Wiring help - 250k or 500k?

Haych

My Strat refinish project is coming to a conclusion.  The refinish is done - it came out quite well, I opted for good old wipe on shellac in the end and I'm pleased with the results even if it isn't perfect.

It has a nice soft sheen reminiscent of Gordon Smith guitars.

Anyway, I digress, I have come to the rewiring part and I've decided to drop in some different pickups; a pair of DiMarzio Cruisers (DP186, if it makes any difference) in the neck and middle and a good old Seymour Duncan Blues Saraceno Trembucker at the bridge.

The Cruiser's call for a 250k volume/tone pot while the Trembucker wants a 500k.

I'm sure I used to know this stuff, but what's the happy compromise?

I'm going for master volume, master tone, 5 way selector and a coil split on the bridge pickup, in case any of that information is needed.

Thanks in advance.

sixstringsupplies

Personally, I’d just stick with 500k and a 0.022 cap. I wouldn’t bother doing the 470k resistor trick. 

ICBM

I would either go for the resistor method or use 250K, especially for the volume. 500K with single coils sounds worse to me than 250K with a humbucker in an inherently brighter-sounding guitar, and even more so if you’re going to split the humbucker. A 250K volume and 500K tone will give you a wider tone range than two 250Ks.

Haych

Thanks both, but do tell, what's the resistor method?

ICBM

Haych said:

Thanks both, but do tell, what's the resistor method?

You need to arrange the switching so there's a 470K resistor in parallel with the single-coil settings, which when combined with a 500K volume pot gives an effective 250K loading. (470K is the nearest 'standard' value to 500K, even though it looks like an 'odd' number.)

This usually involves a slightly different wiring of the selector switch(es), depending on whether you use the main selector to auto-split the humbucker in the bridge/middle position or if you have it on a separate push-pull.

It gives the best of both worlds if you really want a 500K volume for the full humbucker. Bear in mind that's the *only* setting which benefits from one - all the others are best with 250K. Personally I usually find a 250K plenty bright enough though, unless the humbucker is very high-wound. Given that the Blues Saraceno is only 9K, I definitely wouldn't bother with a 500K.

Funkfingers

The official DiMarzio website Tech Talk recommendation for the DP186 is an A250k volume pot. This is what I have in my modified elderly Ibanez RS405.

I had another DP186 in the centre position of a Charvel Model 3, via its 500k pots. Never sounded right to my ears.

Haych

ICBM said:

Haych said:

Thanks both, but do tell, what's the resistor method?

You need to arrange the switching so there's a 470K resistor in parallel with the single-coil settings, which when combined with a 500K volume pot gives an effective 250K loading. (470K is the nearest 'standard' value to 500K, even though it looks like an 'odd' number.)

This usually involves a slightly different wiring of the selector switch(es), depending on whether you use the main selector to auto-split the humbucker in the bridge/middle position or if you have it on a separate push-pull.

It gives the best of both worlds if you really want a 500K volume for the full humbucker. Bear in mind that's the *only* setting which benefits from one - all the others are best with 250K. Personally I usually find a 250K plenty bright enough though, unless the humbucker is very high-wound. Given that the Blues Saraceno is only 9K, I definitely wouldn't bother with a 500K.

Thanks, that’s very useful to know. Much appreciated. 

Funkfingers said:

The official DiMarzio website Tech Talk recommendation for the DP186 is an A250k volume pot. This is what I have in my modified elderly Ibanez RS405.

I had another DP186 in the centre position of a Charvel Model 3, via its 500k pots. Never sounded right to my ears.

Yes, I saw that too. It was only for the Blues Saraceno that I assumed needed a 500k. I’ll trying it ICBM’s way with a 250k volume and a 500k tone pot and see how it sounds.