250k pots on a Prospect?

[PunkKitty]

I just picked up my Prospect from the shop. I had it rewired with a new switch, new CTS pots, and Orange Drop caps. I was surprised when the luthier handed me the old harness. It used WD 250k pots. Is this normal for older Heritages?

[Spectrum13]

My 2006 150 - 2007 137 and 2008 Millie all had the 250K. One of the first things I changed and reason for many a neck pickup not being too bright.

[PunkKitty]

I had it rewired because the pots and switch were scratchy. 250k pots are another good reason to rewire it.

[MartyGrass]

I had it rewired because the pots and switch were scratchy. 250k pots are another good reason to rewire it.

 

I agree. You can always dial out the brightness if you want. It's harder to dial it in if it doesn't exist.

 

The 250Ks make more sense in single coils where it eliminates some of the high frequency hiss.

[Guest HRB853370]

My 2006 150 - 2007 137 and 2008 Millie all had the 250K. One of the first things I changed and reason for many a neck pickup not being too bright.

 

Seriously, can your ears really hear the difference?

[tbonesullivan]

here's the thing that I keep having trouble with: if you have your pots at 10, is there any real difference? or does the difference just become apparent as you roll off the volume and/or tone.

 

I mean, pots are variable resistors, right? so they go from theoretically 0 ohms to 250K or 500K ohms. Doesn't that mean that a 500K pot at the point where it is 250K ohms would have the same effect?

 

I am electronically clueless however.

[H]

Seriously, can your ears really hear the difference?

Yes. And you'd hear it too in a side by side comparison.

 

Lower value pots filter out higher frequencies of sound. They would make a humbucker sound 'muddy' but they prevent single coils from being 'ice-pick' clear.

[Spook410]

Gibson uses 300K pots for volume on most 335's and 175's. They still 500K pots for tone. It gives you more control since your going from 300K -> 0 rather than 500K -> 0. We've been acclimated to 500K pots on humbucker guitars but for at least some of us I think 250K - 300K is a better choice on volume. You still need the 500K on the tone pot. I still prefer the .047uf cap but some like smaller values to bleed off less treble. I use the sprague orange drops but not sure my ears could tell the difference in caps.

[DetroitBlues]

Gibson uses 300K pots for volume on most 335's and 175's. They still 500K pots for tone. It gives you more control since your going from 300K -> 0 rather than 500K -> 0. We've been acclimated to 500K pots on humbucker guitars but for at least some of us I think 250K - 300K is a better choice on volume. You still need the 500K on the tone pot. I still prefer the .047uf cap but some like smaller values to bleed off less treble. I use the sprague orange drops but not sure my ears could tell the difference in caps.

 

I went by the specs off of RS Guitar works. I did not by their stuff, but I used 300k volume and 500k tone, with a .047 in the bridge and a . 022 in the neck..

[MartyGrass]

The tone pot resistance makes a real difference. One of my guitars had a 50K pot for tone, which is intended for basses. There was very little treble. Replacing it with a 500K was dramatic.

[Spook410]

I went by the specs off of RS Guitar works. I did not by their stuff, but I used 300k volume and 500k tone, with a .047 in the bridge and a . 022 in the neck..

 

I keep meaning to screw around with some smaller caps just to see. My tone controls are never turned down more than 5 of 10. They usually live in the 7-8 range and often see 10.

.

[DetroitBlues]

I went by the specs off of RS Guitar works. I did not by their stuff, but I used 300k volume and 500k tone, with a .047 in the bridge and a . 022 in the neck..

 

Oops, I mean a .015 for the neck and a .022 for the bridge...

[Spook410]

You know DB.. you're gonna force me to go get a stack of smaller caps and set up a test to see what I really like.

[kidsmoke]

^{FINALLY got around to pulling everything out of my 535. My harness also had the WD250 tone pots, and WD500 Volume Pots. Small .022 caps. I'm a little surprised, given that the pickups were installed by Ed Roman Guitars, I'd think that perhaps they'd spec different harness components as well.}

Here she is. Anybody want an original 535 harness?

 

 

[tulk1]

Just an interject. Sometimes it's supply availability.

[duaneallen]

I always wonder about this as well. My 535 has always had a dark, woody tone which I love because I use it to play jazz. Whenever I play other semi hollows, they always seem to sound too bright to me. Mine is a 2000, and I'm wondering if I like the sound because of the 250k pots.