Finished my first pickup, a couple questions

[Dr. Guitar]

can't bellieve i forgot to mention this too. What gauge strings do you have on? I never recommend thinner than a set of 10's. Pure nickel wound strings will also warm your sound. But all of this would be true, before changing your pick up as well.

[mkat]

I've found that many cheap pots' values are significantly off as well, particularly in the Korean/Chinese axes.

I've gotten into the habit of replacing 'em with CTS as a matter of course, as well as those crappy ceramic caps.

I checked my last set of 250K CTS pots and they were off. I only have 2 that have the stated resistance. The rest are midway or closer to 300K.

If anyone knows of better pots (I have enough for cooking, so don't bother with those), please pass on the info and a supplier.

[Ruel]

For a guitar with both a humbucker and single coils, what pot value should one use?

[black_labb]

id use a higher value pot, if its too bright id turn it down. there's no point having a pot there when your just going to leave it on full. if you like the pot around the 250k mark, then get a 1meg, and turn it down to the right level. maybe you will find ourself playing through a darker amp and the extra brightness would be nice. i find it silly how people always want the pot to be where they want it at the full level. its like buying an amp because its full volume is where you like to play, so that you dont have to worry about dialing in the knob. that analogy is ignoring the idea that the sound of an amp changes when you change the volume levels.

[Ruel]

id use a higher value pot, if its too bright id turn it down. there's no point having a pot there when your just going to leave it on full. if you like the pot around the 250k mark, then get a 1meg, and turn it down to the right level. maybe you will find ourself playing through a darker amp and the extra brightness would be nice. i find it silly how people always want the pot to be where they want it at the full level. its like buying an amp because its full volume is where you like to play, so that you dont have to worry about dialing in the knob. that analogy is ignoring the idea that the sound of an amp changes when you change the volume levels.

People like the ones you describe could learn a thing or two from Gary Moore or Jimmy Page. Watch how they manipulate the volume pot to get different sounds from their guitars. I find that by dialing just enough gain in my amp then messing with the volume knob, I can play clean and dirty just by messing with the volume knob. No need for a stomp box.

[madialex]

Bright pickup? Back off the tension there sir squeeze a lot, JK and go from there.....