So, I am getting some new pickups for my Jazzmaster - a TV Jones T90 in the bridge (which I have lying around and happens to fit perfectly under a regular JM cover) and a 50s Strat-style (A5 with heavy formvar) in the neck built in JM-size by Q Pickups.
Both pickups have the same magnet orientation and wind, so no hum cancelling middle position, as I don’t really use the middle position on any guitar and the aim is to have two very different sounding positions.
Now the guitar has a 4-way Tele style selector switch and single 500k volume and tone pots.
Should I consider putting a 500k resistor to ground in parallel with the neck Strat pickup to drop the overall resistance with the volume pot to 250k, or will the neck Strat pickup be fine with a 500k volume and tone pot?
Also, can I expect to encounter any issues with the 4-way switch with the parallel resistor trick on the neck when in position 4 (both pickups in series)? I know I can expect the middle position (both pickups in parallel) to be darker sounding than it normally would be.
Comments
Basically, would a Strat neck pickup work okay with a 500k volume and tone pot, or should I consider sticking a resistor in there to drop the resistance on that pickup to closer to the standard 250k?
I think you should try it first. If you knock the volume back to 8.5 it should sound more traditional and take that treble boost-esque tone off of it.
now I need a shower after reading about a JM with a 4 way switch and none JM pickups
But as meltedbuzzbox said, I would try it first without. It's not necessarily a given that it will be too bright, it depends on the guitar - I find Jazzmasters darker-sounding than Strats anyway.
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