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HELP= Need answers about pots

xXMOTORBREATHXx

xXMOTORBREATHXx

Nov 26, 2012
10
1
STL
#1
Hey, I've got a '98 Squire II P bass all stock. I'm upgrading pups to a DiMarzio DP127 split p from my stock single coil, and replacing my pots as well. My rig has 500K's in it, probably gonna go with CTS 250K's because I've read that's what most people upgrading pots do with this guitar ( the CTS brand was suggested by a 6-string player friend). Really just need to know if there are pots specifically for single and dual coil or if they're one in the same. Also any sources on wiring schematics would be helpful for I'm doing the wiring myself. I know what your thinking, but I'm pretty good at soldering and wiring cause I'm a mechanic, and this wiring should be easier to do than some of the cars I work on. Thanx!

And since I know its helpful to those willing to help me, I play mainly metal and 90's top 40 alternative in a cover band.
 
#2
250k is what most people use because it's the stock value of classic Fender P and J basses (most Gibsons use 500k). They will give you a somewhat fatter tone because they have less treble on the high end. For metal, you might actually prefer 500k pots for more brightness and bite, but I would venture to say 250k would serve you well for the cover gig. And I would second that recommendation for CTS.

To answer your actual question, there are no pots specifically for single or dual coil. Outside of resistance values, a pot is a pot...unless you get into the whole linear vs audio taper, but even either of those will work for your upgrade.
 
#3
jumblemind said:
To answer your actual question, there are no pots specifically for single or dual coil.
Click to expand...
that's essentially true, but the tendency is that single coils benefit from the treble taming of 250ks, while humbuckers need the extra brightness of 500ks.

as such, i suggest keeping the 500ks for the dimarzio split P, it'll need them.
 
#7
linear is not "for tone only", in fact it's lousy for tone pots at all!

audio taper pots drop off fast from full-up, then flatten out, while linear tapers change evenly across their whole sweep.

it's all about the circuit they're in; linear volumes in basses through clean rigs will sweep evenly from off to full, while audio taper volumes will jump between "8" and "10".

audio tones will work properly, while linear tones do almost nothing until they're just about all the way down, where they go dark almost like a switch.

i recommend linear volumes and audio tones for bass, especially if you go with 500ks, which kind of exaggerate the difference in sweep.

(there's a ton of threads about this, it's worth a search.)
 
#9
was it a guitar forum?

with overdrive or lots of compression (typical guitar tones) then the audio taper volume in fact works best, giving you an even progression from quiet and clean to loud and crunchy.
 

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