I am about to do some rewiring to my bass. It currently has the standard factory 500k pots, but the advice I got included to replace that with 250k pots (which is much bigger in size, btw).

What is the difference between them? How does that effect the tone?

larger pot may or may not fit but size really make no difference i have had more loose shaft large cts pots than the mini pots. the lower value of the pot with give you more resistance and darken the sound of your bass a bit. typically bright pickups ie:single coils, strat tele jbass pbass use 250K and humbuckers like gibsons and others use 500K.

thanks, that helps alot. i know it's off the subject, but do you know anything about tone caps? The one currently installed reads: IO4J 2A0SG. And i got the .47mfd to replace it with... Know anything about that, or the difference in tone?

thanks, that helps alot. i know it's off the subject, but do you know anything about tone caps? The one currently installed reads: IO4J 2A0SG. And i got the .47mfd to replace it with... Know anything about that, or the difference in tone?

104= .1mfd
.47mfd will be a little less dark

For the pots, the higher resistance valued pots attenuate less high frequency signal. The larger the capacitor value on the tone control, the lower the high frequency cutoff.

I'm working on a similar project (converting an Ibanez GSR 190 to DiMarzios and 250K mini-pots). Found the mini-pots at AllParts here in Houston.

www.allparts.com

P/N: EP-0185-000 $2 each!

can you use a 25k pot for a MM pup ? Will it "darklen" the sound at all, the one in my MTD is very bright.

can you use a 25k pot for a MM pup ? Will it "darklen" the sound at all, the one in my MTD is very bright.

No, you can't use a 25K pot on a high impedance PU. You would get very little volume, if any. If the bass uses 500K, try 250K. Or better yet, just back the tone control off a bit.

I am about to do some rewiring to my bass. It currently has the standard factory 500k pots, but the advice I got included to replace that with 250k pots (which is much bigger in size, btw).

What is the difference between them? How does that effect the tone?

It all depends on the impedance/DC resistance of the PU. Typically the higher ("hotter") the PU, the higher the value of the pot. So traditionally Fender single coils, which are about 6 to 8K would use 250K, while hotter humbucking PUs used 500K.

However, many bass pickups are wound much hotter than some guitar pickups, such as the Fender Jazz (about 12k), but still use 250k. This might be because Fender already uses 250k, so they buy them in bulk, or because they wanted to take some high end off.

Likewise replacing a 500K pot with a 1M will give you more output and a brighter sound.

So unless you want a darker sound, stick with the 500k pots. You didn't say if you were replacing the PUs?

No, you can't use a 25K pot on a high impedance PU. You would get very little volume, if any. If the bass uses 500K, try 250K. Or better yet, just back the tone control off a bit.

thanks..btw the 25K was a typo :)

sorry for asking a dumb question, but what is PU? I'm kinda new with this stuff...

sorry for asking a dumb question, but what is PU? I'm kinda new with this stuff...
PU=PickUp

If using a gibson style mudbucker, will just a 500k vol pot give you a brighter tone, or should I replace the tone pot as well. I usually leave the tone all the way up...

Mad_Phingers:

You're answering a 4 year old post; I commend you !! :D

I will be interesting to see if the poster responds......



Mike

Mad_Phingers:

You're answering a 4 year old post; I commend you !! :D

I will be interesting to see if the poster responds......



Mike

He's probably spent the last 4 years covered in cobwebs refreshing this page.

Waiting...


Hoping...

:bawl: