Pots/Wiring for Tremonti w/ Mule pickup replacement

[shep]

I bought a new '23 Tremonti in January. I drove 5 hours to get there. I played probably 30 guitars and this one played how I wanted. I knew outta the gate I didn't like the pickups, and that didn't stop me from buying it. I didn't notice wonky pots for the 1st couple months. Even after Deoxit, both volume pots make noise/cut out. I need to change them, but am curious with my pickup choice and the Pat Travers Tribute music I play what pots/ wiring/ caps and what value treble bleeds to have installed that will make the most of the Mule set. Thanks very much!

 

[ViperDoc]

I find the stock 180 pF treble bleed cap to be just fine. I installed a 500 pF on an Andy Timmons strat and it was VERY bright. Season to taste, but I’d start with the 180 pF. I would use 500k pots for volume and tone as standard. The BKP 550K pots are a bit too strident-sounding for me. Standard .022 uF tone caps will do it. If you find the Mule neck to be too tubby, you can try tuning it with a series cap (.047 uF) on the hot lead. Tie in parallel smaller caps to add more low end (increase total capacitance).

 

[shep]

Thanks much for the reply, ViperDoc. I am a total noob to electronics mods. I'm not happy with the loss of treble in both pickups using the PRS pots, even rolled off to 9. By 8 it's murky, I'm guessing because of the 10% audio taper pot. I may go with 20% instead. Is using the same value bleed forboth pickups the typical approach?

 

[JasonE]

I would go with PRS pots if you replace them. They will come with the treble bleed cap already on them. If you replace the tone pots those will come with the cap on them as well. I find the PRS chosen values to work well.

 

[shep]

Thanks to you both, but that's the treble bleed I have now. For me, the treble rolls off too far, too fast. I said that in my previous post. What works for you does not for me.

 

[JasonE]

Thanks to you both, but that's the treble bleed I have now. For me, the treble rolls off too far, too fast. I said that in my previous post. What works for you does not for me.

You can swap the cap out for a different value and change that. If you don't know what value you like you may have to pick up a multi pack of caps to test them and find out what you like. If it is rolling off too much, you will want to go with a smaller value cap. The bigger you go the lower the frequency it starts to roll off.