Dylan Talks Tone Ep #10 250 or 500k pots in your guitar #30

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[@rayring1166]

I like your channel! However, with respect, I need to tell you some of this incorrect or stated in way that is unclear. You are incorrect about the resistor across the circuit rolling off highs. In fact, what a resistor(across the circuit) will do is simply flatten the response(lower the Q or peaked response of the pickup). If the flattened peak response is in the treble range, then yes the pickup may not sound as bright. The resistor will also convert some of the output into heat reducing output. Now if the resistor is in series or in line with the output(not across it) it creates a low pass filter with the parasitic capacitance along the cable/circuit path and this will roll off highs. Also parasitic capacitance of the POT itself can add to this. A capacitance across the circuit will roll off highs also . The way you describe the wiring of the POT is unclear also. One should take the input from the pickup and connect it to where you are showing the output being extracted. The output should be extracted from the wiper(center connection) such that a pot's rated value (250k for example) is across the circuit all the time but the output jack see a output impedance that varies depending on the POT setting. This varying impedance can bee seen as a series resistance with the output and is subject to treble roll off from parasitic capacitance. As you lower volume you also increase the series resistance giving more tone roll off . The lower the value of the pot(250k, 500k, etc); the less treble roll off but there will be more loading of the pickup (reducing output). So a 250K pot will produce less treble cut as you turn down the volume than a 1Meg pot but it will also reduce overall output(slightly) more than the 1 Meg at full volume (when there is little or no series resistance). The impedance and frequency response of the pickup and other nuances come into play also but I have gone on long enough.

[@devonsc0ttt]

This channel is by far the best channel I have found for explaining the science behind electric guitars. I've recently gained a passion for understanding the more "techy" side of guitars, but could never seem to find a good reliable source that broke it down into lamens terms & explains the logic behind some of the processes commonly practiced among players. Please keep making more videos & I'll keep watching!

[@smokepeddler]

Bahahaha. Really?

[@JamesJensen01]

yes, he's an electrical engineer and knows what he is actually talking about and explains it in simple terms for the rest of us. How about you responding with some form of intelligent response instead of "Bahahaha. Really." Are you 5 years old or just talk like one?

[@popogejo7245]

TOTALLY AGREE!

[@voodoowylde]

This is by far the best explanation of how a guitar circuit works than any I have ever seen, AWESOME !! If you understand electricity values, then this should be no surprise to you. If not, that was a heck of a lesson in the simplest terms ever.

[@fernandoanogueira]

Best video about guitar pots ever. Before trying a new pot everyone should see this and understand how their work. Thanks a lot!

[@mwilliams5645]

Finally, after so many years we get someone who really knows there stuff about guitar electronics. Amazing!

[@RobMods]

Actually with a vol pot it's usually the output that's connected to the wiper. This is to create a constant impedance at the pickup. If you connect the pickup hot to the wiper the volume pot will also act as a tone pot when you turn it down. You can hear this with a standard fender jazz. The pots are deliberately wired backwards so the signals can be blended.

[@ftlbaby]

Most helpful comment.

[@beytone]

1 MK?

[@DMSProduktions]

+Antonio Bey I SAW that! LOL! It's 1M or 1000K!

[@jaysusrockso2623]

are you a bass player? lol

[@jaysusrockso2623]

oh, that's cool! I should have made it clear I was responding to the OP though.

[@Fidozo15]

Hey, 1 MK is a very nice game though. It's a shame that Reptile isn't playable

[@zepiuulos]

Should also really be k not K

[@aleksandrnestrato]

Have people here already commented that - 0:36 - this "1 M k" is very funny! 😆 250 k is 250 kiloOhm, which is 250,000 Ohm. 500 k is 500 kiloOhm, which is 500,000 Ohm. Kilo means a 1,000 of something. 1 M is 1 megaOhm, which is 1,000 kiloOhm (1,000 K if you wish) or 1,000,000 Ohm. Mega means a 1,000,000 of something. 1 M k is, how to put this, 1 megakiloOhm. Or 1 "million thousand". Which is a billion (1,000,000,000) Ohm. The right way to write it down is 1 gigaOhm. The right way to write "1 M k" down in this video is 1 M.

[@michaelcarey9359]

So you mean it's what he said, not what he wrote down on a board. He said, and you can look at the subtitles "...sometimes one megohm..." Oh, I am tickled! The lols got me reeling, brah.

[@aleksandrnestrato]

@@michaelcarey9359 1. I did watch the vid and I know he said it right. 2. Dylan---the guy on the video---is an engineer, so he knows all that.

[@aleksandrnestrato]

​@Boodysaspie Yeah, I know that. Thank you, I've corrected.

[@amybobsbird]

I UNDERSTOOD! Thanks, I've been looking for someone like you for years.

[@jonnycap7974]

Ehhhhh, I don't think the high frequencies come off just based on the pot value... you need a cap for low pass...

[@Andreas_Straub]

As an electrical engineer I would consider this video very incomplete and sometimes straight wrong. In order to explain the effect of the external pot you need to go into the internal " replacement schematics" of the pickup. The internal capacitance and inductance in kombination with the external resistor form a filt, which affects the overall frequency response ....

[@phalanger1]

Very insightful video, thanks! I like how clearly and to-the-point you explained this.

[@gerrielubbe3968]

Hats of to guys who explain how coils, pots and caps interact, it is hard graft. For those who have taught passive (or active filter theory), some three equations explain filter stuff quick quick and rather easy. All you need to have is a basic understanding of maths and that’s just about it. Best regards and much respect for doing the hard yards on the topic.

[@billcaruso7050]

1/RC to you, Gerrie!

[@davewill0819]

Very confusing when the presenter uses the term "let the high frequencies go" at least twice. What does that mean? Let the high frequencies go to ground which is the whole concept he is discussing or let the high frequencies go to the amp to be heard?

[@stonerdave]

Resistance itself does not affect frequency response- it is the addition of capacitance that brings in frequency response- this is why the “tone pot” has a capacitor to ground

[@zerosoma33]

Lots of crap on KZbin, this is not part of that crap. Good channel, I subbed. 👍🏻

[@StratMatt777]

Wow! Thank you so much for this video and your video about tone caps. The way you drew the internals of the volume pot and showed how they correspond to each leg made everything instantly crystal clear! At 7:14 you mentioned that you would use 500K even with single coils and that you'd compensate by using a bigger cap... based on your tone cap video, are you saying that your way of compensating for the brightness of the 500K pot with a single coil is that you'd use a .047 capacitor so that it has more effectiveness, AND that you'd be rolling the tone back just a touch? A tone pot at 10 passes everything regardless of cap value, is that right? I've got an HSS strat (with a Duncan Custom Custom TB-11 bucker and Fender Original '57/'62 single coils) that I am redoing the wiring on as I transfer everything to the new replacement body and pickguard and I'm trying to decide what to do with the wiring... It's always had a 500K volume pot and I do like the brightness of the single coils, so I'm gonna stick with that. I've got a pull-up pot for switching the bucker into coil tap [EDIT: SPLIT not tap!] mode, but I just saw a comment on another video that said that making it automatically coil tap when you select position 4 is better and I realized I'd rather do that too... and then someone else said that paralleling is better than coil tap so you don't get hum (I'm watching that video of yours next). Because of these two videos of yours it all makes sense and is no longer overwhelming to try and figure it all out. I will finally get off my lazy butt and solder this pickguard up and get my strat back! After I watch your video about coil-tapping vs. parallel, I will probably be able to figure out how to wire it to automatically coil tap on position 4. Thank you! This Thanksgiving, I am thankful for you taking the time to make these videos. Have a good one, man!

[@epouw6061]

I disagree. There is no such thing as higher frequencies "taking a lower resistance path sooner" than lower frequencies. Resistors are basically frequency-independent. Caps on the other hand are not. The higher the frequency, the lower the resistance. Coils are the opposite the higher the frequency the higher the resistance. Volume pots with higher resistance value give a lower load on the pickups that's all. The "Tone" knob is a circuit of a variable resistor and a cap, witch acts as a frequency filter. Adjusting the resistance of the tone knob adjusts the filter.

[@JamesCroisdale]

Absolutely! Soooooo many just don't get this.

[@billcaruso7050]

Yup. 1/RC , right?

[@SquierStrat72]

I've always treated it as more of a guideline than a rule myself. I suppose it's the "common wisdom" because, in general, it's often true. But at some point, each guitar should be judged on its own needs. Like you said, hot singles might need the 500k to sound good while that bright humbucker responds better to 250. I actually do have 10k single coils in a strat and, while it's not too dark with the stock 250k pots, I may give 500k a try and see how much more they open up. If I like what I hear, 500 it is.

[@whatyoumakeofit6635]

Great job explaining this. Most understandable video on this subject ive seen since ive been searching utube years ago. I was searching for some specific info because i am putting a strat together and eanted to play with some resistors and caps. Regardless your explanation of pots is very clear and spot on. Thanks.

[@bluwng]

Thanks Dylan, you only addressed frequency response what about power transfer as in how much of the signal you want to retain. Would a higher value volume pot result in a louder pickup, eg higher amplitude?

[@billcaruso7050]

Very interesting question! Unless you are working with microwave or RF electronics, most people don't care about energy transfer. We are more interested in signal amplitude. The pickup internal resistance is about 10k ohms, and the amplifier input is about 1M, so current levels will be very low with these 300mVp-p circuits. I think you are onto an interesting idea, though: what if it were economically viable to wind a pickup with several loops of parallel coils, bringing the resistance down within the circuit and then have an amplifier that had a lower input impedance (maybe using a transformer). That would significantly lower noise floor and 60 Hz hum. Good question!

[@globalnova]

i hate pots that just don't do what they say on the tin. it revolves yet it's really just an /off at about 2. if you find a pot that tapers properly, NEVER CHANGE IT. haha

[@billcaruso7050]

Agreed! There are ways to desensitize a potentiometer using external resistors around the pot. The modification would cost less than a 25 cents. Any circuit designer would do this for you maybe for a hamburger.

[@mixville2]

Dylan, you put this up quite a while ago, but I have to say- that is far and away the BEST, easiest-to-understand description of how pots work that I have ever encountered. I've taken electronics courses, and never heard it so clearly physically explained. Thanks much! Dang, now I may have to look into your products! :)

[@forrest1979g]

Pots just became legal in Illinois. They really make your guitar sound better.

[@DeathBforDisco]

Is there a way to cleverly place a capacitor when coil splitting a humbucker with a 500k pot so the single coil position only gets 250k from the pot?

[@cliffb2454]

Hi, you just need to switch a 500K resistor to ground when you tap the humbucker. Two 500K resistors in parallel equals 250K. If you find a coil tapped humbucker sound to be too thin, try tapping the coil to ground via a 22nF capacitor. That way you keep some of the low frequencies from the other coil of the humbucker.

[@HiGrrr]

Hi @DylanTalksTone first of all thank your the video! I spent around 1,5h to look for a simple explanation ! Great Job! I have a quick question as I believe it would work (split it up in points for easier answer ) 1. I have a passive bass guitar, Jaguar Bass (with PJ Pickups) 2. Currently: Double Pot ( upper part control the Volume and lower part the Tone) per pickup. 3. Plan to change: 2 normal Pots and a 3 way switch. 4. 3 Way toggle switch neck, both, bridge pickup selection. 5. Volume pot (250k) controls both pickups (250k get in less high as i understand form u video). 5. Tone pot (500k) control both pickups with an cap (Cap Orange Drop 22nF 600V) (would have more control on the tone ?) The main goal i to have less worries about what tone is on which pickup and which is lower volume etc. and easy selection of pickups Thank you in advance ! Mike

[@damongardea9152]

This has been a F#%$^ absolute mind blowing learning experience!! It explains a lot of ?'s that I've had for years but only now have decided it's time to learn the basics of Electric/Bass guitar workings of how pickups and pots work hand in hand!! Amazing!! Subscribing from here on out!! Your basic explanation along with drawings relates to every ? I've had!! (Slapping myself in the face) I'am an I.T. guy but this is every unanswered "Hows and Whys" for me! Guitar rebuilds here I come!! Now I wont look like a deer in the headlights when a sales person gives me the specs for a Guitar/Bass! Thank you very Much!!!

[@Lydsum]

I don't really understand why you would want to use a muddy configuration. You can always use the tone knob to cut out highs, but you can't add clarity.

[@kenfoland]

Actually, you can make the output more focused with what is commonly called a bass cut tone control. I think it is better described as a clarity control. I installed one in my 2009 American Standard Strat. It's especially useful when paired with a vintage-circuit FuzzFace style fuzz. They have very low input impedance. So, the bass cut control increases the source impedance of the signal and doesn't allow the low impedance of the fuzz to have such a huge affect on tone.

[@chrisparker5278]

I miss these of school diagram videos

[@DrunkDuckXD]

Ok so can you theoretically just change any 500k put into a 250k put by just putting it at 5 instead of 10??? 🤷🏽‍♂️

[@deanc5112]

On "B" linear pots yes, but volume pots are normally "A" logarithmic so 5 would be around 100K on a 500K pot, and then only if the pot is reverse-wired (like the diagram in the video), but most volume pots are not wired like that.

[@charleshensley742]

i love this guy, i love this channel

[@ChinoMagliba]

Learning a looooooooooot from your channel!!!! Got the answer I've been asking myself for months!... Thank you!

[@hughreilly2023]

Why not just put a 1MK in every guitar because you can always turn the tone down.

[@kevinbillingsley8256]

First, it's not 1 MK. It's 1 Megaohm or 1000k. Fender uses 250k pots because they want the volume pot to tone down the brightness of those single coils a bit. Now, in the case of humbuckers you could use 1000k pots but they would be no different than 500k pots in all but the very brightest humbuckers so you'd just be spending a couple extra dollars for nothing. A 500k pot with a high pass filter would be a MUCH better solution for humbuckers. Most expensive guitars that ship with humbuckers do have high pass filters on the volume pots. That's one of those little things you get when you spend $1800+ for an axe.

[@attilathehun0]

500k pot for my single coil pups. It improves sustain and fullness of sound.

[@randyschock5651]

Are you using stock pickups, or hotter ones?

[@attilathehun0]

@@randyschock5651 I've had both with the same results, but don't go past 500k with single coils.

[@steevenare7160]

Did you use a different Capasitor?

[@attilathehun0]

@@steevenare7160 Nope I left the tone pot with original cap alone. I just swapped the volume pot.

[@rodsimmons9337]

Can a resistor be added to the ground of a 250k pot to increase the resistance and make it into a 500 pot?

[@billcaruso7050]

That would increase the resistance the pickup sees, but it would limit the range of the pot.

[@agateenchantmentrockwizard5969]

Great education here, thanks for making this video 📹

[@regielb1]

Thanks Dylan for you instructional videos. As the saying goes - "it is never too late to learn something new. "

[@imetators]

wow. glad to find your vid. since before this vid i thought i knew something. now i know somebody (me aswell) is stupid, cause he told me that putting less resistant pot makes it more flexible to change your guitar volume, on the other hand putting in more resistant pot and changing volume on your guitar it will be affecting volume right at the end of rotation. phew. so i was "kinda" wrong when i put 250k into my active bass. it still is pretty loud and clear, but why dont i make it clearer?

[@hanten10]

But what about the power condition?.. Is 500k has more power than 250k?..Because I've read many articles on internet than if we're using 250k our pickups didn't work at it full potential.. I think it make sense because I've experienced it by myself on my single coils pickups and I planned to try out 500k for my single coils and I remember Yngwie Malmsteen also use 500k pots for his single coils strat.. Hope you can say something about this issue.. Thanks

[@johnsguitarmusicanddemos]

What I like about watching your videos is I’m learning things about the guitar that I am honestly clueless about.

[@Krashulka]

Very well explained and spot on too, good stuff, cheers.

[@guitareveryone]

My custom built Tele has a Gibson mini humbucker in the neck position but typical single coils for the middle and bridge pickups and a 250k tone pot. What can I do to give more transparency to the mini humbucker in the neck without adding harshness to the single coil middle and bridge pickups?

[@Jack68676]

Hey man. Great video. I've been getting into building guitars and this has been the best explanation for me of circuits

[@okiedoak201]

dude you truly rock......thanks for shattering all the myths on tone and pot values....

[@pambrogi]

Thanks for the video, Dylan. Awesome!! I would like to know what happens if I mix in a Jazz Bass, a Neck Volume - 250K + Bridge Volume 250K + Tone 500K. Is it possible? Thank you, Patrick.

[@arkie87]

anything is possible. It will just affect your tone. To get the same tone, you want the product of the capacitance of your capacitor and the resistance of your resistor/potentiometer to be constant.

[@bjl1000]

Caution: If you change your pots, keep the old ones. It will greatly affect the 'collectable' value of your guitar in the future.

[@charlesnemec4280]

Energy is produced when the strings vivrate above the coils. Ground is always in equilibrium. Following current flow explains the process.

[@mannymanuel07]

Awesome!!!!!we should know all about this stuff, and you are the best explaining it. Thanks very much.

[@jonnycap7974]

Resistor value just changes output voltage. Has nothing to do with high frequencies without a cap in the circuit

[@DylanTalksTone]

Basic physics. total curcuit impedance (resistance, capacitance, inductance) changes ie… changing a pot… the available frequencies change. Super basic stuff.

[@billcaruso7050]

@@DylanTalksTone I like your videos, Dylan, but Jonny is right about this. You want to model your pickup as a Thevenin source with 300mVp-p and a series resistance of 12k. You need to model this either with a shunt capacitance, either a component or a parasitic capacitance, and then your 3dB cutoff point for your frequencies would be 2*pi*f=1/RC . 40 years designing circuits.

[@cannedmilk]

Great video. I just changed pickups on my telecaster and saw the stock wide range humbuckers had 250k and not 500k. Thanks for the informative video!

[@HenricoC]

Good morning. Thank you for this very informative video. I ordered Charlie Christian pickups for my Hohner SE35. What would you reccommend for pots and capacitor ?

[@awesometylerable]

I don't understand how the lower value pot will take away from the treble/highs when the entire audio industry claims that highs are lost as the signal conductor path grows in length due to the "Skin Effect"...I am so confuse.

[@sergej.f.vandoren9811]

What pickup Combo would you suggest for a beginner DIY guitar build to play rock & metal form Lenny Kravitz, Audioslave to Metallica & ACDC? thx

[@mikelundquist4596]

So, if you have HSS guitar, shouldn't you have separate pots/controls for the humbucker and the single coils?

[@hockeyman2274]

Good video, however I have 1 clarification. Electricity seeks all paths to ground.

[@garycharland3018]

Rickenbacker toaster pickups use a 300 k pot with a .047cap. I gather they have to be different...

[@RiffRock51]

I have a ESP LTD Phoenix-1000 with two humbuckers that sounds too harsh/shrill/trebly whether clean or overdriven. The lack of a tone knob may be why (2 volume knobs only on this guitar). Even after swapping out the stock Seymour Duncan JB and '59 pickups with melllower Alnico Pro II's, the guitar still sounds harsh/shrill to me. Since I mostly play hard rock and metal, I want to put the JB and '59 back in there, but how do I fix the harsh/shrill tone? Should I: A) convert one of the volume knobs to a tone knob to roll off higher frequencies? If so, which capacitor value should I use? B) Change the two stock 500k pots in there now to 250k pots to reduce higher frequencies C) Both of the above

[@michaelhiggs8657]

I'm fitting a Seymour Duncan humbucker bridge pick up with push pull onto my Strat. do you recommend 250 or 500K? Regards- Mick, Torquay, UK.

[@adcherry3588]

Like your insights - thanks. I have a JV squire strat ( beautiful) and an Indo. Squire '72 custom Tele ( Not bad - pick ups let it down.), I watched your Wide Range P/up vid from 2018. Its 2020 now and the Fender CuNiFe wide range is back albiet a few $. I have one on order for the Tele neck position. I also watch your Potentiometer vid 250k V 500k vid - great. I dont want to de-value the CuNiFe p/up by leaving the standard 250k Tele pots in but I also dont like too much Fender brightness. I am inclined to leave the 250k pot there to wash off unwanted high end - do you think perhaps I should go up to a 300k or so for the benefit of the CuNiFe - thanks Ad, Aust.

[@abiizapata]

What would I use on a Seymour Duncan SPB-3? 250k or 500k?... If it is fender pots, which series: 0990830000 or 0990832000? Regards :)

[@paj1015]

Which pots would you prefer/recommend for at set of Fender N3 noiseless pickups in a Telecaster? I'm thinking 500K, because N3's basically are humbuckers.

[@generalawareness101]

My old Squier with humbuckers used 500k and .033uf mylar caps. My new Squier Bullet Mustang uses 250k, and I forget the caps, but they were nowhere near as much. My two Ibanez guitars had 500k (both with humbuckers) so I was told the Mustang should have 500k in it to open it up.

[@jmp-es1gv]

Only just found this channel and find what Ive listened to really informative. I have a specific question - have had an SD JB HB installed into bridge position in a strat style guitar with single 250k vol n single 250k tone controls - now HSS previously SSS. The JB sounds dark lost some top - any ideas without changing pots ideally to improve - 5 way super switch is std in my guitar.

[@eknight101]

Dylan, I have a 3 knob sterling "by musicman" bass with a 2-band preamp. I'm wondering if I could wire the installed 4 lead humbucker pump to a Volume/Volume/Tone configuration just like a standard Fender Jazz. I would use 1meg linear pots for all three configurations. Do you think that this is possible? I've been playing bass for quite a while now and more and more I'm starting to dislike active tone circuits in favor of the passive tone organic sound.

[@willdenham]

My new PAF's installed with 50's wiring are definitely on the bright side. I'm thinking about the fat cap fix.

[@lonerider92]

So I want to put some Seymore Duncan Little 59s in my mustang, I play mostly Reggae, would 250k be more suited for those since they're PAF style humbuckers?

[@robhanson2653]

What does it do to the lows????? This is super informative. I’ve got a les Paul copy from Japan 1975. Had stock pups in there outputting 7-8k I wanted a bit more goose in there. Swapped the bridge to something that pumps 11-13k I think. And the lows feel like there getting squashed and bottleneck flubbed. Backing pickup height down helped a bit. But I have to assume 70s tech would be 250k pots?? Would replacing tone and volume to 500 open them up to breathe more???

[@deanc5112]

While the general summary is valid (increase the pot value from 250K to 500K and signal becomes brighter, and vice-versa), the explanation given does not actually explain why the tone changes even though no capacitor is in the circuit and then only applies to volume pots that are reversed-wired with the input signal feeding into the wiper, which is not how most wiring diagrams connect them. While this wiring variant is useful in some applications, such as where the guitar has a volume pot for each pickup and very simple switching for example, it has its limitations and can have very different characteristics. So to address the first thing (why changing pot from 250K to 500K, and vice versa, affects the tone): Ignoring the tone control, the high-frequency response of a pickup is determined by a low-pass filter formed by the inductance of the pickup coil (Lp) and the loading of the volume pot (Rv), commonly known as a series LR lowpass filter. With standard wiring (input on "lug 3" and output on "lug 2") the load seen by the coil is constant (Rv = 250K or 500K) while the value seen by the amplifier varies with the knob-setting, so the high frequency cut-off is very predictable if you know value of Lc ... a single coil of say Lc=1.5H and a 250K pot the 3dB cut-off will be 11KHz, change that to 500K and the cut-off jumps to 22KHz (double what it was, which upsets bats but not so much mere humans); with a dual-coil of Lc=3H and a 500K pot the cut-off is still be 11KHz but change that to a 250K pot and the cut-off drops to 5.5KHz, half of what it was and some of the brightness has now gone. All this changes with reverse-wiring because the "R" in the "LR" lowpass filter is now dependant on where the knob is set, so since the Pots are A-law Logarithmic then at max-volume setting the load is 250K and the cut-off is 11K as before, however at the mid-setting that 250K is now 50K so the cut-off has moved from 11KHz to 2.2KHz, a big change in tone, the volume control now acts as combined volume and tone pot, but not necessarily in a good way (we would ideally want the tone to get brighter as the volume is reduced).

[@ruudh7037]

Great video man qustion...What if a singelcoil is used and a Humbucker? (G&L Asat Blues Boy)? I would like to splitcoil the humbucker do you have a diagram for me?

[@abandonedairsoft]

Nice video man. Very informative. What size pot would you use for a hot rail pickup, say around 11-12k?

[@Jeffski-kq3tw]

Dylan, Would single coil shaped humbuckers ( such as SD hot rails ) be better off with a 500k volume pot ? That way you’d get a higher output from the pickup correct ?

[@TempoDrift1480]

I put Fender Tex Mex pickups in a Glarry and the highs are just glass breaking. I used a Stew Mac kit and a 50 foot cable but wow. No bueno.

[@CorbinAce]

Great video Dylan. I learned a lot of theory right here. Thanks. I acquired a nice Gibson Epiphone strat. I got it a long time ago. I found it in the back of a closet. I have no idea for how long. Anyway I plugged it in and there was nothing. I pulled the strings off and the pickguard. Some Gorilla did a wiring job. It has 500K pots. I think that was the mod. The guitar has a 5 position toggle, three single coil pickups They have three connections. White, red and a shielded ground. I'm thinking I will purchase every thing but the pickups and jack. I'm guessing from this video I do not need 500K pots. I am looking for a warm tone, a Jazz tone so I guess I would be better off with the 250s. If from what info I have here maybe you could let me know what you think I would appreciate it. Thanks

[@Bleats_Sinodai]

Just a silly spelling mistake, but 1MK would be 1000M, which is 1G or 1 Giga Ohms. The K and M are multipliers. K = x1000, M = x1,000,000 (and G = x1,000,000,000). The measurement for resistance is done in Ohms.

[@RsqSqr]

So here is the million dollar question ie what we should do to make 500k pot work like 250K pot. Should we add capacitor, if yes then what should be the value of it. I have a squier protone which has 500K, neck pup is amazing, where as the middle and bridge is bright/shimmer sort of, I was thinking to change the pots but if capacitor does the work, i would save some money. Reply awaiting. Thankyou

[@melchiando]

Dylan, i have a bunch of 60's, 304-6940 labeled pots in great condition. 500ks, do you think its worth the trouble replacing a new squier's pots out with these? get with me i'll send ya one of the pots. thx

[@JMonk26]

Why does the vol. pot on my Fender MIM JM sound good at 7 and at 8 to 10 the highs are piercing/not musical? Below 7 the sound is just dull. Thanks for taking the time to explain this technology.

[@McSlobo]

Well... if you put 500kohm pot into something you will have the range from 0 to 500kohm which includes the range from 0 to 250kohm. Seems that with some 500k CTS pots that means range from 0 - 7+ so you could use clearly over a half of the total pot range. Therefore I wouldn't be too worried about an unnecessary big pot value. And if you want to lower the resistance of a 500kohm pot to 250kohm you can just solder a 500kohm regular resistor between the input and output which will make it a 250k pot but the lower end of the volume range will become a bit steeper and the lower end flatter which might not be optimal. You could also use a 1M regular resistor there to get range from 0 to 333kohm which wouldn't be quite as steep from another end. Edit. Mixed words capacitor and resistor and the changes in volume range. Lol

[@WibblyWobblyBob]

500 in everything then adjust the tone pot where needed. If you don't like bright clear pickups don't by single coil.

[@joecampbell971]

Hi Dylan, thank you for a straight forward and informative explanation, sterling job. Just one small constructive criticism if I may, the K should not appear after the 1M value, since the K denotes Kilo (ohms), 1M on its own is sufficient, or 1MΩ (The Greek Omega symbol). I'm quite sure you will have realised this by now, thanks again for a brilliant explanation! P.S: I'm an old electronics tech, couldn't have explained it better myself :)

[@wangosmith]

Wow, killer video, that explains a lot , I put some Seymour Duncan quarter pounder’s in a tele I have and it darkened up a bunch, almost no highs at all, so this video was super informative

[@johnwattdotca]

Too bad you weren't around when Gibson and Fender were like Ford and Chevrolet in the disUnited States. Fender was all 250 and Gibson was 500. All those numbers mean is that 250 K can be transmitted as 250 K, and if you have 500 then 250 can also be carried. Like they used to say when end users weren't just end users, but actually built residential electronics yourself, try to visualize how it would work with water. That still works.

[@johncarter6519]

So, if I want my guitar brighter to go 500 k if I don't go 250 k? Am I understanding that correctly? I have to change my pots on my telecaster, and I play a lot of jazz gigs, so I really need to make sure I'm making the right decision here. The pickups are noiseless single coils in case you are wondering.

[@billwilliams6338]

DYLANTALKSTONE, older 50s strat used a different wiring on the TONE pot how does this change the impedance output? Also when you disconnect the TONE pot and go direct output bypass the tone pot will change the impedance output and if the guitar pedals input impedance is not 1meg or 10meg how does this affect the impedance mismatching of the guitars impedance to the guitar pedals input impedance? Yngwie malmsteen plays direct no tone pot going to a DOD preamp pedal if you use a strat with a tone pot the impedance output is different and you don't get the same song out of the DOD preamp pedal because of this. Can you make a video explain this more in depth?

[@terrywashburn6347]

I'm planning on putting a Hot Rail pickup in the bridge position of my Strat and using a push/push pot to split the coils. My question is should I use a 250k or a 500k pot? I will probably be using the pickup as a humbucker most of the time but I will be using it both ways and I am not sure of which pot will work best for both applications.

[@InterWebGuy99]

I'm getting a great Guitar Electronics 101 class from your videos! Excellent presentation and very easy to follow. Much appreciate you sharing all this!

[@DylanTalksTone]

thanks so much for subscribing

[@daniellaus4943]

Thanks so much for your videos on potentiometers and capacitors and how to figure out which ones to use and the differences between them. I've been building guitars for a long time, but never took the time to understand the electronic aspects of them, because I would just look at wiring diagrams and hook them up accordingly. Your videos have given me the information that Is very important for me to know and to help me be a better guitar builder and repair technician. You are a genius in the way that you present the information and make it a lit easier to understand. Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! You have a fan for life!

[@lovmasin]

This is great explanation but one correction ...its just 1M not 1Mk (M mega... k kilo) ohm

[@davidshafer6388]

Thank you for another great video sir. I am now thinking about building a guitar with on/off switches for the pickups. No volume or tone controls, just on or off.

[@clarkbabin9799]

Resistance is determined by your components. It exists with out voltage or current. Remember ohms law and how voltage is obtained. Your power is what searches grnd potential.

[@steverhinefrank5589]

hi. very helpful/informative. maybe i am way late to the dance to get a response, but... does anyone ever mismatch volume and tone pots ? say a 500k volume with a 250 tone ? thanks

[@georgerobartes5989]

Danelectro single coil lipsticks used 1M pots for the reason by way of how they were wound originally and for the sound they were looking for and probably there were plenty of surplus 1M pots available as the big names were buying up the rest . I'm guessing that the modern crop of lipsticks are not made the same way as the values in their wiring diagrams have changed to 470K I believe in the attempt to replicate the original sound . I guess the only way to get the Jimmy Page Dano 59 sound is to rewind your own or buy original style wound pickups from someone like Dylan and slap 1M pots back in .

[@jarhead1659]

I want to change my single ciol strat to humbucker can i use d electronics from old electronics to my humbucker just the pickups i changed

[@chrisgarceau9282]

I have a guitar with a single P90 and a volume control no tone what pot would be best 250K, 500K or 1M and what taper?

[@christopherpaladin213]

Oh so that’s why my Jazzmaster sounds so awful with the tone at 10…1 meg pot = way too much treble! (Sounds great with the tone rolled off though!)

[@ampturcoguitarwerks]

Great video. I always try to explain a lot of this to my customers and always try to find what tone they are after when I’m building them a harness. Thanks for doing these.

[@DylanTalksTone]

John Gorentz showed me your stuff while I was there. Pretty killer.

[@alabamahebrew]

Ok so in other words, if I wanted to brighten up my neck humbucker on my Les Paul I would swap out the stock 500Kohm for a 1 Meg ohm? On my guitar that has a 57 classic+ it is very bright so to bring that brightness down, just swap out the 500k volume pot for a 250k volume pot? Now, why not come out with, if it doesn't already exist, a pot that can go from say 250k to 1 meg? If the outside material determines the resistance, could you have an outside material that I guess gets fatter as it increases around ? Or maybe a better way would be to build a pot that is stepped, what I mean by stepped is say it is your normal round pot but it has three levels to it and your volume pot shaft can be clicked between the different sizes, all the way down and you are running the ring that has 250k pull it up to the middle position and now your'e on the 500 and fully pulled up you are running the 1 meg ring of the volume pot - could something like that be built or is there something like that?

[@Dldmny]

When changing potentiometer values from those designed, the entire circuit is affected, including volume and tone quality. Thankfully, the voltage involved in guitar circuits is very small, so there are no major potential hazards involved in experimenting with various pot values. The current produced by the pickup increases when the value of the volume pot is increased. Therefore the high frequencies are more pronounced.

[@defakosgr]

The connections at the drawing of the pot is no good for me, and for those who use noise gate... This way there is always a resistance at the output so you might not hear the sound of the pickup, when the taper is all the way turned to earth, but you will have a hum. The shorter way to earth passes trough a 250k, or a500K, or 1M. Your amp will still get signal. I did tried it. For my personal taste, output should be at the middle leg of the pot. This way when the taper is turned to the earth leg, your output will be shorted to earth, resulting a quiet amp. You might loose some frequencies from the pickup, but you can always change to a different value pot to gain them back. By the way... Pots do come to huge variety of values... The industry standard dictates these, as the "common" values.... Have in mind that for example 500k (or 250k) pots, are US standard... In EU they are hard to find. 470k (or 220k) is the the standard for EU, as the nearest value. You may find 500k but only at guitar related shops, imported from US, thus more expensive. NOT at common hardware stores.

[@davidfoster5906]

This is a good explanation of how the volume pot shorts signals to ground thus lowering the remaining signals to amps input.What I want to understand is, why a path to ground that is not a capacitor effects high frequencies more than others. I know the answer is rather complex and it involves impedance or the actual resistance of the pickup at a given frequency and a concept thats even more complex , the Q of the circuit. I am looking for a combination of pot values capacitor value so my p-90 (neck position) is not so muddy.