I'm new to all this and trying to educate myself through this Forum and others on the web.
It seems that folks changing out PUPS will also change out the POTs. Seems to be due to the characteristics of the PUPS. How do you match up the PUPS and POTs? Is there a formula or chart posted somewhere? Or do folks go by word-of-mouth based on their fav guitarist?

I have a MIM Strat that seems to be thin-sounding on the upper strings and was thinking that changing out the PUPS would help out but not sure if it's just the PUPS that will have to change.
Many thanks!
-T

Hi tyronne: generally speaking, people match single coil pickups with 250k pots, humbuckers with 500k ones.

But there's no rules and there are lots of other pots out there to try, up to 1000k (1 meg) pots and beyond. Go forth and experiment.

On average, though, you will find putting 500k pots together with single coil pickups will give you a sound that has far too much in the treble: painfully piercing in tone. Contrawise, 250k pots on humbuckers may just take too much off the top and make them overly muddy sounding.

Manufacturers do what they do for a reason - but it ain't set in stone. For the cost of a few bucks, try it and see what you find.

Cheers - C

Doh!
Forgot to mention this is a HSS setup. Do they split the difference in the POT size because of this?

-T

It will likely be a 500k volume pot for hss. The mid and neck singlecoils arent that prone to the excessive zing of the bridge pickup and can be calmed down with the tone pots.

_________________
No no and no

Drat. That's got me curious.

So my American Series HSS was probably due for a string change, so I've just taken advantage of that to whip off the pickguard for a look - and it has 250k pots across the board.

And checking parts lists for a couple of others on this website, including the Am Deluxe HSS, they seem to generally go for 250k pots too.

But. The Deluxe Fat Strat Floyd Rose appears to have 250k tone pots but a 500k volume. My search finished at that point - but you're welcome to keep checking:

http://www.fender.com/support/wiring_di ... _lists.php

In short, for HSS it seems either 250 across the board is favored, or a mixture with 500 on the volume.

How confusing! I guess it has to do with the particular output and character of the humbucker used...

Cheers - C

Could someone please explain the difference in capacitors ? I am thinking of changing my pups in the near future and I'm looking to prewire a new pickguard and just drop in the whole shebang. I am looking at this kit
http://pickersparts.auctivacommerce.com/American-Stratocaster-7-Way-Switching-Harness-Kit-with-Vintage-Cloth-Wire-P96926.aspx
The capacitor that is included is a .022. I see them in different sizes. I just curious what effect the different size will have on the guitars tone. I'm guessing that is the main reason for the different sizes......anyone...????

_________________
"I like the way he puts Yngwie J. Malmsteen on his album covers. You know,....so you don't confuse him with all the other Yngwie Malmsteens in the business"


2008 Fender MIM Stratocaster
2010 Epiphone Masterbilt
2009 Fender Super Champ XD

LOL...and the American Deluxe Fat Strat has 500k volume and 1Meg Tone!

And I thought this was an easy question???
Do they do this on purpose to confuse noobs like me?
It must be they want me to buy various individual parts and find out for myself! Generates a continuous revenue stream... Maybe I should have taken up the violin instead.

While looking at the various parts lists and wiring diagrams, some will tell you the type of pickup. Others just the part number and position of the pickup. Is their a decoder ring somewhere for the non-descriptive part numbers?

Thanks for the help Folks!,
-T

Hi BigTufGuy: the function of the capacitor is simple - even I can understand it! As you turn your tone pot anti-clockwise the cap channels the high frequencies and sends them to ground, leaving you with a bassy tone. The higher the value of the cap, the more bass (well, less treble) you'll hear.

From the 1950s to the '70s Fender mostly used a large 0.1 micro-farad (uf) cap. Nowadays 0.022 seems pretty standard, probably for good purpose. Other commonly used values include 0.05 (0.047); 0.033; and 0.01. The smaller that number, the less roll-off your tone pot will give you.

As with pots, there's usually good reasons makers use the ones they do. I'd stick with the recommended cap unless there's a particular reason you feel you want a different one.

Cheers - C

Hi again tyronne: it probably looks more mystifying than it really is. As a general rule of thumb, 250k for single coils, 500k for humbuckers. If in doubt, start with 250s: if the sound ain't bright enough for you pop in a 500.

Though I don't recall hearing that complaint around here. Normally folks post with unbearably shrill sounding pickups and want to know what the heck they just spent all that money on big name pups for? It generally turns out they have pots of too high a value. I have a sneaking suspicion there's guys who think 500k or 1meg must be "macho", cos the number's bigger.

And if you still are not certain which way to go when replacing pickups, then every pickup maker I can think of is happy to answer email enquiries regarding which pots and caps to put with their models. Ask 'em and they'll tell you...

Cheers - C

Some excellent answers here.

Personally every time I change pups or decide to modify a wiring I always get new CTS Audio Taper pots.
250k for single coils, 500k for humbuckers are the most commonly used. .022 caps seem to go good with both the 250k and 500k pots.

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I didn't Lose my mind, I traded it for this guitar.

Thanks to both you and Ceri for the answers.
Much appreciated,
-T

so would a Clapton rig have the same pot sizes and capacitors? Or is a different set up used to account for the midboost?

BTW, most noiseless single coils work best with 500k pots, because they are actually humbuckers, stacked. Although, I have Area 58/61, and these sound best with 250K. I started with 1meg by suggestion, then down to 500k, and then back to 250k.