Pots pots pots... - what's wrong with mine?

[Redeye2]

I recently change my volume pot (it cracked and didn't stop, just rotated indefinetely). It was a 500k pot but I could only get a 250k. Now, the problem is that now when I roll back the volume it won't mute, just remove a little "tone" but that's it. It still sounds when turned to 0 and that makes me mad!!! Also, I feel the guitar sounds more trebly/brighter than before... is that common to 250k? I thought the higher the pot, the higher the brightness... I did the solder connections the same way the last pot had them so I guess it's fine. Is the pot wrong? or something else? please help...

*note: I DO like the new more trebly sound, so if's there a way to fix it without taking out that part of the sound, it'd be even better.

[bammbamm]

You went the wrong way with your resistance values. You said you had 500k and put in a 250k. You want to go above 500k to get the results you're looking for. Try either a 1000000 Ohm or 1 Meg pot.
Even 750k will increase the treble in your axe.
Bamm

[bachle7]

If you like the trebly tone when you roll off the volume, take a look here...

http://www.guitarnuts.com/wiring/volpass.html

You just add a capacitor across your volume pot. *(I think I actually used a 0.01 uF metal-film on my strat. *Don't use ceramic, they're noisy.)

[Redeye2]

You got me wrong... the thing is that I changed the pot to a lower value and it DOES sound brighter now... that's why I asked if something's wrong. Also the pot won't cut the volume completely.

(Edited by Redeye2 at 10:42 pm on June 14, 2001)

[bammbamm]

I understand, and to be able to turn your volume all the way down, you need a 500K or greater.

[bachle7]

I should have said that AFTER you replace your pot with a 500K or greater, THEN you can try the capacitor thing if you still wanted it trebly. *Bammbamm is totally correct about your problem. *I didn't mean to cause confusion. *

[rickboot]

I don't think this is a pot value issue. *I think it may be wired wrong.

When the volume is turned all the way down, the guitar output jack's hot lead should be shorted to ground, therefore there should be no sound coming out. This is true regardless if you use 250K, 500K or any value. When all the way up at 250K the volume should be maxed but it probably won't be as bright as the original 500K pot.

Check your wiring. Looking at the pot from the bottom, the pot's most counter-clockwise terminal should be hooked to ground (or soldered to the pot's back. The output jack's hot lead should be attached to the pot's middle terminal. Lastly, the remaining wires for the pickups/tone circuitry should be attached to the most clockwise terminal.

Either that or I am completely wrong! I am too tired to be sure right now.

Rick

[bachle7]

rickboot, uh, I think you're right. *I just looked at a schematic (note to self: *look at schematic before talking) and you are right. *Having the pot wired in reverse (signal out and pickup hots) would cause the problem.

I think I'll do a little more research before I respond to the next wiring question. *:doh:

[jemsite]

check the wiring. EVERY pot should have 0-volume as Rick said ....glen