Treble Bleed
Treble Bleed Guide
500k Audio-Taper Pots • Hollowbody Jazz Guitar
Keep your highs alive when rolling back volume. Tailored for ES-175 with separate volume pots per pickup.
Test with clips first
Parallel cap + resistor = most common
Longer cables = higher cap values
🟡
P90 Pickups
Bright, mid-forward • Keep the growl, avoid shrillness
Bridge P90 Brightest • Most subtle bleed
| Config | Total Cap | Resistor | Tone Character | Best For | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Series: 1500pF + 1000pF | 600pF | 150kΩ | Very subtle, warm | Jazz rhythm cleanup | Keeps P90 growl |
| Single | 470pF | 150kΩ | Natural, highest freq only | Warm P90s | Most transparent |
| Single | 330pF | 220kΩ | Extremely subtle | Bright bridge P90 | Bill Lawrence style — never harsh |
| Single (Mojo) | 471pF | 220kΩ | Balanced clarity | All-rounder bridge | Popular & forgiving |
| Single | 680pF | 220kΩ | Suhr-style balanced | Bridge when slightly dark | Great middle ground |
| Single | 1000pF | 150kΩ | Clear but controlled | Needs a little help | TV Jones style for P90 |
| Cap only | 220pF | — | Minimal bleed | Very bright setups | PRS-style — almost no taper change |
Neck P90 Warmer • Slightly more help
| Config | Total Cap | Resistor | Tone Character | Best For | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Single | 470pF | 150kΩ | Natural cleanup | Warm neck P90 | |
| Single | 680pF | 150kΩ | Suhr-style balanced | Most P90 neck use | Excellent all-rounder |
| Single | 1000pF | 220kΩ | Clear & snappy | Complex jazz chords | Helps neck articulation |
| Parallel: 470pF + 680pF | 1150pF | 330kΩ | High clarity | Darker neck P90 | Dark-humb style adapted |
| Single | 560pF | 300kΩ | DiMarzio-style smooth | Mid-forward neck | Very musical taper |
| Single | 1200pF | 130kΩ | Strong bleed | Very warm neck | Kinman-inspired for P90s |
| Cap only | 470pF | — | Subtle but present | Minimalist players | Simple & effective |
🔴
Humbucker Pickups
Darker, thicker • Need more help staying articulate
Bridge Humbucker Brighter humbucker • Balanced bleed
| Config | Total Cap | Resistor | Tone Character | Best For | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Single (Suhr) | 680pF | 150kΩ or 220kΩ | Balanced clarity, no ice-pick | All-rounder bridge hum | Suhr classic |
| Single | 1000pF (1nF) | 220kΩ | Clear & snappy | Industry standard | Top pick for hums |
| Single (TV Jones) | 1000pF | 150kΩ | Consistent resonant peak | Jazz & clean tones | Highly recommended |
| Single (Mojo) | 471pF | 220kΩ | Subtle & natural | Bright bridge hum | Great if bridge is already bright |
| Single | 560pF | 300kΩ | Smooth & musical | DiMarzio users | Excellent taper |
| Parallel: 470pF + 680pF | 1150pF | 330kΩ | High clarity | Slightly dark bridge | Dark-humb style |
| Single (Fender) | 1200pF | 150kΩ (+20k series optional) | Strong but controlled | Long cable users | Great for stage volumes |
Neck Humbucker Darkest position • Most aggressive bleed
| Config | Total Cap | Resistor | Tone Character | Best For | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Single | 1000pF (1nF) | 220kΩ | Clear & articulate | Complex jazz chords at 4–5 | Top pick for hum neck |
| Single (Suhr) | 680pF | 150kΩ | Balanced, no harshness | Most neck hum use | Still the gold standard |
| Single | 1200pF | 150kΩ | Very clear | Dark or boomy neck | Great for ES-175 neck warmth |
| Parallel: 470pF + 680pF | 1150pF | 330kΩ | High clarity without boom | Dark humbuckers | Recommended |
| Single | 1500pF | 150kΩ | Strong treble preservation | Very warm neck hum | Excellent for low-volume jazz |
| Single (Seymour Duncan) | 1000pF | 100kΩ | Aggressive clarity | High-output neck | Strong bleed effect |
| Parallel: 1000pF + 1000pF | 2000pF | 150kΩ | Maximum articulation | Extremely dark setups | For long cables or very warm amps |
Quick Workbench Tips
- 🔥 Use heat-shrink tubing on multi-cap legs to prevent shorts against pot casing or braided wire.
- 📦 1/4-watt metal film resistors (Mouser/DigiKey) = lowest noise.
- 📉 Parallel resistor slightly flattens the volume taper — feels smoother between 10–8.
- 🧪 Start conservative — you can always swap parts in minutes.
- 📏 Longer cables need higher capacitance; shorter cables like subtler values.
- 🔌 Wiring: solder between volume pot input lug (hot) and middle lug (wiper).