Mr

[lobosang jamir]

Hello members,

I own a gibson es335 Larry Carlton  SL. No. S91018. I noticed that the volume on both neck and bridge PU kicks in only at 8 to 10 knob setting. the tone on the neck  moreless appears to be ineffective. Is this normal?. Of course with volume set a full on both the mid and treble position sounds good. But the neck PU sounds quite something e.g clarity is missing unlike the bridge PU.   I also own another Les Paul Std 2008 its volume and tone are very linear and perfect.  Regards

[jdgm]

Hello

It sounds as if this is to do with the potentiometer values and you can't do anything about it except change all 4 pots.  They are not expensive but it is harder to do on an ES335 because of having to access through the f-holes. The big tip is to tie a long length of cotton (at least a metre) round the pot shaft before you remove it, then tie the cotton onto the shaft of the new pot to help with the fiddly job of fitting it.  Many people recommend 300k or 500k log pots but do some reading up on it before you commit yourself.  Also google - ES335 wiring - and look at the youtube tutorials.

Good luck!

https://forum.seymourduncan.com/forum/the-pickup-lounge/126566-what-type-size-of-pots-for-335#post1869936

https://www.seymourduncan.com/blog/tips-and-tricks/wiring-a-hollow-body-guitar-the-easy-way

https://www.sixstringsupplies.co.uk/how-to-wire-an-es-335

Edited October 14, 2020 by jdgm

[lobosang jamir]

Thanks JDGM! for the response 

[merciful-evans]

5 hours ago, jdgm said:

Hello

It sounds as if this is to do with the potentiometer values and you can't do anything about it except change all 4 pots.  They are not expensive but it is harder to do on an ES335 because of having to access through the f-holes. The big tip is to tie a long length of cotton (at least a metre) round the pot shaft before you remove it, then tie the cotton onto the shaft of the new pot to help with the fiddly job of fitting it.  Many people recommend 300k or 500k log pots but do some reading up on it before you commit yourself.  Also google - ES335 wiring - and look at the youtube tutorials.

Good luck!

https://forum.seymourduncan.com/forum/the-pickup-lounge/126566-what-type-size-of-pots-for-335#post1869936

https://www.seymourduncan.com/blog/tips-and-tricks/wiring-a-hollow-body-guitar-the-easy-way

https://www.sixstringsupplies.co.uk/how-to-wire-an-es-335

 

Nice job there jdgm!

[jdgm]

Just now, merciful-evans said:

Nice job there jdgm!

 

Thanks; I was thinking, could part of it be bad solder joints?  Hmmm....doubt it.  I've had guitars with pots that behave like that - all the increase is in a very small section of the pot travel - I seem to remember that linear pots did that more than log ones.  Forum members please correct me if I'm wrong.  I suppose it depends on having the correct value, and possibly the cap value too.

[merciful-evans]

12 hours ago, jdgm said:

 

Thanks; I was thinking, could part of it be bad solder joints?  Hmmm....doubt it.  I've had guitars with pots that behave like that - all the increase is in a very small section of the pot travel - I seem to remember that linear pots did that more than log ones.  Forum members please correct me if I'm wrong.  I suppose it depends on having the correct value, and possibly the cap value too.

 

I'm mostly clueless with electrics. I do find that problem more with 4 pots in a Gibson type circuit. It never occurred to me to change out the pots; unless its a cheap guitar.