Question about pot values

Tiga · Sun Aug 25, 2024 10:03 am

I'm working on my Affinity Strat upgrade project. Looking to install a set of A2 single coil pickups that come in around 6.k. I noticed the pots/pickups that came with the guitar are 500k and the pickups are ceramic and come in around 3.5k (they actually sound pretty good).

So what pots should I use with the Alnico 2's? I aways thought the rule of thumb was 250k for single coils? I've never used the new pickups before so I don't know how they sound. Thank you for the help!

golem · Sun Aug 25, 2024 12:44 pm

Yes, 250K with your average strat or tele single coil.
I had an SSL6 in a Knaggs that sounded fine with 500K. I think there's a way you can add a resistor to 500K to use the same pots. Bill Lawrence used to suggest that.

Buddha Pickups · Sun Aug 25, 2024 8:31 pm

Most single coils are bright so 250k helps tame them a bit but 500k can work fine too if you'd like a little more Treble to come through.
I use them both depending on what sound I'm going for.

Tiga · Wed Aug 28, 2024 5:25 am

Ok thanks - so I"ll order 250k pots and if I think the pickups are too dark or need boost in the treble I'll try a higher value. The new pickguard should be here this week so I need to get these ordered!

tonebender · Wed Aug 28, 2024 6:20 pm

I just dropped off my 2014 Gibson Melody with my guy at Somnium. It came with P90's that they call "Slugs", I think. I did not like them so I put a set of mini hums in back when I had my bench and did my own work. I did not change the pots and did not like the tone. So a year or two ago I had him put a 50's wiring kit in with the correct pots but I still did not like the tone. Now he is going to put the original P90's back in with the wiring and pots for hums and see what that does. Also he will install treble bleeds for both pups. I hope it suits me because I love the weight and feel of the guitar. If all this does not work I am going to get a set of traditional Gibson P90's or commission Buddha to make me a set of P90's for it. I want to play the dang thing.

Tiga · Wed Aug 28, 2024 6:31 pm

Good luck - hope you find the right combo to get the sound your after!

Buddha Pickups · Mon Sep 02, 2024 7:50 pm

tonebender wrote: ↑Wed Aug 28, 2024 6:20 pm I just dropped off my 2014 Gibson Melody with my guy at Somnium. It came with P90's that they call "Slugs", I think. I did not like them so I put a set of mini hums in back when I had my bench and did my own work. I did not change the pots and did not like the tone. So a year or two ago I had him put a 50's wiring kit in with the correct pots but I still did not like the tone. Now he is going to put the original P90's back in with the wiring and pots for hums and see what that does. Also he will install treble bleeds for both pups. I hope it suits me because I love the weight and feel of the guitar. If all this does not work I am going to get a set of traditional Gibson P90's or commission Buddha to make me a set of P90's for it. I want to play the dang thing.

I think gibson started using rod magnets in their p90s at some point. So it's actually closer to a jazzmaster pickup vs an actual p90. There was a member here that had one where they forgot to magnetize one of the magnets so his E string was pretty quiet. Not sure how that got past their qc.

I'm your huckleberry whatever you need.