Volume and Tone Pot Values - Do they need to be matched?
Random sample of 60 250K CTS pots ranging from 230-294K
As Fender and Gibson do, we believe CTS to be the best quality pots you can use being the most durable and having a wider range of adjustment (taper). One thing often overlookedthough, is that the taper is significantly affected by a pots resistance relative to other pots in the circuit (guitar).
CTS quote a 9% tolerance in their pot values so a 250K pot can range from 227-273K and a 500K from 455-545K. Most ears would struggle to hear the difference between 227K and 273K (higher resistance = brighter), but we have seen 250K pot values below 220K and above 300K
Volume and tone pots are variable resistors sending progressively more pickup signal to earth as they’re turned to zero – tone pots through a high pass filter, (capacitor) sending just the highs. however, current (pickup signal) always finds the quickest path to earth, so if the volume pot has a value of 273K and the tone 227K (within normal 9% tolerance), no current will flow through the volume until its value drops below that of the volume pot. This could mean that 18% ( almost a fifth) of the pots range of adjustment is rendered unusable
This why we test all pots in the workshop to ensure any with wildly differing values are matched with another pot of a similar value, aiming for a match within 10K. Anal, or just optimising the circuit to give you the ultimate bang for your buck?
You decide – give one of our premium looms a try
Choice of Pickup Magnet
Whilst Alnico magnets dont have a “tone” tone, their different percentages of aluminum, nickel and cobalt alters the strength, which does affect a pickups tone and dynamics:
Alnico 2 – 2nd weakest, warm and rich mids, looser and warmer lows and softened highs, gives vintage dynamics due to low string pull magnetic pull on the strings. Great on a bridge humbucker taming bite and giving a tight and bright tone
Alnico 3 - lowest strength tighter and clearer than Alnico 2 with less output. Has less edge and more treble, slightly scooped mids and softer-yet-tighter lows. Great for a neck humbucker giving a flute like woody tone with great clarity. Good for fattening up the bridge
Alnico 4 – flat tonal balance lets the guitars tone really shine through, but can sound bland. Sits between Alnico 2 and 5 in tone and strength
Alnico 5 - strongest of the 4 with more output, strong tight lows, more scooped mids and sharper treble bite. The boldest and punchiest with real bite and sparkle, breaking up the amp much earlier
As ever its mostly down to your own personal tastes so why not take a look at our standard range of pickups here and give your guitar a new lease of life. If you want a combination not listed contact us here and we are only too happy to help
Custom Pickups
The range of handwound / scatterwound pickups listed for sale in the shop section is deliberately limited to avoid the confusion of choice
Custom windings be it hotter or more "vintage" windings, modifications to coil shape, differing magnet strengths (Alnico 2,3,4,5 or 8) can always be accommodated, usually at no additional cost. If you have a specific sound or goal in mind please contact me and I can advise
Additionally, the traditional cellulose fibreboad I use for bobbin flatwork is now UK sourced (as are the magnets), laser cut locally giving the opportunity for fine tuning design and specifications to give consistent quality, tone and pickup longevity
Added 18th February 2016
5 Way Telecaster = 4 way mod plus dark tone
Added 19th October 2015
A struggle to obtain reasonably priced 4-way switches which I have been using a lot recently prompted an experiment with 5-way switches usually used on Strats
Unlike the 4-ay mod, no additional wiring is required just adding a 2nd capacitor which brings a highly usable 5th sound of the neck pickup with the tone rolled off. I prefer a .022uf capacitor but this can be varied by changing the capacitor value
The new sound gives the very early vintage Tele "dark tone" on clean settings or a really creamy "woman tone" in lead mode. This isin addition to the usual 4th "humucker" (both pickups in series) sound
I now use this on all my Tele builds as it detracts nothing from the traditional Tele sounds in the first 3 positions, but makes for a much more versatile guitar (for traditionalists the 3-way switch is of course a no-cost option)
"Clapton" style mid-boost Strat
Added 9th July 2015
Just finished installation of a GuitarFetish active mid boost in a new Custom Built Strat, fitting in the place usually held by the neck tone pot. It requires a 9 volt battery power andhere I routed out a separate battery cavity but this will fit under the pickguard without requiring any bodymodification
In bypass "0" position as you would expect it is totally unobtrusive, but moving through positions "1" to "4" progressively fattens the sound up adding real vertsatility to the Strat sound and is virtually noiseless in action.
Downside? You lose your separate tone control for the neck and middle pickup, but as its essentially a Tele circuit (1 master volume, 1 master tone) you do gain a tone control for the lead pickup as well as spades of phatness
The cost of the parts is around £30 and after market fitting is around £30
