500k pots single coils resistor

[vtpcnk]

Hi, I have a Godin Detour which has two humbuckers.

I want to put single coils in the place of humbuckers.

I suspect that the two pots (volume and tone) are 500k.

So what value resistor to use to bring down the pots to 250 k - to be usable for the single coils.

And how many resistors are needed?

Appreciate the feedback.

 

[beanluc]

The resistor you want would be 250K. Just the one.

EDIT:
Sorry! 250k is what you're after, not what you're starting with. A resistor of equal value and in parallel to the one you already have (the pot) will cut the total resistance in half.

So get a 500K resistor or as close as you can find. It'll probably be 470k.

 

[vtpcnk]

The resistor you want would be 250K. Just the one.

tks. ceramic or carbon film or metal oxide or metal film? I see these in stewmac.

 

[beanluc]

Any of those will do just fine. The lower the wattage, the smaller the resistor (for equal resistance/ohms value), so, something to know, if you're concerned about space inside the control cavity.

 

[drew1d]

Wouldn't you want to use a 500k resistor on the two outer lugs? (I love metal film, but asking resistor type is fightin' words) two identical resistors in parallel, are half the value.

 

[hamerfan]

The resistor you want would be 250K. Just the one.

Two 500k parts (a pot and a resistor) in parallel wiring give an overall resistance value of 250k.
Caveat: Out in the wild of the online shops and electronic shops you will only find 490k resistors, but that makes no difference.

 

[KATT]

The resistor you want would be 250K. Just the one.

That doesn't seem right at all. How did you get to that conclusion?

If it was wired in series with the pot it would be 500k + 250k =750k.

Wouldn't you want to use a 500k resistor on the two outer lugs?

This seems more logical although I'm not sure the pot will act as expected by doing this. I would replace the pot with a 250k.



ay.

 

[Gardo]

I would just change the pots and caps believing in simplicity.

 

[beanluc]

Two 500k parts (a pot and a resistor) in parallel wiring give an overall resistance value of 250k.
Caveat: Out in the wild of the online shops and electronic shops you will only find 490k resistors, but that makes no difference.

Damn, you're right, I didn't catch my own mis-type. 500k indeed!

 

[beanluc]

That doesn't seem right at all. How did you get to that conclusion?

By not checking my work...

 

[beanluc]

Two 500k parts (a pot and a resistor) in parallel wiring give an overall resistance value of 250k.
Caveat: Out in the wild of the online shops and electronic shops you will only find 490k resistors, but that makes no difference.

Of course this is right. I typed faster than I thinked.

 

[KATT]

By not checking my work...

Ah, it happens to the best of us!

 

[Mr. Lumbergh]

I would just change the pots and caps believing in simplicity.

This is what I'd do. The 470K across the outer lugs will work in theory, sure, but you'll no longer have that nice sweep of the volume control since they'll interact; it'll have an odd hump at about 75%.
Just change the pot.

 

[J. Bonkosky]

Just leave the 500k pots alone. It will sound fine with them as is.

 

[Si G X]

Just leave the 500k pots alone. It will sound fine with them as is.

yeah, I use 500k in everything including single coils.

I would suggest at least trying it first. Then you'll know how the changes you have made to the pickups sound before messing with anything else, then you can go from there.

 

[SRHmusic]

As suggested above, you could try out a few values first either using small alligator clips or another pot (1M would be good) and measuring later. (I did this on my HSS Strat to have a 500k volume pot and add a shunt resistor when the neck or middle pickups are on.) The change in volume taper was not too bad in my case.

For reference, the parallel resistance formula is
Rp = R1*R2/(R1+R2)

If R1==R2, then Rp = R1/2.

To find the shunt value R2 to use for a given R1 (pot) and desired Rp (effective parallel resistance):
R2=R1*Rp/(R1-Rp)

 

[vtpcnk]

Below is a link to fralin site where something similar is explained :
https://www.fralinpickups.com/2018/10/17/using-resistors-in-guitars-101/

So I am to wire the resistor to the pot like in the third diagram with the title "Transform your pots" where both ends of the resistor are on the pot itself?

So do I need one resistor for the volume pot and one for the tone pot (as both pots are 500k in my case)?

Appreciate the clarification.

 

[NoTeleBob]

They've doing something different than you in that example... they have a mix of pickups.

If you go the added resistor route, you're going to have a funky sweep to the controls.

If you're changing to two singles's, just change the pots. They're inexpensive. Also change the capacitor on the tone control while you're in there. It will be too bright if it has the .022 usually associated with humbuckers. Ice pick time.

 

[JRapp]

250K volume and tone, .047 or .1 tonecap. Can't argue with success.