A short discussion of HSS Strats and balance issues between single coil pickups and Humbuckers. I have found that 300k pots are the best value to split the difference between singles and Humbuckers. What do you think?
I did it the simple way when I converted my sss to a hss. I watched this video and did exactly what the gentleman in the video said to do. I ordered three 300 k CDs pots and installed them. Now my Squier Affinity Strategy sounds awsome.The pickups I installed came out of a PRS import . Not sure which model of PRS. I also installed a Fender big block Mexican bridge. Now the Squier has sustain for days. The difference in the before and after is amazing.. I'm so glad this video was there for me to learn from. Thank you sir.Everybody keep on rocking!
I've been thinking about this issue and settled on using a series/parallel switch on the bridge humbucker rather than a split. This should get it close enough to the sound I'm after while retaining the humbucking function, eliminating the change in volume you get when splitting a coil off, and avoiding the pot resistance mismatch you're talking about. I found that my bridge HB was indeed far louder than the single coils in middle and neck so I simply lowered it in the pickguard until it was similar. But if I then split it, it would be way too quiet. So series/parallel is the way I plan to go.
Have another one for you. Put on a 500k volume on your HSS. Then on the pick-up selector, on the terminals corresponding to the neck and middle pick-up, you solder on both terminals one side of a 470k resistor. The other side of the resistor goes to ground. Now Every time you select bridge, it sees 500k. But when you select either neck or middle, they see 500k in parallel with 470k, roughly 250k. Only downside is: when you select bridge and middle, The humbucker will see 250k too, so it will be a little bassy. OR you dont hook UP middle to The resistor, only neck: inbetween positions will be a tad brighter but more genuine.
I'm thinking of installing a 500k push-pull for volume on the strat I'm building, where if you pull up, it connects a 500k resister in parallel. Or vice versa - if you pull up, it disconnects the parallel resistor.
That works for me, with a DiMarzio pickguard I built for what is now my main gigging guitar. This has a Pro 54, an Area 61(?), and an AT-1 in the bridge. This at least helps with the tone, presenting about the right resistance to each pickup configuration. It won't help the volume imbalance. For that it's better to choose some hot singles and a less hot humbucker.
Personally, I just plan on putting 3-500k pots into my Strat with a 12.5k hb in the bridge and the stock ceramic neck & middle singles. I may swap them out for a couple of alnico single coils that I have but I'm not sure yet.
Dang. I've been looking to convert my American Ultra to an HSS and was worried about loosing the tone of the big dippers I just put in. I think this video just saved me a lot of grief haha. Thank you!
Very informative. I have a HSS Parker P38 that is rigged with 250s and I do find the bridge pickup isn't muddy but it does lack treble. However, it's he perfect pot combo to have with all those pickups. I also have an Ibanez SAS36FM with HSS that uses 500K pots. I find with that that the neck single coil is too boomy and sometimes overpowers the bridge humbucker in volume. I'm thinking that 300Ks might be the solution for each of those guitars. I was just wondering what value caps you use in the tones and are 300Ks available as push pull pots?
I have used 500k pot in my Pacifica and a parallel resistor of 520k for middle and neck positions only that sits between the pickup selector pins for neck and middle and the pot. This halves the resistance of the pot only when neck and middle pickups are selected.
If you use 2 resistors, then in the neck+middle position you drop even lower. Best to use one resistor on the neck, that way only the rarely used middle position isn't correct.
Hello & a really nice vid👍really need your help on this one I have a strat upgraded with a di marzio super distortion (bridge),area 61 middle (single sized humbucker)& a virtual vintage heavy blues 2 in the neck (single sized humbucker)... should I go 500k pots or 300 according to your opinion ???
Interesting point,,, I did however see where a lot of tweakers and builders are looking over to CTS or Bournes or something like that. the tolerance is much better controlled as to where you may actually get away with a real within specs. Cap. Thanks for sharing!
Patrick Kem the thing this guy leaves out is that all,these pots are in spec. Industry standard is +/- 15% at best for red to end potentiometers. And what really matters isn't the end to end resistance it's the value selected by the pot travel, which is adjustable. This doesn't address the real issue, which is the mismatch in impedance between sc and hb. Good try but pretty worthless analysis.
One of the newer model Strats have a 250K/1 meg combination pot that works as a passive low/high filter. I'm going to use it in a Tele 2/1 combination soon.
Great video thanks! I use 300K in my broadcaster-type guitar (hot single coil pickups). In my 60s Strat type guitar use a 250K vol (read 234K) and a 300K master tone (reads 292K). Both sound great!! BTW, loved the gerbils :)
what do u mean in super bright on single coil?? does it sound crystal clear??? I'm thinking to add 2 lipstick tube pups to achieve the sound of crystal clear. if it just add volume maybe I just use 300k. what u think???
I purchased the Seymour Duncan All everything Humbuckers ( Stacked Humbuckers)Pickguard config. It came with 250 pots, and the sound was very dull. So, I researched of the guitars from manufacturers using the pick HSH configuars ( Surh) and they use 500k pots in their stacked humbuckers. That's the tone I was searching for. So, Do I use both ( 500 k) for volume and tone pots?
Can i add autosplit mod on the 4th position (middle single with splitted hb) and a coil tap for the bridge pickup (so i can make into a single coil on the 5th position)? Thank youu
You can get stacked pots now where the "rod" runs through 2 pots stacked on top of each other, so you can actually have a 250k and a 500k volume activated by a single knob. :) I think that is the optimal way to do it.
@@heythere6983 i think he's saying the market now offers 1 pot with two resistance, so you can wire the single coils on 250k and the 500k on the humbucker, you keep the 3 knob configuration on the strat
I am looking for a ( non shrill or ice-picky ) Low-output Humbucker for my Suhr Strat, to pair with Lollar Blonde's in the middle & neck ? Any Recommendations ? Stay Safe
I tend to wire the bridge humbucker to when combined with the middle pickup. Something that has a DC resistance close to the middle pickup works well. I don't use a middle pickup much and I tend to run my amp so it compressing but not crunching unless I spank it hard on the clean channel with the neck pickup, positions 2 and 4 are then super clean and the bridge humbucker crunches up. I tend to run a 250k no-load tone pot that disconnects itself from the circuit at 10 on strats and has strats, I tend to play with the volume rolled of a bit so I can roll it on should I suddenly be short on gain., 500kOhm pots work better for me here, and a treble bleed pot helps. Experimenting with pickup height can solve balance and brightness issues.
Have you tried adding a resistor inline with one of the lugs? Subtract the actual reading from 250K and use a resistor to equal 250K. Seems like that would work, but maybe not.
I read most responses and just want to add that also capacitors are delivered within a tolerance upto 20%. So also you might will get strongly different values, influencing the cut off frequency of your low or high pass filter. Measuring them is less straight forward and you need a proper multimeter for that. Take care about discharging before measuring and about polarity when applicable. Caps used in guitar wiring typically do not have polarity. Never use one that has a polarity, in your passive circuitry in your guitar. Word of caution: when wrongly used these even can explode in your face. (used in active circuits).
There is a mod on you tube for separate volume control for the humbucker and a volume control for the neck and middle. This may be a solution to the humbucker overpowering the single coil.
@chippster stephens After reading your reply, I realized that some of the specs of my second HSS were off. My guitar tech wired the middle and bridge to the Bourns PDB183 (Tone 2). Tone 1 is for the Neck but it also acts as roll off for the middle and bridge. If Tone 2 is all the way down, Tone 1 doesn't work until the neck is selected. I usually keep tone knobs around 5 so I didn't discover this until recently. The wiring that you did is very interesting. How many guitars have you modified? I understand your troubles with damaged guitars. The first HSS mod that was completed was a recreation. I brought the original guitar to the shop for the last round of mods but the neck was bad and my tech refused to work on it. What are your thoughts on putting two Gretsch Filtertrons or two Gibson P94s in series? Would the sound be too muddy? I'm thinking of doing two Squier Tele mods with both sets and Bigsby's. I'm also interested in doing an 80s metal HSS Strat.
@chippster stephens Thank you very much for your advice. I think it's great that you know so much about guitars and things. I've thought about doing my own mods from time to time. Over twenty years ago, I made a couple of devices in audio school. I also made some cables when I interned at two studios after graduating. I'm fully capable of doing my own work but I'd rather leave it to someone who's been doing it well for a long time. Also, it gives me an excuse to go out and chat with cool musicians while I pick up my gear. The Bourns PDB183 was chosen for me by one of the owners of a small music store in the city. It was a great choice and I'm happy with its features. My next mod will be this: Squier Affinity "Years" Strat Neck: Fender Custom Shop Fat 50s Middle: Fender 57/62 Bridge: Fender Custom Shop 69 Master Volume: CTS 300k Tone #1: CTS 300k (Neck & Middle) Tone #2: CTS 300k (Bridge) Free Way 5 Way 10 Position Switch I'm no spring chicken either.
I use series/parallel in all my guitars' bridge buckers. Parallel allows the single coil glassy sound without the hum associated with just a tapped single coil.
Music store botched a pick up repair on my Fender select HSS, ( I learned after the quick release on the humbucker was slipping off although they never told me that when I picked up the guitar, charge more money naturally) strangely the bridge is now muddy and the single coils are weak sounding, basically the reverse, would you replace the volume pot because it may have failed? I just replaced the pick up switch but with no luck Fender uses a 250K pot (2012 HSS Select) but now I think its failed and become lower after watching your video, I've used WD40 on it in the past that might be why, or just worn, I have to remove the pickguard later today before the 250k replacement pot arrives, also be sure to use a multi meter to test it which I didn't know you can do, thank you brother!
Based on the information in your video, I bet my vendor 250K pot is below 250k and most likely why the humbucker sounds like mud and perhaps if i can have get it back up to 250 (I have a 250k replacement coming in today) just maybe it might correct the single coils, please add any suggestions, and if if this works I'll be sure to update
@@hobiecat901 Bridging the two outer solder lugs on a 500k pot with a 150k ohm resistor brings it down to 300k. Bcause they are so small, you can solder the resistor to the rivet holes on the body side of the pot next to the body thread for the nuts. It sandwiches the resistor between the pot and pickguard provided you use a spacer nut on the threads.
@@namplifier I assume you also have 250Ks for your other 2 single coils? I have a 500K push-pull vol pot for my bridge hot-rail and 250Ks for the other 2 single coils. But my hot-rail is way too bright. So perhaps changing it also to 250K would help?
Or you can solder a couple of 470K resisters on to your switcher and your 2 single coils and use the 500 K pot for your Volume and tone for the bucker.
I truly have never understood why having two volume pots (250k for singles, 500k for humbucker) and one master tone is not more common for hss setups. To me, it's the perfect remedy and then I also have the added bonus of using the pickup selector as a kill-switch if needed.
Al that’s what I’m thinking I’m building one right now with two humbuckers neck and bridge with a single coil middle . Was gonna just run a 250 volume for the single coil and the master tone
Can’t you also change the tone by also by just changing the capacitor from 44 to a 22k to a 05k or experiment which capacitor will work with a hss Strat set ups🤔🧐🤔🤔
I go with a low 500K(470K) or less volume pot. Neck pu gets a 230k tone pot, middle pot gets even a lower tone pot. A good capacitor 0,1 is used. The bridge pu is an under wound humbucker( t-top) 7.6 k without a tone control and the pole screws are adjusted very high. Single pus are Fender fat 50ies. The tone pots are used to adjust the single pus to the humbucker but even full up it sounds great as the pots and capacitor tames the treble by itself.
I’m looking for high 500k pots, is there a vendor that sells pots actually tested for their true rating? This is something Iv been trying to figure out
And pots. That's where my dilemma is at now.i have a John 5 golden but instead of a humbucker for the neck I am replacing it with a nice tele single coil. And for my pots I am thinking about staying with the 500k,,
1. What temperature are you measuring these in? Yep, it matter, quite a bit. Seen it tested here on youtube. 10% difference lower in colder temps. 2. Do you use more than one multimeter? Again, these can vary enough to make a difference. You should have at least two. 3. How about a 375 value? Then use different capacitor values for each tone pot to try to achieve proper respective treble rolloff.
With a super switch you can use 500K's, and adjust the singles with parallel resistors to ground (taming the highs) it works great ;-) I run the humbucker through a 500K without ground, before the switch, instead of the first toneknob, it works as a volume balance going from 50 to 100% output, I let the tonepot 2 become a master tone. On my more serious setups, I run a Bill Lawrence Q-filter on the bridge pickup for even more control.
I wonder why so few guitar mods seem to use fixed resistors for anything? While figuring out what values to use can be a challenge unless temporary pots are used for experimentation, they can add a lot of design flexibility.
There are also pots of 270k and 330k. Why not trying them? I even tried (on my Strat Squier) 1 MOhm. Worked well, maybe a bit too "steep" for bridge single coil (with 250k - 500k it's easier to "tame" it)...
There’s an easier solution that works way better IMHO: use 500k pots then run 500k resistors from the switch to ground for the neck and middle pickups so they only see 250k of resistance in total and none of the positions sound excessively bright or dark.
I just adjust my pickup height. Sink the singles and raise the bridge a bit to level the poles and use 500k volume and tone pot Then just back the tone a bit when using the bridge😄
Humble opinion, and many disagree, the Texas Special is right at that line of having a bit more balls but still getting classic single coil tone. However, I find they are WAY more sensitive to pickup height. But that pickup, and I think everyone makes a 'hot vintage' in that range, seems to be the one that can walk that fine line. Remember, they are tame compared to some. Any hotter and you can't get the classic vintage single coil sound. Handwinding back in the day had variation. Texas Specials are meant to be vintage accurate, just on the high end of that variability. They aren't THAT hot. They hit a little harder, add some mids (also helps blend with humbucker) can still sound like classic single coils. Just be mindful of height.
It's all just opinion (including my comment here)! Just use 500K. I doubt that you are going to find the middle pup overly bright, but if you do you could adjust the pickup height or roll the tone knob back. Check out Dylan's awesome channel ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-qBJHSOL432U.html
@@StratMatt777 Thanks for the suggestion. I had the pickguard off many times trying different pickups. I decided that I like single coils for middle and neck and put a hot rails in the bridge, 250k original pots and this seems to be the sound I like best. Wish I knew that before buying humbuckers and hsh pickguard and other stuff. The guitar is now the way I want it finally.
@@davidkastin4240 Yep, there's nothing else like a strat's neck single coil! What kind of single coils did you choose? Several years ago I bought a set of 3 Fender Original '57/'62 for only $93 and they sound absolutely fantastic- as they should, being imitations of low output 1957-1962 era strat pickups. But they are vintage stagger so I did have to lower and raise some magnet poles to equalize string volume since I've got a somewhat flat fretboard radius (9.5" to 12" compound radius). I lowered G quite a bit and raised the B pole a smaller amount. Mine is an HSS and I'm using a 500K pot which works fine since I don't have a bridge single coil and I have a tone knob wired to the bridge humbucker.
@@StratMatt777 It's a budget friendly project Strat. Very Inexpensive neck pickup from Amazon. Middle is a Fender Mexican middle pickup, bridge is Seymour Duncan hot rails. Both also from Amazon. The pickups cost more than the guitar, lofl, but it sounds excellent! The neck pickup is very clear sounding and the other 2 kick butt! I have 2 other budget friendly guitars and most of the pickups already waiting for me. For 1 project I am using a Musiclily hot rails, under $13, in the bridge to keep the cost down. I have it in another Strat and it's excellent
@@StratMatt777 I'm a STRATOHOLIC, lol. I have 11 Strats, all different. My Fender MIA has the blue, silver, red lace sensor pickups. They are excellent
Why not use 500k pots and roll down the treble to where it should be for the single coil pickups? The idea of having a humbucker is to get that thick sound.
Maybe the good single coil sound that we're looking for actually comes from the supposedly 250k that are more around 220-230k......so that putting a real 250k pot would actually be wrong...?
The very best if you're a tweaker is to use a 500k linear pot and wire both, the pickup and the output on the wiper. You can really hear and find the perfect impedence for each pickup.
I respectfully suggest you have not really thought this through. A Strat with the bridge pickup solo has no tone control connected, so your humbucker is only loaded by a single 250K pot. In a Les Paul, when a pickup is solo, it is loaded by two 500K pots in parallel - the same load. If your HB sounds muffled in your strat, there is something else going on. If you wire the strat to have a tone pot on the bridge pickup, then I'd suggest using a no-load tone pot. It will remove its load when it is dimed, and you'll be left with just the 250K load on the HB.
Many Strats have tone control for bridge pickup, usually shared with middle pickup (even though the original Leo Fender wiring does indeed not include any tone control for bridge). If not, then it's a mod consisting of adding a single wire to connect the appropriate lugs of the pickup switch together.
It's called tolerance. That's why they have a 10% tolerance. they can be anywhere from 225k-275k or 450-550k. They tell you this in the specs so it's no surprise to people that read the specs of the equipment they're using.
You don't need a humbucker for "soaring leads" though. You can get a perfectly good lead tone by using the right amp and gain settings and maybe a little boost pedal if you need a volume kick. Some of the greatest lead guitarists in the world have used single coils for some of the most infamously "soaring leads" ever recorded and performed.
You can not get a single coil to even come close to a humbucker, I’m not one of the greatest lead guitarists. But i need a god damn bridge humbucker. I just spent 1000 bucks on a USA strat and the bridge position is completely useless to me.i mostly play it for clean on the neck. If i need to use a bridge pickup i switch guitars to one of my other 6, they all have buckers
You can have a 250k pot volume for the humbucker and wire it to a 500k or 1M tone pot for bridge and wire the other 250k tone to the neck. That way the bridge will be brighter, the middle on its own with no tone will be brighter like a warm bridge single coil and when you engage neck+middle the tone is effective on both pickups for that quacky strat tone! You can also wire the bridge humbucker with a 250k volume and no tone. That's because volume and tone pots are wired in parallel, so a humbucker normally sees 250k (2x500k in parallel) and single coils 125k (2x250k in parallel). Try to approximate these values when decreasing volume pot value increase the tone pot's.
