Fender Vintage Noiseless pickups

[robogone]

Waiting for these to arrive and then I'll put them in the Squier Strat that I have. I'm thinking I should probably get new pots and 5 way switch while I'm at it, and make sure that I get good quality tone caps.

However, while browsing online, I see quite a few people giving the advice that you shouldn't use 500kΩ resistance pots, but should use 250kΩ pots. Generally this is based on improvement in tone from using the lower resistance pots, and often pointing out that the only reason people use higher resistance pots for noiseless pickups is that they follow the rule of thumb that you use 500kΩ for humbuckers.

Anyone got any thoughts on this? I see lots of advice to use 500 with no supporting evidence, but quite a few people suggesting 250 because it improves performance.

[Hink]

some people will use a 1 meg pot as well, instead of typing it all out stewmac has done the work for me. As for caps, I like the orange drop caps but they are a couple of bux a piece. (literally) http://www.stewmac.com/How-To/Online_Re ... hoose.html

edit BTW while you're there doing the work add a treble bleed

http://www.guitarelectronics.com/produc ... istor.html

[robogone]

I think Fender recommends a 1Meg pot for volume and 500 for the tone controls.

Actually I'm not sure the treble bleed is necessary - from what I read, the symptom doesn't exist when you use the 250K pots.

Basically I think the advice was to not just treat them as humbuckers as the results will not be as good as just using the same electronics as single coils.

[Dean Aka Nekro]

Personally I'd try out the various options if you don't mind spending a day with each and have your soldering iron to hand to chop and change, You know make some recordings of each setup also so you can go back and listen in whilst using your tone and volume controls.

I've had good results with 250K pots with humbuckers and have put 500K and above in friend's single coil equipped guitars and sometimes the results were kept/liked

Whilst your curious and for a set of pickups to arrive it is probably the best time to do it as circumstances dictate that once you wire them in you'll probably want to not bother fiddling with the electronics at a later point hey? I know for certain that is what would and does happen with me

Getting that 28" scale-length 6-string Ibanez tomorrow and the only thing that needs doing is the EMG85 at the neck swapping for the 81 at the bridge along with a heavier gauge of string that they come fitted with. Its a hardtail, string-thru too which is a rarirty for me, So swift tuning changes will be alot easier...Getting excited already

All the best to you both gent's and catch up properly soon

Dean xox

[Turello]

I've customized my Squier Stratocaster with a Di Marzio Chopper on neck and a Di Marzio Paf Pro on Bridge... Not bad for all uses!

[robogone]

Who knows, in future I might just split the set up and change them for whatever sounds good. Right now I wanted something not too expensive for a set and then later I'll maybe upgrade again. Before that I'll probably replace the tuners and probably get another couple of springs for the tremolo (not going to use it, but I want to stabilize it)

[Hink]

Who knows, in future I might just split the set up and change them for whatever sounds good. Right now I wanted something not too expensive for a set and then later I'll maybe upgrade again. Before that I'll probably replace the tuners and probably get another couple of springs for the tremolo (not going to use it, but I want to stabilize it)

mike how many springs you need (give me your addy and I'll mail them to you)...btw still go for the treble bleed. It costs almost nothing, takes no time at all and can be worth it. I myself went with trimpots instead of a resistor and it was still dirt cheap. I have only done this to one guitar only because I dont want to change the tone of my guitars mid-songs (that's my story and sticking to it) but all of my guitars with passive pups will have it eventually

[robogone]

Thanks John! Still haven't opened it up, so I don't know how many are in there. I'm assuming it's not a full set as I've never seen a Squier that has all of them in place. Let me check tonight if I can, and I'll let you know.

I do tweak tone quite a bit with guitars, so I'll check into that. I doubt I'll do the work as soon as the pickups get here, but I'll look online for parts. Still finding a lot of contradictory stuff online about resistance of pots, so maybe I'll use the existing 250 pots and see what they sound like. If they do sound dull then I'll put 500 pots in. I don't think I've heard anyone say there's anything beneficial about the 1Meg.

[Hink]

Thanks John! Still haven't opened it up, so I don't know how many are in there. I'm assuming it's not a full set as I've never seen a Squier that has all of them in place. Let me check tonight if I can, and I'll let you know.

I do tweak tone quite a bit with guitars, so I'll check into that. I doubt I'll do the work as soon as the pickups get here, but I'll look online for parts. Still finding a lot of contradictory stuff online about resistance of pots, so maybe I'll use the existing 250 pots and see what they sound like. If they do sound dull then I'll put 500 pots in. I don't think I've heard anyone say there's anything beneficial about the 1Meg.

they'll likely be three springs in the guitar

[robogone]

That's what I'm thinking - I don't think I've ever seen a full set in a Squier, and even in some of the Fenders of the late 70s they didn't put a full set in (either that or the few I've seen have all had a couple taken out).

I seem to recall some years ago hearing about how taking out springs helps with the range of tremolo, but with a cheap guitar like this I'd never consider it (one of these days I'll get something with a Floyd Rose for that). I would just rather get it all tightened down and I've already taken the arm off and thrown it in a box.

[Hink]

That's what I'm thinking - I don't think I've ever seen a full set in a Squier, and even in some of the Fenders of the late 70s they didn't put a full set in (either that or the few I've seen have all had a couple taken out).

I seem to recall some years ago hearing about how taking out springs helps with the range of tremolo, but with a cheap guitar like this I'd never consider it (one of these days I'll get something with a Floyd Rose for that). I would just rather get it all tightened down and I've already taken the arm off and thrown it in a box.

I got three or four FR systems hanging around too, if you go NH for a visit there's a damn good chance if you brought the guitar you would go home with an FR in it. Meanwhile I have extra springs and have two waiting if you want them

[robogone]

Thanks John. There's no major movement from the bridge, but the tremolo did OK with tuning when I gave it a brief rocking back and forward with the arm. I'm still assuming 3 but I'll take a look.

[robogone]

I did a lot more reading and there's a lot of conflicting information out there. I think what I'm going to do is to use the pots that come with the pickups, get a new 5 way switch, and put the treble bleed in place.

If anything sounds odd I'll see if I can figure out what it is.

[Dean Aka Nekro]

Yes there is Mike dude and truely the only way to find out what works and doesn't work for you is to try it in my humble honest opinion

Dean

[robogone]

I think you're right based on what I have read. The only reason I can think that there are so many answers is that people all think differently. Some might think they're better with some treble rolled off, some might think they're too low powered, some think that the tone control reacts in the wrong way, etc.

Way too much for me to find the 'truth' among all of that, so I'm just going to try and see what happens.