GM 62z with 500k mini pots

[Dpsixstringer]

I had posted a thread about id ing the mini pots in my 06 csx strat. It turned out that they were indeed 500k. Big surprise I know but even though I ordered full size 250k cts pots and .022 caps from ebay, I am not going to rush to put them in. I put the jumper on the switch for bridge pickup tone control and can make all three more than dark enough. So, my questions are: has anyone else found this to be the case and loved what they heard with the 500k pots? And can anyone tell me it is truly worth the hassle or how much darker the 62z will sound with the 250k pots. Also must say that the 62z live up to all the hype. This guit fiddle never sounded so sweet.

 

[Lanaka]

While I cannot say anything about the 62Zs because I've never heard them play nor owned them.

I CAN say that I love & prefer using 500k pots on my single-coil or single-coil based pups. Alnico5 or ceramic true single-coils, stacked singles, single-coil sized humbuckers. Most of my Strat styled guitars already had 500k pots installed or were changed to 500k pots. And yes, they're more brighter and often has more clarity. And I can always get them as dark and warm as needed with 500k tone pots too.

In stock setups that had 500k pots they seems to compensate for S pups that seemed somewhat underwhelming when swapped to 250k. Or for use in warmer guitars like those made of basswood or certain mahogany or mahogany substitute woods.

 

[dbrian66]

I personally prefer 250k pots with single coils. You can always turn the 500k pot down to get a tone you like from the single coil, but if you have to turn it all the way down to 5 to get a tone you like, than you have lost half of the usable sweep of the pot. For me it’s easier to dial in a tone that sounds good with the 250k pots.

Like a lot of things related to guitar tone, this is a personal taste answer. If you like the tonal sweep of the 500k in your guitar, than that’s the right pot for you.

 

[Dpsixstringer]

While I cannot say anything about the 62Zs because I've never heard them play nor owned them.

I CAN say that I love & prefer using 500k pots on my single-coil or single-coil based pups. Alnico5 or ceramic true single-coils, stacked singles, single-coil sized humbuckers. Most of my Strat styled guitars already had 500k pots installed or were changed to 500k pots. And yes, they're more brighter and often has more clarity. And I can always get them as dark and warm as needed with 500k tone pots too.

In stock setups that had 500k pots they seems to compensate for S pups that seemed somewhat underwhelming when swapped to 250k. Or for use in warmer guitars like those made of basswood or certain mahogany or mahogany substitute woods.

I have to say that I agree with dbrian 66 on the fact that it does take a hair more fidgeting to get the good tones out of it, like there's only one little sweet spot. I'm wondering if maybe I were to switch to 250k tone pots and keep the 500k volume pot, if that would be a good balance. I may experiment a little.

 

[Lanaka]

I have to say that I agree with dbrian 66 on the fact that it does take a hair more fidgeting to get the good tones out of it, like there's only one little sweet spot. I'm wondering if maybe I were to switch to 250k tone pots and keep the 500k volume pot, if that would be a good balance. I may experiment a little.

I understand where yer coming from, the wider range of adjustment in the same sized sweep means the sweet spots will be correspondingly smaller. Note I said spots, plural, because there's different ideal spots for different needs. I usually put a tiny phosphorescent dot on the body (the same kind one uses for gun targeting sights) marking the few top spots I use. Even so, I'm still more the set n forget kind of guy when it comes to the tone knob. When I have almost 50 guitars, I can afford to spread the tone settings across them all. I still like having the wider range of adjustments JIC I need it as opposed to not having that adjustment capability when I DO need it!

However, to each one's own. Setup and play any way ye want! It's your guitar and yer entitled to having it set your way.