the present moment with the cap I've just told you about above it only gets dark enough to mimmick a humbucker when the tone is set between 1 and 0.

Clearly not enough. I'd rather have a more pronunced, darker sound sooner.

Do you think a 0.022 PIO cap + a 350k pot for vol would  be better ??

I'd appreciate any feedback/insights. Cheers.

[Twinfan]

250k pot for starters, and a 0.022 cap.  Head into Strat style wiring...

[AndyR]

As long as the pickup's not sharing Vol/Tone with a humbucker I'd agree with TF - 250K pots, but I'd head for 0.047 for the capacitor. I've tried 0.022 and 0.033 in strats and teles and prefer the more usual 47s. Having said that, 0.033 might actually grab you as a nice compromise.

[5F6-A]

thanks to both of you... I think I might go and try to locate either:

CTS audio long shaft pot 500K off-specs that reads 400k ish
or

CTS audio long shaft pot 250k off-specs that reads 300k ish

I have a 0.022 PIO cap too.

BTW I forgot to mention that pickup looks like a humbucker but in reality it's more like a single coil with an alnico magnet under a set os screws that act like pole pieces.

Thinking about it's not unlike this concept ( but with a twist) :

[AndyR]

Ah, in that case, 0.022 might actually be what I'd prefer myself.

If I already had a spare one I'd certainly give it a go!

[Philly Q]

BTW I forgot to mention that pickup looks like a humbucker but in reality it's more like a single coil with an alnico magnet under a set os screws that act like pole pieces.

That's quite P-90-ish, and they're normally used with 500k (which I assume is what's recommended for the MQ as well).

But since the existing 500k pots aren't doing what you want, perhaps you are best off splitting the difference and going with 300-400k as you suggested.

[5F6-A]

i'VE GOT SOME NEWS:

I've swapped the o.o10 bee with a 0.022 General Intrument ( similar PIO cap ) and the tone has improved for sure. The tone is slighty darker and richer now.... waiting to see if a 400k pot or similar would help too.

[5F6-A]

btw just for your info:

it's so weird when I play the neck pickup with my eyes closed: my hands are telling me: LES PAUL
my ears are telling me: STRAT

that IS strange!