Eracer_Team Posted April 4, 2014 Share Posted April 4, 2014 I am finding there isnt enough low end and it seems to go mushy what about raising or lowering the pickup or maybe just the pole screw first? or even lowering the pickup and just raising a couple of pole pieces? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pippy Posted April 4, 2014 Share Posted April 4, 2014 I'm another who would suggest first trying a different cap. Try either a Grey Tiger or a BumbleBee from the Luxe brand. I installed a pair of the former in a LP fitted with S-D Antiquities and it totally transformed the guitar from 'Meh' to 'Magnificent' with just ten minutes of simple effort. And it will save you a shed-load in the drinking-vouchers department to-boot. P. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JAddison Posted April 4, 2014 Author Share Posted April 4, 2014 I'm another who would suggest first trying a different cap. Try either a Grey Tiger or a BumbleBee from the Luxe brand. I installed a pair of the former in a LP fitted with S-D Antiquities and it totally transformed the guitar from 'Meh' to 'Magnificent' with just ten minutes of simple effort. And it will save you a shed-load in the drinking-vouchers department to-boot. P. Interesting.. I thought caps only came into play when you roll off the tone. I shall look into it thanks. Do you know if the pots on trad's are 500k? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pippy Posted April 4, 2014 Share Posted April 4, 2014 Interesting.. I thought caps only came into play when you roll off the tone. I shall look into it thanks. Do you know if the pots on trad's are 500k? In theory, yeesss.............but I tend to believe in Searcy's maxim; "Always Trust Your Ears". I had been told 'they won't make much difference'. Pot values on a given model are the sort of thing that can change from year to year. As I don't have a 2013 Trad myself I haven't a clue what they sport. Nor are the specs for the 2013 Trad still posted on Gibson's main site. But 1 min 22.5 seconds with a fine Phillip's-head screwdriver should see you through. You Know Where To Look ! ! !......lol! P. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pippy Posted April 4, 2014 Share Posted April 4, 2014 ....use a 498t bridge pickup......and pop its cover off. Blows away a Seymour Duncan. If that's the sort of HOOLIGAN THING you like to hear............................ BTW, J.A., the 'Grey Tigers' I mentioned earlier have exactly the same ratings and construction as 'Bees - just in a different 'wrapper', as it were. P. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JAddison Posted April 4, 2014 Author Share Posted April 4, 2014 The tone pots are already 500k and you may be ok with orange drops if you just 50s wire it and up the volume pots to 500k but the 498t is a beast of a pickup and retains the traditional Les Paul sound. cool some good advice, thanks. Right.. well I guess 500k vol pots are a definite so I shall order some. I can't seem to find bumblebee's avail in the UK but found both red and blue Grey Tigers, which ones would you recommend? The 498t sounds interesting! I'm not looking for anything too monsterous, all I know is that I love the bb3 and SD alnico II pro (if a tad on the weak side) I really have no other experience with pups. It would be nice to have something along these lines power wise. Maybe I should do the 50's wiring with decent caps first and see how the 57+ sounds before ordering another pickup eh..? Could I trouble you guys for a UK link to buy the 50's wiring? thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JAddison Posted April 4, 2014 Author Share Posted April 4, 2014 interesting thread.. you guys know your stuff. I have seen some kits on ebay, most include the pots and caps. Wish there was a 50's wiring kit with a choice of caps Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JAddison Posted April 4, 2014 Author Share Posted April 4, 2014 There is a variety of kits search for a Les Paul harness on ebay. How about this? http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Gibson-Les-Paul-Wiring-Upgrade-Harness-K40Y-9-PIO-Russian-50s-CTS-Pot-LONG-SHAFT-/251479683557?pt=UK_Musical_Instruments_Guitars_CV&hash=item3a8d5b71e5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pippy Posted April 4, 2014 Share Posted April 4, 2014 He mentioned the overdrive and bridge pickup I found that 498t works well for that desire when I was searching Also I noticed the Angus Young pickup is just a 498t at twice the price...The 498t is medium output and i use it with 300k volumes. Most of the pickups we deal with on Les Pauls are vintage output. Depends on your music style and overall goal This is the crux of the matter. I like more of a low-gain 'Vintage' (for want of a better term) tone so I prefer the '57 Classics. For anyone who wants more of a mid-late '70s 'Classic Rock' sound the 498T will probably be a better bet. I can't seem to find bumblebee's avail in the UK but found both red and blue Grey Tigers, which ones would you recommend? I've no Idea how they differ! Are these the ones you found? http://www.mojopicku.../capacitors.php If so then I'm guessing(!) that the innards are identical - in which case the blue would be more 'historically accurate' for use on a Gibson Les Paul. Maybe I should do the 50's wiring with decent caps first and see how the 57+ sounds before ordering another pickup eh..?....Could I trouble you guys for a UK link to buy the 50's wiring? thanks Here you go; http://cdo.seymourdu...s/wiring50s.jpg The only ommission (it's indicated but not shown) I can see from that diagram is the common Earth wire which Gibson puts around touching all the pots like this (my R0); "Sharp eyed readers"....will notice that the caps are orientated in opposite directions. It makes sod-all difference... P. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JAddison Posted April 4, 2014 Author Share Posted April 4, 2014 Thanks Pippy, wht do you think of the link I just posted? seems like good value! I'm ready to pull the trigger lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
capmaster Posted April 4, 2014 Share Posted April 4, 2014 Interesting.. I thought caps only came into play when you roll off the tone. I shall look into it thanks. Do you know if the pots on trad's are 500k? Any capacitor's potential influence on audio signals depends on the AC voltage drop along it. You are right, a 22 nF capacitor with a typical humbucker's source impedance and a subsequent 500 kOhms load like the Traditional's pickups and tone pots is very close to a piece of wire for guitar string frequencies. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pippy Posted April 4, 2014 Share Posted April 4, 2014 Listen to what Cap says; He really knows his stuff! The set in the link looks to be very good value. 4 x 500k pots and a pair of caps for £50 inc. postage? Can't argue with that. I notice they use .015 and .022 as opposed to a pair of .022s which might be good news. I've never tried the .015 myself so can't offer an opinion. Make sure you need long-shaft pots, though!... Do you know for sure you don't already have them? Gibson uses CTS pots and if you already have 4 x 500k pots then you'd be better off (IMHO) simply buying the Grey Tigers from Mojo in the above link. P. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JAddison Posted April 4, 2014 Author Share Posted April 4, 2014 Listen to what Cap says; He really knows his stuff! The set in the link looks to be very good value. 4 x 500k pots and a pair of caps for £50 inc. postage? Can't argue with that. I notice they use .015 and .022 as opposed to a pair of .022s which might be good news. I've never tried the .015 myself so can't offer an opinion. Make sure you need long-shaft pots, though!... Do you know for sure you don't already have them? Gibson uses CTS pots and if you already have 4 x 500k pots then you'd be better off (IMHO) simply buying the Grey Tigers from Mojo in the above link. P. Your right my 2 tone pots are already 500k from what I have read, but I have read that the vol pots are only 300k. I assumed Gibson = long shaft and Epi - short. Is that not correct? I need the 50's wiring as well eh.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pippy Posted April 4, 2014 Share Posted April 4, 2014 I assumed Gibson = long shaft and Epi - short. Is that not correct? I don't think so, no; but I could well be wrong. I'm not sure whether the carved-top LP means a long shaft is needed as opposed to the SG, say, or whether it's only those LPs with a PCB which need a longer shaft. I really don't know at all, I'm afraid. Sorry! Someone here will be able to tell you for sure, though. P. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JAddison Posted April 4, 2014 Author Share Posted April 4, 2014 I don't think so, no; but I could well be wrong. I'm not sure whether the carved-top LP means a long shaft is needed as opposed to the SG, say, or whether it's only those LPs with a PCB which need a longer shaft. I really don't know at all, I'm afraid. Sorry! Someone here will be able to tell you for sure, though. P. no worries, you hae been a big help thus far, I am learning alot here :) hey just found wiring kits on that mojo site: http://www.mojopickups.co.uk/harnesses.php Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
capmaster Posted April 4, 2014 Share Posted April 4, 2014 Your right my 2 tone pots are already 500k from what I have read, but I have read that the vol pots are only 300k. I assumed Gibson = long shaft and Epi - short. Is that not correct? I need the 50's wiring as well eh.. Correct, the Gibson volume pots are 300 kOhms linear taper, and they may have fairly high tolerances, unusual for linear ones. Mine range between 260 k and 380 k No problem though, left them all stock You are right in your assumptions on pot shaft length. My Epiphone LP has short shaft pots, all of my Gibson LPs long shaft, with PCB, metal board or without any. In 50's wiring the tone control will morph into a second volume control for the lion's share of either control ranges, but perhaps this is what you desire. I strongly dislike that but am bound to it in my Gibsons with two volume controls but just one tone control. If 2 x 500 kOhms audio taper tandem pots were available, I would instantly switch to 60's wiring using one of the pots per pickup... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pippy Posted April 4, 2014 Share Posted April 4, 2014 ...all of my Gibson LPs long shaft, with PCB, metal board or without any. So when I've heard that some LPs use short-shaft pots would these be the various Juniors, Specials, TV's and so on with, effectively, a slab-body as opposed to the dished maple cap, Cap? I can't say I've ever felt the need to swap any pots but apparently my R0 has something slightly different. I'll just go and check; hang on a min...... EP 086 (500k) 0437. Try googling just the number; ep086 0437 ........lol! P. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kidblast Posted April 4, 2014 Share Posted April 4, 2014 So when I've heard that some LPs use short-shaft pots would these be the various Juniors, Specials, TV's and so on with, effectively, a slab-body as opposed to the dished maple cap, Cap? I dunno Phillip, but it makes sense wouldn't it otho, I'm almost sure even my SGs have long shaft pots. it's been a while since I've been "in there"... btw: I did a pickup change in my 02 LP standard a few years back. the mod didn't go well at all till I put new CTS pots in and added a treble bleed circuit. That was unexpected. but it definitely solved the problem I had when I put swapped out the Burstbukers for Duncans. The tone would go to he11 the moment you backed off the volume, and by the time you got to 5 or so, nothing.. The CTS pots and the VTB circuit worked wonders. I was getting worried to cuz I had already sold the original pickups. /ray Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
capmaster Posted April 4, 2014 Share Posted April 4, 2014 So when I've heard that some LPs use short-shaft pots would these be the various Juniors, Specials, TV's and so on with, effectively, a slab-body as opposed to the dished maple cap, Cap? ... P. Never looked into a flat top LP but consider short pots being sensible for these. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bryan Sutherland Posted April 4, 2014 Share Posted April 4, 2014 Long shaft pots +1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bryan Sutherland Posted April 4, 2014 Share Posted April 4, 2014 Correct, the Gibson volume pots are 300 kOhms linear taper, and they may have fairly high tolerances, unusual for linear ones. Mine range between 260 k and 380 k No problem though, left them all stock You are right in your assumptions on pot shaft length. My Epiphone LP has short shaft pots, all of my Gibson LPs long shaft, with PCB, metal board or without any. In 50's wiring the tone control will morph into a second volume control for the lion's share of either control ranges, but perhaps this is what you desire. I strongly dislike that but am bound to it in my Gibsons with two volume controls but just one tone control. If 2 x 500 kOhms audio taper tandem pots were available, I would instantly switch to 60's wiring using one of the pots per pickup... The important thing to remember is linear pots for volume, and audio taper for tone Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bryan Sutherland Posted April 4, 2014 Share Posted April 4, 2014 Actually true 50s wiring utilizes 500k audio pots volume and 550k audio pots tone with a tolerance of plus or minus ten percent so 500k audio work all the way around. This is with vintage shielded two conductor wiring and bumble bee pio or foil caps. That is true 50s wiring like Pippy's R-0. the modern or traditional uttlizes a ground plate and 300k linear volumes with modern cap wiring. I stand corrected... I was under the impression that the 550k superpots (like RS makes) were for volume and were linear. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
capmaster Posted April 4, 2014 Share Posted April 4, 2014 The important thing to remember is linear pots for volume, and audio taper for tone On the other hand, audio taper will do for volume pots, too, and comes stock on all Fenders and and on all Gibsons with push/pull volume controls. It will also depend on personal taste and habit. In contrary, audio taper is definitely required for tone controls. Linear pots are just poor for rolling off treble. Passive midrange and bass controls may be a different story. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JAddison Posted April 5, 2014 Author Share Posted April 5, 2014 I ordered that kit off eBay :)Fit some reflective top hats tonight; Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cjsinla Posted April 5, 2014 Share Posted April 5, 2014 I dunno Phillip, but it makes sense wouldn't it otho, I'm almost sure even my SGs have long shaft pots. it's been a while since I've been "in there"... /ray I just pulled the PCB out of my SG Classic and got the pre-wired harness setup from Stew Mac and they were definitely the short shafts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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