Are Push Pull Shaft Pots generally functional without compatible Pups?

[Reynewan]

Hi everybody,

I´m going to mod/improve my SC 250. I want to install the \m/ Metal pickups.
I believe that I cannot split those Pups with a push-pull pot but I have 2 unused high quality push pull short shaft pots. Besides that I´ve got two normal unused short shaft CTS pots. I would like to install them all 4 for the 4 tone and volume controlls responsible for the \m/ Metal pickups.

My questions here are:

1. Can I still use those both push-pull-pots in the SC 250 without spliting, just for the normal volume and tone control/function? Or do I have to get another 2 normal short shaft CTS Pots?

2.I have also 3 unused Jensen capacitors. Two 0.022 capacitors and one 0.015 capacitors. Do I need to add/buy one more 0.015 capacitor?

I can only hope, that I could have explained the technical situation understanable..
Thanks a lot in advance.

 

[alantig]

You should be able to split the \m/ pickups. I have that setup in my PS - coil taps on the volume pots (sweet switches on the tones, all push-pull).

 

[Reynewan]

You should be able to split the \m/ pickups. I have that setup in my PS - coil taps on the volume pots (sweet switches on the tones, all push-pull).

That´s a good news, thanks. I wrote that because on the official PRS-Shop site there is no information about the spliting. They just write only:

"Compatible with:5-way or 3-way pickup selector"

https://eu.prsaccessories.com/collections/pickups/products/metal-pickup

 

[Chitarrista scarso]

Hello Reynewan.
1. Yes, you can use your old controls with new "\m/ pickups" normally, but without splitting.
2. Here you have different choices. First of all, yours two unused push-pull pots are linears or logarhytmics? How much is the value of original tone capacitors on your guitar? I hope i can help you, regards

 

[jvin248]

.

temporarily clip on the tone caps to test them out with the new pickups. Then solder in the one you like the tone best when the knob is 'dimed'.

As for pots, measure the actual kohms before installing (measure across the outer lugs) and figure out if you want brighter or darker sounding pickup to go with each. Higher kohm will give brighter more mids and lower kohm will give darker smoother muddier tones. Pots have a 20% tolerance range and it may matter for your pickups which you use where. I'll generally put push/pull on the tone pots and leave the volumes as regular pots since they see the most action.

.

 

[Reynewan]

.

temporarily clip on the tone caps to test them out with the new pickups. Then solder in the one you like the tone best when the knob is 'dimed'.

As for pots, measure the actual kohms before installing (measure across the outer lugs) and figure out if you want brighter or darker sounding pickup to go with each. Higher kohm will give brighter more mids and lower kohm will give darker smoother muddier tones. Pots have a 20% tolerance range and it may matter for your pickups which you use where. I'll generally put push/pull on the tone pots and leave the volumes as regular pots since they see the most action.

.

Thanks for the important informations Pal! The guitar sounds actually unnaturally thin. I want it to sound more powerfull/wide/broad. I have 2 unused 500k push pulls and 2 550k CTS-Pots from Bare Knuckles and some unused capacitors. 2 Push Pulls and 2 CTS Pots.

 

[Reynewan]

.

temporarily clip on the tone caps to test them out with the new pickups. Then solder in the one you like the tone best when the knob is 'dimed'.

As for pots, measure the actual kohms before installing (measure across the outer lugs) and figure out if you want brighter or darker sounding pickup to go with each. Higher kohm will give brighter more mids and lower kohm will give darker smoother muddier tones. Pots have a 20% tolerance range and it may matter for your pickups which you use where. I'll generally put push/pull on the tone pots and leave the volumes as regular pots since they see the most action.

.

Thanks for the tip here as well. But that would mean also that I would have to instal/addl the both capacitors to the push pulls as well right(?)

 

[Reynewan]

Hello Reynewan.
1. Yes, you can use your old controls with new "\m/ pickups" normally, but without splitting.
2. Here you have different choices. First of all, yours two unused push-pull pots are linears or logarhytmics? How much is the value of original tone capacitors on your guitar? I hope i can help you, regards

Thank you very much. I haven´t checked the value the of original tone capacitors yet. I can do this first on Saturday. But those should be not too weak, because in my SC250 are the SC 250 Pups. They have a high output.
To be onest I have no idea about the push pulls charachteristics..(linear or logarhytmics).
But here is the original link to them. Sorry for being such a noob on this.

https://www.bareknucklepickups.co.uk/shop/product/500k-push-pull-short-shaft

 

[Chitarrista scarso]

Hello again,
i've seen the link, the pots are 500k and they are ok for humbuckers.
With simple words, this is a "normal" wiring for two humbuckers guitar like your SC 250:
- 2 volume pots 500k, logarhytmic type, NO capacitors;
- 2 tone pots 500k, linear type, a capacitor .022uF value for every pot.
But this is only one of many possibilities! Take a look in the control cavity of your guitar, and if you can please post a picture here.
You said that your guitar sounds thin; is a matter of personal taste, and many other things.
You could use the push-pull pots where you want, at volume or tone position; for example:
2 CTS (normal, no push-pull) 550K to volume control;
2 unused push-pull (with a capacitor for every pot) to tone control, AND the wiring to coil split.
Linear or logarhytmic are different only for the speed, the linear pots are more sweet and progressive and could be better for tone control.
No problem, before or after we all are noob in some way! But if you don't have a great experience with electronics maybe is better ask to a guitar technician for a similar work... sorry for my english