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They are not really in parallel though, because the tone cap is in series with the tone pot. The volume pot is a potential divider and the tone pot is a simple variable resistance connected to the cap.
You will hear a difference if you use properly different values, eg 250K and 500K. If so I always prefer to have the volume control lower and the tone higher - to me that gives a deeper but clearer sound. Volume higher than tone gives a more muted, jazzy tone… it's actually exactly the same as using two high-value pots and turning the tone down until it's the same resistance as a lower-value one.
"Take these three items, some WD-40, a vise grip, and a roll of duct tape. Any man worth his salt can fix almost any problem with this stuff alone." - Walt Kowalski
"Only two things are infinite - the universe, and human stupidity. And I'm not sure about the universe." - Albert Einstein
Unless anyone's going to tell me something different, I'm going to go:
Neck volume 526K
Neck tone 530K
Bridge volume 554K
Bridge tone 567K
- higher values on the bridge, because it's a higher output pickup, and the slightly higher values for the tones compared to volumes because it has a 50-50 chance of being right (I have no idea), and the values are so close it almost certainly won't matter...
All those values are within 8% of each other whichever is the 'base' value though, and when I did some direct A/B testing, the smallest difference I could reliably hear was about 25% (down) and 33% (up) from the marked value. That doesn't prove there isn't a detectable difference closer than that, but if there is it's unlikely to make any real difference in use.
"Take these three items, some WD-40, a vise grip, and a roll of duct tape. Any man worth his salt can fix almost any problem with this stuff alone." - Walt Kowalski
"Only two things are infinite - the universe, and human stupidity. And I'm not sure about the universe." - Albert Einstein
I can't see why you can't look at it as being in parallel at all in practice, if not looking from a theoretical perspective.
The tone control works by shunting treble frequencies to ground. The volume control alters the treble response by interacting with the inductance of the pickup. Quite different mechanisms, and the sound change is very different.
The two value changes actually work independently because of this, which is why Megii's question is important. A 250K volume and a 500K tone does not sound at all the same as a 500K volume and a 250K tone, which it would if they were in parallel.
"Take these three items, some WD-40, a vise grip, and a roll of duct tape. Any man worth his salt can fix almost any problem with this stuff alone." - Walt Kowalski
"Only two things are infinite - the universe, and human stupidity. And I'm not sure about the universe." - Albert Einstein
If you want proof, connect both an oscilloscope and spectrum analyzer to the output of an amplifier, plug in the guitar and use an EBow or similar to stimulate a string at a more-or-less constant. Watch on the spectrum analyzer as you first turn down the Volume control, then up again. Do the same with the Tone control. You will see a marked difference in the effect each control has. Once you understand what's actually going on, your ears will learn the differences too.
Rift Amplification
Brackley, Northamptonshire
www.riftamps.co.uk