Short VS Long shaft pots. Will they both fit my LP?

[Rollo Rodriguez]

Hey guys, would a short-shaft 500k push-pull pot fit my 50's tribute?

 

I'll be removing the factory PCB and mount pots directly to the wood.

 

If a short shaft would fit if it's directly mounted to the wood, then do I need to go short-shaft all the way? Meaning all 4 pots must be short shaft?

 

Would a long shaft fit if it's mounted directly to the wood?

 

 

Honestly I have the short shaft push-pull pots already, but I have not disassembled my LP's electronics yet. Wanted to make sure first.

[Ryan H]

USA Gibson Les Paul's require long-shaft pots due to the thick maple top. The short-shafts are designed for guitars in which the top is not so thick, like the Epiphone variations of Les Paul, or guitars without separate tops (SG's, Strats, Tele's e.c.t.)

 

-Ryan

[GibSinCity]

'77 and later: Long shaft pots.

Hisorics are all short shaft without the plate.

If you replace the PCB, I'm guessing the long shaft pots should still work, they would just show a little more thread under the knob, but you can probably adjust the height by using the nut.

If there's too much thread showing for your liking, you can try short shafts.

However they may not work if removing the PCB doesn't give them enough height to clear the thickness of the wood.

You don't have to match lengths on all four.

Being adjustable, I would think long shafts should do the trick either way.

[Rollo Rodriguez]

Thanks guys. Do you think this short-shaft push-pull pot will fit?

 

I know I can try it out but I'm kinda lazy hahaha, sorry.

 

If not, is there a long-shaft Gibson brand pot?

 

I also noticed that the push-pull pots don't look as "good" as the standard pots (with gold, full-sized, etc). Are they just as good (durability, smoothness, etc)?

[badbluesplayer]

Thanks guys. Do you think this short-shaft push-pull pot will fit?

 

I know I can try it out but I'm kinda lazy hahaha, sorry.

 

If not, is there a long-shaft Gibson brand pot?

 

I also noticed that the push-pull pots don't look as "good" as the standard pots (with gold, full-sized, etc). Are they just as good (durability, smoothness, etc)?

 

I don't know which will fit, but with long shafted pots, you can use the adjusting nut on the inside end of the shaft to back the pot up into the cavity. Then you can adjust how much shaft sticks up above the surface of the guitar. I have one of the PCB guitars and the pots don't seem like they would all be the same length. The bottom of the cavity is not parallel with the face of the guitar, so the pots don't really fit as well as they do in a guitar with the old style cavity.

 

I think you're going to have to try them out and see. If I had to guess I'd say that the tone pots might be able to be short shafts and the volume pots probably need long shafts.

 

Gibson doesn't make push pull pots. They use Alpha brand or something else. Some of them do look cheap, but they're fine.

[Rollo Rodriguez]

OK, the short-shaft push-pull pot, it does NOT fit.

 

I had to make it fit though. Nothing a little dremel with a sand stone can't do. Just sanded the inside hole a bit. maybe like 1/32 or 2/32 so just I can "force" tighten the nut outside.

 

I would have to let go of the position indicators though (can't afford the extra thickness), so goodbye to my tophats, i'll be getting speed knobs.

 

 

It's also a bit weird in combo with the Gibson 500k's. The Gibson pots are "tight" to turn and these Alpha pp pots are a bit "loose."

 

I also followed this wiring diagram (I used Gibson color-codes instead):

http://www.seymourduncan.com/support/wiring-diagrams/schematics.php?schematic=2h_2v_2t_3w_2pp

 

I have to be honest, it's acting kinda weird, especially the middle position when I change the volume of each pickup