Johnny Marr Jag Pots

[Maggieo]

So, I've gotten tired of the crazy tone and volume dropoff at about "8" on my stock 1mg pots in Green Arrow, my JMJag.

I'm swapping the OEMs out for either CTS or DiMarzios. But here's my question- do I stick with 1mg pots? All of my single coil customs; the Kelly Bowery Pine Teles, the Creston Flying Dutchman, my modded Thinline and Esquire, all have 250k pots, like most single coil guitars.

What's up with the 1mg pots on the JM Jag? Is it because of the series wiring? The pickups?

Anyone have any thoughts on this?

PS: Obligatory photo of Green Arrow and Oliver, his little cousin-


Green Arrow And Oliver, Side By Side, September 07, 20125 by Maggie Osterberg, on Flickr

[indiandysummer]

Jags have always had 1 meg pots, same with jazzmasters. Unless you think your guitar is way too bright, I would stick with 1meg.

[Marc]

I agree - 1 meg pots are a big part of both Jag and JM sound... And late 60's and some 70's Telecasters. The pickups are voiced to work with that value so I would personally stick with those values and work with your amp and guitar tone controls to suit. There are some name players who have used different values - Nels Cline I think uses 250k or maybe 300k?

I have a Mexican 72 reissue Telecaster where I upgraded the pickups to a 67 Custom Shop relic reissue bridge pickup and a Creamery Wide Range Humbucker in the neck (much closer to original design apart from the cork sniffing Cunife magnets which are Alnico). Also a new wiring harness with decent switchcraft and CTS components. There was still something missing and it turned out the wiring harness had 500k pots. I swapped them for 1meg and whilst the volume is super sensitive it now sounds as I was hoping. I had no idea the value of pots affected the overall sound so much.

[tylerforyou]

This doesn't help with your question, but you have the absolute best taste in gear. I'd notice how nice that strat looks were it not sitting next to the best looking Sherwood guitar I've ever seen. Props on the amp and the names too.

[Maggieo]

Jags have always had 1 meg pots, same with jazzmasters. Unless you think your guitar is way too bright, I would stick with 1meg.

If anything, it could use some boost in the bright department. Thanks! I'm gonna put 1meg CTS linear pots in it.

[Maggieo]

This doesn't help with your question, but you have the absolute best taste in gear. I'd notice how nice that strat looks were it not sitting next to the best looking Sherwood guitar I've ever seen. Props on the amp and the mashes too.

Thank you!!

[joesnewmatch]

OP -- I'm glad I'm not the only one. I just got a Marr-guar about two weeks ago and I freaking love everything about it except the weight and the pots. I'm one of those guys who really likes to use the volume and tone knobs while playing.

Has anyone found an after-market seller that sells something with the same values, but without the severe drop-offs? I know the usual suspects for Gibson pots, but no idea if there is an option for Jags.

And to the OP, really dig your rig! I also run a Princeton Reverb, but it's nowhere near as colorful as yours. But,... it is from 1966!

[Maggieo]

The CTS pots are supposed to be linear, so no drop-off.

I wish I had a '66 PR! (got a '66 Vibro Champ, tho'.)

[StevenO]

Have you considered putting in No-Load pots in the guitar and wiring it up like a Tele? The way the guitar is currently wired up is probably giving you some weirdness, as seems to be the case with Jaguars in general.

If you get two No-Load 250K audio pots for both pots, you'll have a nice smooth taper that goes from 0-9 as a 250k pot and then there's a little subtle "click without a click"/notch where the pot then goes out of the circuit and you have essentially no pots in the circuit, so you have more highs at full. Dial the knob back a bit and you're in smooth/warm Nels-country.

[Maggieo]

Have you considered putting in No-Load pots in the guitar and wiring it up like a Tele? The way the guitar is currently wired up is probably giving you some weirdness, as seems to be the case with Jaguars in general.

If you get two No-Load 250K audio pots for both pots, you'll have a nice smooth taper that goes from 0-9 as a 250k pot and then there's a little subtle "click without a click"/notch where the pot then goes out of the circuit and you have essentially no pots in the circuit, so you have more highs at full. Dial the knob back a bit and you're in smooth/warm Nels-country.

Seeing as how you just taught me about them, nope I didn't consider it!!!

Sounds pretty interesting, but would I lose the series wiring with that scheme? Or are you just talking about the pots?

[StevenO]

Have you considered putting in No-Load pots in the guitar and wiring it up like a Tele? The way the guitar is currently wired up is probably giving you some weirdness, as seems to be the case with Jaguars in general.

If you get two No-Load 250K audio pots for both pots, you'll have a nice smooth taper that goes from 0-9 as a 250k pot and then there's a little subtle "click without a click"/notch where the pot then goes out of the circuit and you have essentially no pots in the circuit, so you have more highs at full. Dial the knob back a bit and you're in smooth/warm Nels-country.

Seeing as how you just taught me about them, nope I didn't consider it!!!

Sounds pretty interesting, but would I lose the series wiring with that scheme? Or are you just talking about the pots?

I think you could wire it so that the switch works the same, like how some people wire Teles to have a fourth position for series wiring. Shouldn't be an issue!

[Pepe Silvia]

The CTS pots are supposed to be linear, so no drop-off.

I wish I had a '66 PR! (got a '66 Vibro Champ, tho'.)

linear is linear change in resistance of the pot. dB is a logerithmic scale so you want audio taper which will sound linear to the ears.

[StevenO]

The CTS pots are supposed to be linear, so no drop-off.

I wish I had a '66 PR! (got a '66 Vibro Champ, tho'.)

linear is linear change in resistance of the pot. dB is a logerithmic scale so you want audio taper which will sound linear to the ears.

Also this.

[Maggieo]

Gah!

Let's hope Dustin orders the right ones for me.