Putting in a 1M volume pot.

[tomanyjacksons]

I have an Alternative 8 in a Jackson (main guitar) that I want to put a 1M volume pot with but I don't want to brighten up the rest of the pups. I have a neck Hotrails in the middle that I run into a series/split /parallel and a bridge Hotrails that I run in the neck position which has the same switch s/s/p they all run through a 5-way lever then a 500k volume pot and a homemade no load tone pot. Is there a way I can put a 1M volume pot in it and still have 500k with the others and not have to put in another volume pot. I would just put in another pot but there isn't enough room in the cavity. Looking for a wiring trick. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

[Hellbat]

You could hit up electronics distributors to see if they carry dual ganged 500k/1m log (audio) taper pots. That way one knob does it for both volume controls. Or you could even go concentric shafts.

Something like these...

http://www.potentiometers.com/series2RV7.cfm?session_num=2009112112473454

[DonP]

Maybe put a 1M resistor across the single coil output. Combined with the 1M volume, you'd have 500K.

I'm puzzled why you need so much output from the guitar. Your amps must be seriously lacking gain.

[dg]

I agree that the resistor would be an easy solution that wouldn't require you to remember to switch anything else when you change pickups.

[Newc]

A 1Meg pot doesn't add gain, it simply resists the pickups' output less than a 500K pot. It would be equivalent to wiring the switch to the jack, bypassing the knobs.

However, adding a resistor between the pickup and switch will not be the same as wiring the 1M pot for 500K.

[gregthatshreds]

because the signal would still b travelling through a 500k pot?

[tomanyjacksons]

Maybe put a 1M resistor across the single coil output. Combined with the 1M volume, you'd have 500K.

I'm puzzled why you need so much output from the guitar. Your amps must be seriously lacking gain.

It's not for the output I'm trying to get the bridge pickup to where I want it to sound is all. Thanks Newc.

[bratfink]

A 1Meg pot doesn't add gain, it simply resists the pickups' output less than a 500K pot. It would be equivalent to wiring the switch to the jack, bypassing the knobs.

However, adding a resistor between the pickup and switch will not be the same as wiring the 1M pot for 500K.

Perhaps you can explain this to me, I never understood why a larger resistance (in ohms) loads the pick ups less?

I would have thought a larger resistance would increase load, like putting a restriciton is a water pipe increases pressure upstream. Or do I have this all arse backwards?

[Tommie]

It doesn't do that because the volume pot is not connected in series with the pickup, it's effectively in parallel when you are at full volume. The higher the value the less the pot will "divert" some of your signal down the pot where it's grounded and lost, so 1M is brighter and louder than 500K, and 500K is in turn brighter and louder than 250K.

[DonP]

Perhaps you can explain this to me, I never understood why a larger resistance (in ohms) loads the pick ups less?

I would have thought a larger resistance would increase load, like putting a restriciton is a water pipe increases pressure upstream. Or do I have this all arse backwards?

What Tommie said.

Pots (volume and tone) work by grounding out the pickup signal. When the pot is dialed to 10, a 250K pot is grounding out a lot more of the signal than a 1M pot dialed to 10. Higher freqencies get grounded easier than lower ones, so that is why this can alter the treble tone of a guitar.

A no-load pot disconnects the pot, letting the pickup run wide open.

[bratfink]

:idea: Thanks guys!

That is so obvious I should have figured it out for myself, sometimes you can't see the wood for the trees!