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Post subject: 250k or 500k?
Posted: Wed May 14, 2008 9:50 am
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Aspiring Musician
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I am thinking about making one of my Stratocaster a real twangy Strat. I want a real bright, trebley sound, I want to install 500k or 1000k tone pots for the 3 singles. I know that 250k are the norm, but I am looking to change the sound. I am thinking of a sound like Clapton got on "Let it Rain". Real 1960's chimey Brittish invasion tone.
Has anyone made the swap on their stock 3 pickup Strat? Does it destroy the bell-like sound of a stock Strat,or what? I hate rippin' things apart, and not getting the sound I am looking for.
Thanks y'all!!

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Posted: Wed May 14, 2008 9:56 am
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Conventional wisdom has it that putting in 500k pots is the way to brighten your sound, so, yeah, try it.

I've never done it: would you let us know how you get on and what you feel it did for your sound, please? Be most interested to hear about it if you go for the one meg pots...


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Posted: Wed May 14, 2008 11:36 am
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Someone needs to do a podcast or something and test all this stuff out, wood, pots, all that stuff just so we can all see if it really makes a differance.

Not discouraging you, as a matter of fact I'm almost positive that it would work because more power too the pots means you get it to due it's job better. I'd also suggest changing the capaciter, as it is what makes a tone pot do what it does. Look on other forums for advice.

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Posted: Wed May 14, 2008 5:15 pm
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You might want to try a "blender pot" like this -

http://www.acmeguitarworks.com/250K_Spl ... P32C14.cfm

I think that this type of potentiometer might help you get the sounds that you're looking for without the "ear bleed tone", if that makes any sense. :wink:

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Posted: Fri May 16, 2008 9:43 pm
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Sure it will work, I've done it many times. But Fender has had the perfect acid test for the result for many years with the Delta-Tone pot. Being a no-load tone pot, you can move it just past 10 into a notch that will take it out of the circuit completely, which is just like having no tone pot at all and will be brighter than even a 1 meg tone pot.

Also, Fender make the TBX tone pot. This is a stacked double pot that includes a 250k pot and a 1 meg tone pot. From 0 to 5 you get the full range of the typical 250k tone pot. There is a notch there, and once you pass that notch and dial-it towards 10, the 250k pot is gradually removed from the circuit and the 1 meg tone pot takes over. At 10 you have just the 1 meg tone pot.

Try either of these and you will get the idea. It works.

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Posted: Mon May 19, 2008 12:39 pm
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I've done em both & have a TBX pot in a couple of axes. You can even try different caps, different guage & types of wires. I've built some of the most radical FRANKEN STRATS from just playing around with such & experimenting. .047 was the cap most often elected by Feder in the 70's/80's BUT switching to a .033, .022, or even a .055 may suit you better. Good luck (& happy motoring!!!!).


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