Model J or Relentless with 250k pots?

[darwin-bass]

DiMarzio recommends 500k ohm pots for these pickups since they are hum cancelling. How many of us use these pickups but with 250k pots?

 

[atquinn]

I have a Model J in. A PJ with 250k pots. However, I am using a 3 way switch/V/T arrangement as opposed to V/B/T or V/V/T so I believe the pickup is loaded less than it would otherwise be.

 

[darwin-bass]

Yes, I think that is true. A pair of 500k pots in parallel would be 250k so removing one pot and leaving one 250k pot should work out to be the same.

After more research I pulled the trigger on a set of Relentless J pickups plus a 3-way switch and a couple of 500K pots. I'm planning a switch/V/T layout with the V being 500k and the T being the stock 250k. If that is too bright, I can use a 250K for the V. But I really doubt a Relentless will be too bright

 

[micguy]

DiMarzio recommends 500k ohm pots for these pickups since they are hum cancelling. How many of us use these pickups but with 250k pots?

Hum cancelling has nothing to do with it. Yes, the rule of thumb for guitars is that you use higher value pots on humbuckers, because in guitar world, most humbuckers have more inductance than most single coils. In bass world, hum cancelling pickups don't necessarily have more inductance than single coils - especially when you talk about hum cancelling J's. The inductance, the parasitics, the interwinding capacitance, any eddy current losses, the cable capacitance - those things (along with damping from the controls) determine the frequency response.

Raising the resistance of your pots gives you more upper mid peak - WHEN the volume control is at max. When it's backed off, raising the resistance of your pots gives you less high end. If you ever play with your volume control backed off (I do that most of the time), you may not want 500K pots, as the tone varies more the higher the value pots you use.

 

[H13]

I have a set of Model J and I strongly recommend 500k pots.