Humbuckers split, push/push pot length, pot brands and Ks

[Tele-Strat]

A few questions that I didn’t quite get a clear picture from viewing past posts:
—Telecaster with two Humbuckers and three way switch and 4 control pots.
—Looking to use 2 PUSH-PUSH pots to “split” the humbuckers etc
— Suhr Thornbuckers ..that are not considered hot pickups
— I assumed 500K pots are standard choice for HB

1) Does the pot brand really matter and/or are there brands to avoid?
2). For push-push pots is there a shaft length to best use on the telecaster (or length to avoid) ?
3) I was assuming push-push pot to go on the tone pot. If so should 500K be used on all four controls?
4) Why consider 250K and are caps optional?


Thanks in advance

 

[clingin_on]

A few questions that I didn’t quite get a clear picture from viewing past posts:
—Telecaster with two Humbuckers and three way switch and 4 control pots.
—Looking to use 2 PUSH-PUSH pots to “split” the humbuckers etc
— Suhr Thornbuckers ..that are not considered hot pickups
— I assumed 500K pots are standard choice for HB

1) Does the pot brand really matter and/or are there brands to avoid?
2). For push-push pots is there a shaft length to best use on the telecaster (or length to avoid) ?
3) I was assuming push-push pot to go on the tone pot. If so should 500K be used on all four controls?
4) Why consider 250K and are caps optional?


Thanks in advance

I have purchased a few Dimarzio push-pull/push-push pots and they are decent quality, no problems.

Who makes them? I couldn't tell you right now.

You could experiment with 250K for a less trebly sound. It all depends on what sounds good to you. 500K generally results in less top-end being bypassed to ground.

 

[Freeman Keller]

Most of the time humbuckers are matched with 0.022uF caps and 500K pots, single coils with 0.047uF and 250K pots. Volume pots are usually logarithmic ("audio") taper which matches the way your ears (loudness is logarithmic). When you "split" a dual coil humbucker you essentially make it a single coil (duh) so honestly if you plan to be split most of the time you might prefer the tone/volume response of a 250K pot.

In the middle position you put the two circuits in parallel You may want to look in to the modern wiring scheme that does not kill both pups when you turn one all the way down.

Personally I choose good quality US made components - Alpha or CTS pots have been fine. I choose shaft length depending on the thickness of whatever its going to be mounted on - a pickguard, a metal plate or thru wood. The choice of which pot to use is a matter of convenience - how often do you want to reach out and push or pull it, if the knob is up will it be in your way.

 

[Tele-Strat]

What is the purpose of caps ?

 

[Freeman Keller]

What is the purpose of caps ?

Capacitors allow high frequencies to pass thru, blocks low frequencies. If placed between your signal path and ground they will pass some trebles to ground. The amount is determined by the value of the tone potentiometer (and where you have it set), the frequency break point is determined by the value of the cap (working with the other circuit impedances.

 

[fuzz guy]

Nothing to add on your specific question, but if those humbuckers are not very hot, as you mentioned, you might find they sound quite thin and feeble when split. If that ends up being the case, and you don't like it, try wiring them to switch between series/parallel. I've found I like the sound of a HB in parallel much more than split, especially if they're not very hot.

 

[murrayatuptown]

Are any Alpha pots made in US?

Their 'Headquarters & Design Center' are in Oxnard, CA), and the older parts I have encountered were all from Asia. I thought they used to be from Japan decades ago (80's?) but have some that say Taiwan.

But I've always thought they were good quality. Maybe not mil-spec, etc, but I have only ever had to replace one I broke (hidden compression collar in the knob instead of a set screw-my ignorance). I save used Alphas from equipment I gut for parts.

 

[Freeman Keller]

By the way, there are lots of good primers on wiring electric guitars but Melvin Hiscock's chapter on electronics is about as good as it gets. He explains each of these item, how they work and why you want them. Since Melvin's book should be on everyone's book shelf the answers are right there.

 

[DavidP]

Nothing to add on your specific question, but if those humbuckers are not very hot, as you mentioned, you might find they sound quite thin and feeble when split. If that ends up being the case, and you don't like it, try wiring them to switch between series/parallel. I've found I like the sound of a HB in parallel much more than split, especially if they're not very hot.

...a big +1(000) on that!!

 

[Tele-Strat]

Nothing to add on your specific question, but if those humbuckers are not very hot, as you mentioned, you might find they sound quite thin and feeble when split. If that ends up being the case, and you don't like it, try wiring them to switch between series/parallel. I've found I like the sound of a HB in parallel much more than split, especially if they're not very hot.

My other guitar with those same humbuckers are wired that way and I like also . Trying to do do the same on my own with a guitar with a different neck scale.

 

[Tele-Strat]

Thanks for the suggested read..
Is there any any issue with having a 500k on one HB and a 250k on the ? Do they work with each other ?

 

[Freeman Keller]

Thanks for the suggested read..
Is there any any issue with having a 500k on one HB and a 250k on the ? Do they work with each other ?

That is sometimes done with HS guitars. What will happen is response along the travel of the pot will be different. 0 will still be off or minimum treble, 10 will max volume or brightest. Where it happens on the pot will change. There might be some differences in volume when switching between pups and the blend might be a little funky. Pots are cheap, try it both ways.

 

[crazydave911]

You could try a combo I generally favor for humbuckers, 500k for volume and 250k for tone. No real theories there, just my ears

 

[murrayatuptown]

I was confusing Noble with Alpha...you know, both have an L an 5 letters.

Alpha might be from California after all.

 

[wadeeinkauf]

I have built and tested about every way to split humbuckers. pull/push, push/push, rotary. Below is what I found.

1. With a single push/push switch on a volume or tone pot you can ground the center taps on both humbuckers and have them both in single coil mode. As has been pointed out some humbuckers will sound terrible in this mode….I tried this with Seymour Duncan full shreds pickups and they are unusable in this mode. Seymour Duncan’s 59s, Pearly Gates will work OK but when you throw the switch will sound very thin because you will be used to the fuller humbucker sound.

2. What worked best for me was to switch both humbuckers into parallel mode with one switch. It gives you effectively 4 single coil pickups. You gain back the higher frequencies that were lost because of the humbuckers being in serial mode but you lose a lot of volume. This gives you a much fuller sound than just using the single coils. To put them both into this mode with one switch you need a 4 pole double throw (4PDT) switch.

3. I have never seen a 4PDT push/push switch. The PRS switch may work, and the tele S1 switch might also have the capability. The below switch is what I use…It costs under $4.00 on ebay. 4PDT ON-ON is best. Only two positions on the switch. They also come in ON-OFF-ON. Don't get that one.


My setup with this switch

 

[murrayatuptown]

I found the deaf-eddie.net website about 12 years ago when building a partscaster for my violinist daughter.

That led me to make an insane number of pickup combinations that were hard to remember, if even useful.

I had push/pull pot switches for Volume & Tone1, a 6-position rotary switch replaced Tone2, and a tiny slide switch.

I had the usual 5-way positions plus neck + bridge in parallel, choice of two tone caps, phase switching for 2 pickups, HB coil split & all 3 pickups in series.

Anyone who played it got confused if they unknowingly selected any 'auxiliary' switch settings that altered the standard 5-way combinations.

Violins don't have frets so the guitar has been in MY basement for 10 years. Looks nice. I should probably simplify it so it doesn't require schematic reading to figure out.

 

[murrayatuptown]

Someone told me 500k pots make inexpensive pickups less disappointing so I bought some for bargain pickups for cigar boxes.

 

[murrayatuptown]

4PDT push-push switches used to be common on fancy Fluke & sometimes HP DMM's. They take up too much space for guitar use and are pretty hard to find anymore. DPDT has 6 terminals and more poles makes them significantly longer.

Unsoldering a 24-terminal switch from a circuit board with the desire to save the circuit board ain't much fun, either.

 

[tomasz]

Caps on tone pots only make a difference, if you turn your tone pot mostly all the way down. If you play with the tone wide open or even use it to the 3/4 of the sweep, they will do roughly nothing in passive circuits. Here is a video you may find interesting on this subject:


The following up part 2 debunks the myth of magical capacitors, if you are interested.


On pot values, 500 kOhm pots are used with humbuckers because of their higher resistance, which prevents high frequencies to be bled to ground. A humbacker with 250k pots will sound darker or muddier. HSS guitars for example will use additional resistor, that are switched into the circuit depending on position, to emulate a 250 or 500k pot value for a given pickup. Here's a wiring example on Fralin's website with resistors in place, last schematics on the page:

https://www.fralinpickups.com/2021/06/10/4-unique-hss-strat-wiring-tips-for-more-versatility/

 

[murrayatuptown]

Oops , posted in wrong category somehow...didn't see delete option (19 minutes later)