Author Topic: POT Size? (Read 3268 times)

ypunkd · « **on:** October 27, 2006, 01:24:09 PM »

Strat with BKP VHII Bridge, and either Mother's Milk or Irish Tours for the Mid and Neck...

What size POT (250K, 500K, or other) is recommended and why?

ypunkd · « **Reply #1 on:** October 27, 2006, 03:10:23 PM »

C'mon, no help guys?

fps_dean · « **Reply #2 on:** October 27, 2006, 04:15:02 PM »

500k is pretty standard.

PhilKing · « **Reply #3 on:** October 27, 2006, 07:18:35 PM »

For a Strat you will have 250k pots as standard. If you want you can go to 300k (BK sell them), but the 250 will work fine. I wouldn't go to 500 with single coils, but that is my preference. 500k will let through more treble.

ypunkd · « **Reply #4 on:** October 28, 2006, 12:38:04 AM »

Thanks PhilKing. From what I've read about the BKP's, I doubt I'd want more treble anyway (I think!).

Admittedly, and this is where I need the education, I'm not up to snuff on what makes all these mods work - though I am capable of doing the actual mod myself. I know the sound that I'm after, but getting it is another thing.

In a humbucker/single/single config, what actually determines whether to use 250k as opposed to 300k or 500k? Is it the Volume Pot? Or one of the Tone Controls? Or is this a combination effect among all controls?

http://www.acmeguitarworks.com/Strat---Blender-Wiring-5-Way-Switch-P1168C153.aspx

In the above kit, one of the tone controls is substituted for a "blender" control, which I would find very useful. I'm just not certain which control(s) I need to specify a different value, if I need to at all, for optimum sound from all pickups?

If someone can explain what different values do for each control or combination of controls, as well as what pickups would be affected in the circuit, that would help me immensely in determining what values/kit I really need.

PhilKing · « **Reply #5 on:** October 28, 2006, 01:12:55 PM »

Humbuckers do fine with 250K volume pots (they have a bit less treble but BK's still shine through). I have used 300K for the volume and tone, but I think they really are only needed for the volume. 250K tone pots work great for everything, also .022 mF capacitors sound better to me (but my ears are getting old so maybe I've lost a bit of treble :? ).

I looked at the blend pot and the reason it is different is that it has a true bypass at '0'. There is a piece of the track isolated so that it is truly off. Normal pots never really turn completely off, there is always a bit of signal able to get through.

A Strat wiring kit will be fine for HSS, though for HSH I tend to have 2 vols and a master tone or if there is only one vol, I use 500K or even 1 Meg sometimes.

Tim · « **Reply #6 on:** October 28, 2006, 03:31:47 PM »

I generally fit 500K pots with HSS-humbuckers always sound better with less load on them and as a rule mid/neck sound a little better opened out too...........a good compromise as Phil said is 300K.