No load tone pot

[Stilettoprefer]

Anyone use these on their basses? Lots of telecaster players use them, but I've never heard of a bassist using them. I just modified a spare 250k pot I had laying around to be a "no load" at the 10 position and plan to try it out in my Telecaster next time I do a string change and setup. I'm just wondering, would such a mechanism would be useful on a bass?

 

[steve_rolfeca]

If you want a little more brightness, then yes. I used to remove the tone controls on all my passive basses, which is essentially the same thing.

 

[line6man]

Just use a 500k pot. For most high impedance signals, that's a high enough resistance between the signal and capacitor that the capacitor is essentially removed from the circuit when the pot is on "10."

The only difference between a 250k and 500k pot for a tone control is how far the range is spread out. You have to roll a 500k down farther to get the same resistance as any given resistance in the range of a 250k pot.

 

[Stilettoprefer]

Good info! I guess I'll pick up a 500k pot to try in my P bass next time I'm around GC instead of modding another 250k pot

Will it have any negative affect if I leave the volume as a 250k?

 

[line6man]

Good info! I guess I'll pick up a 500k pot to try in my P bass next time I'm around GC instead of modding another 250k pot

Will it have any negative affect if I leave the volume as a 250k?

You can use whatever combo of pots and caps you think sounds best.

 

[SGD Lutherie]

I use a TBX tone pot in one of my basses which does the same thing.