HB Strat 250K vs 500 k

[SSII x 2]

I want to swap all 3 PUPs on one of my Strats.  It has standard electronics, c.f. 250 K

pots.  New PUPs will be 3 single coil-size HBs.  Can you give me pros/cons of going

with a 500K pot, and do I need a different capacitor?  Seymour Duncan wiring

diagram for my JB Jr--prospective bridge PUP--shows a 250 K pot--I thought that

was typical for a traditional single coil?  I admit I'm electronics challenged,  so don't

worry about insulting my lack of intelligence!

[velorush]

I'd try them first with the 250kΩ pots - what do you have to lose?  The difference between the two (250kΩ vs. 500kΩ, extremely simply stated to stay out of the weeds) is the guitar will sound brighter with the higher value pots, warmer with the lower value pots (has to do with shifting resonant frequencies of coils and lots of IMO unnecessary theory).  Give it a whirl with the original pots and you may really really like the sound.  Some of the newer single-sized humbuckers are engineered to work with the lower-value pots.

Again, on the cap, if it's stock Fender and a later model, you're likely dealing with a 0.022 μF cap, which is the flavor I like for most humbuckers, as well.  If it is, rather, an 0.047 μF, you might find it rolls off too much treble too quickly (including starting too dark with Tone on 10).  Again, no harm done hooking it all up with the stock wiring harness and tweaking, one component at a time, from there.

One last thing that I certainly didn't originate - if you haven't done it already, move the second Tone control over to the bridge pickup.  The easiest best Strat mod ever and costs nothing!

[tbonesullivan]

Really depends on the pickups being used. They are usually voiced to be drop in replacements for the standard "strat" style wiring harness.

One thing I'm always iffy on is how much change there is with the knobs all the way up, at 10. Do the pots and caps make much of a difference then?

[Lockbody]

22 hours ago, tbonesullivan said:

One thing I'm always iffy on is how much change there is with the knobs all the way up, at 10. Do the pots and caps make much of a difference then?

Unless it's one of those Fender "no-load" pots, then yes, it makes a difference. A regular pot has X resistance, so at full value it can still only pass so much signal. The Fender no-load pots have a detent at 10 that bypasses the capacitor and pot's resistance.

SSII, I liked the JB Jr with 250k pots, but some of the hotter singlecoil-sized ones like Hotrails with 500k.

[tbonesullivan]

The "no-load" pots on the tele are definitely nice. I can't remember if it's just the volume or the tone too.

[Jeff R]

I'd run 250Ks first since they're already there because they are just fine for the job. The SD rails/Jrs are designed - or at least they sound like they were designed - as a drop-fit for stock strat/tele electronics in addition to stock cavities/pickguards. 

[SSII x 2]

Thanks for the info guys!  I'll let ya know what I come up with!