I replaced the pots on my Schecter

[Busker]

A model T, with P & J pickups. It originally came with 500K pots, and who knows what for the cap. In an effort to mellow the tone a bit, I put in the 250K pots and a .047 cap (current specs on this model bass are 250K and a .022 cap. The older ones came with 500K and unknown value cap).

The J pickup had too much bite for my tastes.

I really can't tell much difference in the before and after. Maybe a very slight improvement. I feel like I just wasted time and money. Not much money though, the pots and cap came in at under $10.

Any suggestions? I like the bass. Just trying to improve it a bit.

[Busker]

On second play, it's fine. I like it the way it is, now.

[KeithPas]

I would try some different strings before messing around with the guts of your bass. There are potantionally alot of things that can go wrong once you start tinkering with the inner workings of your instrument. Try some Thomastic Infeld jazz flats and see if that helps.

[Busker]

Too late. It's done.

[WarriorJoe7]

Well the pots only change the volume and the cap only chnges the way the tone know works (and if you don't use the tone knob then it does nothing...)

Put in a preamp or better yet replace the pickups... but strings is a good start. Get very good strings... DRs maybe

Joe

Originally Posted by Busker

A model T, with P & J pickups. It originally came with 500K pots, and who knows what for the cap. In an effort to mellow the tone a bit, I put in the 250K pots and a .047 cap (current specs on this model bass are 250K and a .022 cap. The older ones came with 500K and unknown value cap).

The J pickup had too much bite for my tastes.

I really can't tell much difference in the before and after. Maybe a very slight improvement. I feel like I just wasted time and money. Not much money though, the pots and cap came in at under $10.

Any suggestions? I like the bass. Just trying to improve it a bit.

[Trevorus]

Originally Posted by WarriorJoe7

Well the pots only change the volume and the cap only chnges the way the tone know works (and if you don't use the tone knob then it does nothing...)

Put in a preamp or better yet replace the pickups... but strings is a good start. Get very good strings... DRs maybe

Joe

Pots do affect things. Basically, when a pot is turned all the way up, it has a resistance between the signal and ground. 500K pots have 500,000 ohms between the signal side and the ground. When you drop the resistance, it tends to bleed off treble first. This is why when you turn down the volume, the sound tends to dull a bit.

Passive controls can make a lot of difference when you fiddle with their values. Even when turned all the way up. Your tone cap has an effect at every position, though when all the way up, it's small.

[PilbaraBass]

500k pot + 0.047uF cap will sound the same rolled off as a
250k pot + 0.1uF cap

based on my personal findings:
500k pot + 0.047uF will not give you the tone shaping flexibility of a 250k pot + 0.1uF (roll off is only in last 1/3 of the pot)...

One Idea, I had for improving a P/J (and will try this on mine)

is to change the 250K pot to a 250k/250k concentric pot and put in a 0.1uF on the bridge pickup and a 0.047uF on the neck pickup, to give me a V/T/V/T type setup

I've already modified it for series mode. In series mode, only the neck pickup tone control will be active.

[Busker]

Hmmmm

So I should try a 0.1uF cap?

It sounds pretty good with the 250K and .047. Schecter used to use 500K pots in these basses, then switched to 250K for the current ones. Maybe they had good reason to do so?

What about trying a vintage paper cap? Or will the type of cap make no difference, as long as the value is correct?

[Trevorus]

Type of cap does make a difference. What is wierd is that theoretically, it shouldn't, but it does. A film one will generally have more clarity. They are cheap, so buy a few different kinds and try them all.

[Busker]

Originally Posted by Trevorus

Type of cap does make a difference. What is wierd is that theoretically, it shouldn't, but it does. A film one will generally have more clarity. They are cheap, so buy a few different kinds and try them all.

Trevorus

I think the 250K pots and .047uF cap really improved the bass, after playing it a few days more.

I'm just using regular film caps from Radio Shack. I also picked up some .1uF caps the other day just to try it, as PilbaraBass suggested but haven't made the change yet.

I thought I had a vintage paper/wax .1uF cap I stripped out of an old amplifier, but the largest value I have in those is a .05, which is virtually the same as the .047. Maybe the old paper/wax cap would supply a nice tone though, if it still works.