markster
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Posts: 6
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Post by markster on Apr 30, 2023 15:52:58 GMT -5
I'm putting together a new guitar build and would like the following: 1 humbucker bridge, 1 single-coil neck, no tone, no selector, and 2 independent volumes for each pickup. What I'm concerned about is having two different pot values in the same circuit. (1-250K and 1-500K) What I would like is independent volumes for each pickup that see only see the rated resistance of the assigned pot. (The SC sees a 250K pot and the HB sees a 500K pot) My thinking is I can blend them and turn them off by turning the pot to zero. Which one of my diagrams below achieves this the best???
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Post by newey on Apr 30, 2023 21:02:53 GMT -5
markster- Hello and Welcome to G-Nutz2!The only difference between the two diagrams is that, in the uppermost one, the pots are wired in the so-called "modern wiring" and in the lower one, they are wired with the so-called "'50's wiring. With the '50's wiring, turning the volume for one pickup down doesn't turn that pickup all the way off. So, I don't think you'd want to go that route when there's no selector switch. I think you're overthinking the pot value "issue" a bit. First of all, in either of the diagrams you posted, both pots are permanently wired together in parallel, so both are in the circuit at all times. Your resistance will be 166.67KΩ(i.e., 500K in parallel with 250K). A regular Strat with 3 250K pots has only 2 pots active except in position 4 of the regular 5-way switch, the N + M position, where both tone pots and the V pot are all in the circuit. In the positions where there are 2 active pots, the total parallel resistance is 125KΩ. This is not going to be appreciably different than the Strat when two pots are in the circuit. When all 3 pots are in the circuit, then the parallel resistance of all three is 83.33KΩ. There's really no way around this without some switching to connect/disconnect individual pots and their respective pickups from the circuit. I have a (currently stalled) build going of a Strat with individual volume controls for each pickup, and no tone pots. But I'm using pots with a SPST On-Off switch, like you'd have on a car stereo, where rotating the pot fully counterclockwise clicks it off, turning it clockwise turns it on. This allows for each pickup to be disconnected, along with its pot. Just a thought. But were it me (and, I know, it's not, and you may want what you want), I'd just wire it up, string it up, and see how you like it. There may be no need to do more.
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Post by reTrEaD on May 1, 2023 5:14:23 GMT -5
The only difference between the two diagrams is that, in the uppermost one, the pots are wired in the so-called "modern wiring" and in the lower one, they are wired with the so-called "'50's wiring. That's a common misconception, so I understand why you said that. '50s v Modern isn't related to how the volume pots are wired. '50s wiring has the tone cut circuit connected to the wiper (output) of the volume pot. Modern wiring has the tone cut circuit connected to the clockwise lug (input) of the volume pot. The two diagrams relate to reverse or 'backwiring'. The first is normal, with the clockwise lug as the input and the wiper as the output. The second is reverse, with the wiper as the input and the clockwise lug as the output. You're correct about the load the pickups will see, being the parallel equivalent of the two pots. And that a best-case scenario. When both volume controls are at maximum. For a two volume arrangement without a selector switch, I prefer the second (reverse) wiring. A problem with normal wiring is: when one volume is turned fully counter-clockise, it kills all sound. Or I might consider doing the wiring as a series circuit with the volume pots being wired 'normal'. Each pickups is wired between the clockwise and counter-clockwise lug. The volume control of the bottom of the series 'stack' has its counter-clockwise lug connected to ground. The volume control of the top of the series 'stack' has its counter-clockwise lug connected to the clockwise lug of the bottom volume control. Both wipers are tied together and connected to the output jack. Advantages: The load each pickup sees is essentially the resistance of its respective volume pot. The turning one volume control to minimum doesn't kill the signal from the other pickup. Disadvantage: Pickups wired in series sound VERY different than pickups in parallel.
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markster
Rookie Solder Flinger
Posts: 6
Likes: 1
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Post by markster on May 1, 2023 6:00:34 GMT -5
Thanks guys
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Post by newey on May 1, 2023 11:34:29 GMT -5
RT is correct, I saw V pots but somehow my mind went to "tone pots"., Do as he suggests and use the lower diagram, if you are truly wedded to no slector switch(es).
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