Something else: 50s vintage wiring vs modern and caps

[psb962]

I modelled the various wiring options in LTspice and here is what the results look like in the frequency domain:

Modern Wiring with no Treble Bleed (just showing 1k - 10k range) - note how the peak frequency moves left as the vol control is rolled down (10 - 8 - 6) (tone is at 10). This is why things get muddy when vol rolled off with modern wiring.


Modern Wiring with Treble Bleed (250k + 500p): big change - now there is a lot more treble being preserved as volume goes down:



Finally, here is 50's wiring - note treble preserved in a more subtle way:



Simulation had pickup inductance 4.4H, resistance 7.8k, (ie humbucker) and capacitance 120p into a 500p cable and 1k amp load.

 

[andare]

I modelled the various wiring options in LTspice and here is what the results look like in the frequency domain:

Modern Wiring with no Treble Bleed (just showing 1k - 10k range) - note how the peak frequency moves left as the vol control is rolled down (10 - 8 - 6) (tone is at 10). This is why things get muddy when vol rolled off with modern wiring.
View attachment 57203

Modern Wiring with Treble Bleed (250k + 500p): big change - now there is a lot more treble being preserved as volume goes down:

View attachment 57204

Finally, here is 50's wiring - note treble preserved in a more subtle way:

View attachment 57205

Simulation had pickup inductance 4.4H, resistance 7.8k, (ie humbucker) and capacitance 120p into a 500p cable and 1k amp load.

I didn't like the treble bleed.
Maybe it's because I didn't experiment with values and because it was a Jazzmaster. The 1Meg pot is huge and it instantly gets muddy despite being linear.
The treble bleed sounded unnatural because the high end was bypassing the volume pot.
So I left it out and always play at 10. Only roll back with fuzz because that retains high end naturally.

50s wiring with 500k audio pots is just great.

Thanks for the graphs, really helpful.