Vol. and tone pots for passive cicuit

[alembic1989]

Hi,
I've just bought some Nordstrand big singles and I want to wire them passively using tone/vol for each pick up (no pick up switch).
Does anyone know what value pots for the vol control and tone contol...where can I get good quality components from. Presumably the tone control with have a capacitor soldered to it..or will I have to buy that separately?
Bettr still where can I find a circuit diagram for this configuration....(no pick up switch)
Help much appreciated.
Regards
Raj

Edited November 22, 2008 by alembic1989

[Delberthot]

Single coil pickups normally use 250k pots although you can use 500k - that's what I have in my Gold Warmoth

CTS are the most popular brand.

You'll have to buy the capacitors separately, they vary as to what value to use.

Have a look on the Seymour Duncan website as they have wiring schematics you can download. They also show capacitor value

Don't know how handy you are with a soldering iron?

[Lfalex v1.1]

General dogma says something like 250k(log) for single coil volumes, 500K(log) for Humbuckers. Not sure about the value of the tone pots.
Common Capacitor values are 0.22microfarads and 0.47microfarads. Think it's micro and not pico!
I'm sure someone who knows which end of a soldering iron NOT to hold will confirm / correct this...

[spinynorman]

I was trying to do something similar, but all the circuit diagrams I can find with 2 tone controls have a switch. Basically they assume you're wiring a Les Paul. I guess you could take a 1V 1T diagram and wire both pickups the same way.

AxesRUs sells tone and volume pots as separate items, so I assume there is some difference.

Edited November 26, 2008 by spinynorman

[~tl]

In basses, 250kΩ logarithmic pots and .47µF capacitors are pretty much the standard – at least for Fenderish set ups. I'd personally get a couple of CTS pots and some Orange Drops:

[url="http://www.allparts.uk.com/250k-audio-split-knurled-shaft-p-1542.html?p=product"]http://www.allparts.uk.com/250k-audio-spli....html?p=product[/url]
[url="http://www.allparts.uk.com/capacitor-sprague-orange-drop-200v-p-2270.html?p=product"]http://www.allparts.uk.com/capacitor-sprag....html?p=product[/url]

I've always been impressed with the service from Allparts... but it's probably worth checking WD and the other online places to see if they're cheaper:

[url="http://www.wdmusic.co.uk/"]http://www.wdmusic.co.uk/[/url]

As for a wiring diagram, I'd use the standard Gibson 2V/2T set up, but simply omit the switch and connect the centre pins of the two volume controls directly to the output jack socket. That's just what happens when the switch is in the centre position anyway. Seymour Duncan's diagrams are nice:

[url="http://www.seymourduncan.com/support/wiring-diagrams/schematics.php?schematic=2h_2v_2t_3w"]http://www.seymourduncan.com/support/wirin...tic=2h_2v_2t_3w[/url]

Edited November 26, 2008 by ~tl

[WarPig]

[quote name='~tl' post='337668' date='Nov 26 2008, 08:19 PM']In basses, 250kΩ logarithmic pots and .47µF capacitors are pretty much the standard – at least for Fenderish set ups. I'd personally get a couple of CTS pots and some Orange Drops:

[url="http://www.allparts.uk.com/250k-audio-split-knurled-shaft-p-1542.html?p=product"]http://www.allparts.uk.com/250k-audio-spli....html?p=product[/url]
[url="http://www.allparts.uk.com/capacitor-sprague-orange-drop-200v-p-2270.html?p=product"]http://www.allparts.uk.com/capacitor-sprag....html?p=product[/url]

I've always been impressed with the service from Allparts... but it's probably worth checking WD and the other online places to see if they're cheaper:

[url="http://www.wdmusic.co.uk/"]http://www.wdmusic.co.uk/[/url]

As for a wiring diagram, I'd use the standard Gibson 2V/2T set up, but simply omit the switch and connect the centre pins of the two volume controls directly to the output jack socket. That's just what happens when the switch is in the centre position anyway. Seymour Duncan's diagrams are nice:

[url="http://www.seymourduncan.com/support/wiring-diagrams/schematics.php?schematic=2h_2v_2t_3w"]http://www.seymourduncan.com/support/wirin...tic=2h_2v_2t_3w[/url][/quote]

Do CTS pots/Orange caps make that much difference? Whats the tone difference between 0.22 and 0.47 caps?

[bremen]

[quote name='WarPig' post='424007' date='Mar 3 2009, 11:52 AM']Whats the tone difference between 0.22 and 0.47 caps?[/quote]

What they have in common is that they're 10 times bigger than what's required. 0.047 is usual. 0.022 will have less treble attenuation than 0.047.

[Al Heeley]

If yoou find it difficult visualising Treble Attenuation, think of it as influencing the tone pot taper - the rate at which the treble gets cut off as you turn the pot as well as the full on/full off tone difference. I prefer to go for smaer value caps as I never play with the tone pot below 5, it all gets too muddy and dark. With a 0.022 cap you can typically get the tone change between 10 and 3 to replicate the tone change you would get between 10 and 6 with a 0.047 cap, if that makes sense.

Edited March 3, 2009 by Al Heeley

[~tl]

[quote name='bremen' post='424019' date='Mar 3 2009, 11:58 AM']What they have in common is that they're 10 times bigger than what's required. 0.047 is usual. 0.022 will have less treble attenuation than 0.047.[/quote]
Oops, yeah, I meant .047µF...

[quote name='WarPig' post='424007' date='Mar 3 2009, 11:52 AM']Do CTS pots/Orange caps make that much difference?[/quote]
High quality pots have a much nicer action and also tend to be more reliable in my experience. CTS ones are nicely built and should last well. Theoretically there shouldn't be any tonal difference between capacitors, but again it comes down to the quality of the parts.

[mrcrow]

the vol pots on fenders jazz and p are 250k
the cap is 0.047uf

good pots have smooth tracks and give good progressive control

if you only use your pot for on or off and dont cut the tone

i expect any makers pot would do