Neck HB, Bridge SC - Pot and cap values, please

bobthecanadian · April 25th, 2008, 07:54 AM

Okay, I added a humbucker to one of my Teles and I like what it does, but it doesn't balance very well with the bridge pup. I can get the volumes adjusted close enough by changing the pickup height. What I can't get is a good sound out of both pickups because of the 250k pots I am using.

The bridge pickup sounds great with the tone rolled back a bit. I can get a few really usable sounds out of this pickup.

The neck pickup (humbucker) doesn't agree with the 250k pots. It sounds muffled.

Here's my plan. Please tell me if you think it will work.

I recall reading in a couple of different places that if I had two 500k resistors wired together that the outcome would be 250k. So, if I wire my Tele with 500k pots and then add a 500k to the bridge pickup, soldered at the 3-way switch, then both pups should function in their preferred range (humbucker=500k and single coil=250k), correct?

Oh, yeah. One more thing. The bridge pickup is a Texas Special and it is very bright. I thought about just using 500k pots, but I don't want to increase my tinitus.

How can I wire my Tele to get both humbucker and single coexisting happily? Any input would be greatly appreciated!

Cheers,

Bob

matt t · April 25th, 2008, 09:37 AM

Check out this link. This is how Fender wires their American Tele w/ a humbucker and SC. They use a 270k resistor. I bought a resistor to do this, but I haven't tried it yet (I do have 500k pots installed). I have a SD Seth Lover neck and JD bridge I was trying to balance out a little better.

http://www.fender.com/support/diagra...118600APg2.pdf

FatTeleTom · April 25th, 2008, 09:38 AM

Check the Fender site for the wiring and/or parts diagram for the Hot Rod American Series Fat Tele. It used a resistor for the purpose you have in mind.

I've now converted by Fat Tele to double humbuckers (plus a middle single coil), so I took out the resistor and just use the 500K pots straight, but in stock form, that resistor really worked well in terms of giving a balanced tone from both pickups.

If you can't find the diagram on the site, let me know--I may still have the PDF somewhere.

Edit: Matt beat me to the punch! Anyway, it works, and is worth doing.

fernando · April 25th, 2008, 04:16 PM

>>Check the Fender site for the wiring (...) Hot Rod American Series Fat Tele

It's me or the diagram is missing?

http://www.fender.com/support/wiring...arts_lists.php

bobthecanadian · April 25th, 2008, 08:32 PM

Thanks a lot guys! I was going a little bit crazy trying to find the right info.

so, 500k pots (X2), a .022uf capacitor for the tone control. and a 273k resistor wired from the single lead soldered at the switch and to ground. right?

Bob

Here are the pdf files for this guitar. I had to be a little creative in finding them, but it worked.

http://www.fender.com/support/diagra...118600APg1.pdf
http://www.fender.com/support/diagra...118600APg2.pdf
http://www.fender.com/support/diagra...118600APg3.pdf
http://www.fender.com/support/diagra...118600APg4.pdf

ChrisGS · May 1st, 2008, 06:45 AM

I want to try wiring 2 volumes and a tone switch...Neck pickup (Fralin P92) to a 500k vol pot, and the bridge pickup to a 250k vol pot, and then set-up the switch with 2 different value caps. This would be sort-of a simplfied Gretsch set-up.

A buddy of mine just got a Kelly Tele with a blend control, and I really like being able to add just some of the neck pickup to the bridge pickup.

Also, with the tone switch set-up, the one position would be straight thru after the volume pot(s) , and I'm thinking that it would be sort-of like the tone bypass on an Esquire.

I haven't started on it yet, because I just canabalizied my Tele Project to try out a Pine Esquire body that I just got from Jaydawg, with a Super Sport Pickup from Don Mare.

bobthecanadian · May 21st, 2008, 08:55 AM

Hey Chris, that sounds pretty interesting to me. Kinda like a double esquire, eh? I am assuming the switch would be no cap, cap #1 and cap #2, right? Could be very cool!

Maybe I will try a different kind of wiring, everntually, and use two concentric pots. Wire it up like a Les Paul 2x Volume, 2x Tone and a 3oway switch.

Just imaging what could be done with a five way switch... hmmm....

Bob

mjb1967 · May 21st, 2008, 10:22 AM

I used two 5ook pots, and a .47 oil paper mojotone and it sounds great in my 05' am std "hot rod"....the lil 59 has been replaced by a broacaster..i have found little in the way of issues, although I can't turn the tone all the way down, cause of mufflin'

April 25th, 2008, 07:54 AM	#1 (permalink)
bobthecanadian Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Taipei, Taiwan Age: 41 Posts: 1,465	Neck HB, Bridge SC - Pot and cap values, please Okay, I added a humbucker to one of my Teles and I like what it does, but it doesn't balance very well with the bridge pup. I can get the volumes adjusted close enough by changing the pickup height. What I can't get is a good sound out of both pickups because of the 250k pots I am using. The bridge pickup sounds great with the tone rolled back a bit. I can get a few really usable sounds out of this pickup. The neck pickup (humbucker) doesn't agree with the 250k pots. It sounds muffled. Here's my plan. Please tell me if you think it will work. I recall reading in a couple of different places that if I had two 500k resistors wired together that the outcome would be 250k. So, if I wire my Tele with 500k pots and then add a 500k to the bridge pickup, soldered at the 3-way switch, then both pups should function in their preferred range (humbucker=500k and single coil=250k), correct? Oh, yeah. One more thing. The bridge pickup is a Texas Special and it is very bright. I thought about just using 500k pots, but I don't want to increase my tinitus. How can I wire my Tele to get both humbucker and single coexisting happily? Any input would be greatly appreciated! Cheers, Bob __________________ It don't mean a thang if it ain't got that TWANG!!!

April 25th, 2008, 09:37 AM	#2 (permalink)
matt t TDPRI Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Stafford Springs CT Age: 53 Posts: 28	Check out this link. This is how Fender wires their American Tele w/ a humbucker and SC. They use a 270k resistor. I bought a resistor to do this, but I haven't tried it yet (I do have 500k pots installed). I have a SD Seth Lover neck and JD bridge I was trying to balance out a little better. http://www.fender.com/support/diagra...118600APg2.pdf __________________ Matt T

April 25th, 2008, 08:32 PM	#5 (permalink)
bobthecanadian Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Taipei, Taiwan Age: 41 Posts: 1,465	Thanks a lot guys! I was going a little bit crazy trying to find the right info. so, 500k pots (X2), a .022uf capacitor for the tone control. and a 273k resistor wired from the single lead soldered at the switch and to ground. right? Bob Here are the pdf files for this guitar. I had to be a little creative in finding them, but it worked. http://www.fender.com/support/diagra...118600APg1.pdf http://www.fender.com/support/diagra...118600APg2.pdf http://www.fender.com/support/diagra...118600APg3.pdf http://www.fender.com/support/diagra...118600APg4.pdf __________________ It don't mean a thang if it ain't got that TWANG!!!

May 1st, 2008, 06:45 AM	#6 (permalink)
ChrisGS TDPRI Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 45	I want to try wiring 2 volumes and a tone switch...Neck pickup (Fralin P92) to a 500k vol pot, and the bridge pickup to a 250k vol pot, and then set-up the switch with 2 different value caps. This would be sort-of a simplfied Gretsch set-up. A buddy of mine just got a Kelly Tele with a blend control, and I really like being able to add just some of the neck pickup to the bridge pickup. Also, with the tone switch set-up, the one position would be straight thru after the volume pot(s) , and I'm thinking that it would be sort-of like the tone bypass on an Esquire. I haven't started on it yet, because I just canabalizied my Tele Project to try out a Pine Esquire body that I just got from Jaydawg, with a Super Sport Pickup from Don Mare. Last edited by ChrisGS : May 1st, 2008 at 04:50 PM. Reason: spelling

May 21st, 2008, 08:55 AM	#7 (permalink)
bobthecanadian Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Taipei, Taiwan Age: 41 Posts: 1,465	Hey Chris, that sounds pretty interesting to me. Kinda like a double esquire, eh? I am assuming the switch would be no cap, cap #1 and cap #2, right? Could be very cool! Maybe I will try a different kind of wiring, everntually, and use two concentric pots. Wire it up like a Les Paul 2x Volume, 2x Tone and a 3oway switch. Just imaging what could be done with a five way switch... hmmm.... Bob __________________ It don't mean a thang if it ain't got that TWANG!!!

April 25th, 2008, 09:38 AM	#3 (permalink)
FatTeleTom Tele-Meister Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Evanston Age: 40 Posts: 166 3 Photos	Check the Fender site for the wiring and/or parts diagram for the Hot Rod American Series Fat Tele. It used a resistor for the purpose you have in mind. I've now converted by Fat Tele to double humbuckers (plus a middle single coil), so I took out the resistor and just use the 500K pots straight, but in stock form, that resistor really worked well in terms of giving a balanced tone from both pickups. If you can't find the diagram on the site, let me know--I may still have the PDF somewhere. Edit: Matt beat me to the punch! Anyway, it works, and is worth doing.

April 25th, 2008, 04:16 PM	#4 (permalink)
fernando TDPRI Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Barcelona, Spain Posts: 86 5 Photos	>>Check the Fender site for the wiring (...) Hot Rod American Series Fat Tele It's me or the diagram is missing? http://www.fender.com/support/wiring...arts_lists.php

May 21st, 2008, 10:22 AM	#8 (permalink)
mjb1967 Tele-Meister Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: orlando florida Age: 41 Posts: 131 8 Photos	I used two 5ook pots, and a .47 oil paper mojotone and it sounds great in my 05' am std "hot rod"....the lil 59 has been replaced by a broacaster..i have found little in the way of issues, although I can't turn the tone all the way down, cause of mufflin'