Shade Posted November 4, 2009 Share Posted November 4, 2009 ... I need a recommendation... The poti of my LP are scratching so I will have to replace them. Looking at what was stamped on them didn`t give me a clue which ones I really need (I know I need them with a long split-shaft)... ... so I wrote to Gibson and though they couldn`t tell exactly what was built in my LP they were very kind and wrote: The factory standard pots for our guitars since approx. 1973 are the following: Volume: 300k Linear Tone: 500k Audio (log) Did you change the "standard pots" for better ones in your LP? Is there a certain brand you can recommend, other than the ones from Gibson? Or is Gibson the way to go here? Thanks in advance, for your help! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GibsonAlmighty Posted November 4, 2009 Share Posted November 4, 2009 A lot of folks are getting their upgrades parts here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Riffster Posted November 4, 2009 Share Posted November 4, 2009 On the volume pots 500k will brighten the tone and 300k is the standard. Buy from RSGuitarworks, CTS pots make pots of different quality levels and I have found the RSGuitarworks to be a step above the CTS that come with Gibsons. Now their so-called "superpot" is definitely better, lot of precision on those and worth the few extra bucks. They sell individual parts you do not have to buy a kit. On CTS pots quality, for instance Allparts sells CTS pots but their shaft is aluminum as opposed to brass and they don't look as solid. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tazzboy Posted November 4, 2009 Share Posted November 4, 2009 I tired RS Pots and they were crap. I get mine from eBay store. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
L5Larry Posted November 4, 2009 Share Posted November 4, 2009 If your pots are scratchy, there is probably nothing wrong with them except that they are dirty. Get a can of "Control Cleaner/Lubricant" from Radio Shack and give them a little spray. Other than getting dirty, pots rarely go bad. If you do need to, or want to replace them, Guitar Center sells "Gibson" branded pots. Stew-Mac, Antique Electronics Supply, and Allparts also sell quality brand name parts. Avoid the no-name crap. Ones made by CTS are the ones to buy, and their code number is 137, so any pot with a code that starts with 137 is made by CTS. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tbonesullivan Posted November 4, 2009 Share Posted November 4, 2009 I'm surprised it took that many responses for someone to suggest cleaning the pots. I've played guitars from the 60s and onward still going strong on the original potentiometers. Before you replace, clean/lube them. To avoid major damage you should really do this as soon as they start scratching, as it means that the lubrication/protectant is wearing out, and it's time to put some more on. Make sure you get stuff that has a protectant (usually mineral oil) as well as a deoxidizer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shade Posted November 4, 2009 Author Share Posted November 4, 2009 Thanks for your answers and suggestions. I thought about cleaning myself, but I was told that it would help only temporarily so replacing them would be unavoidable. Nevertheless I could try it before doing anything else... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Plains Posted November 4, 2009 Share Posted November 4, 2009 I'm surprised it took that many responses for someone to suggest cleaning the pots. It's because people love getting new parts for their guitars. [blush]/ I have RS pots in two of my guitars and think they're pretty good. Have you also considered replacing your caps? Now would be the time... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shade Posted November 6, 2009 Author Share Posted November 6, 2009 It's because people love getting new parts for their guitars. [biggrin]/ I have RS pots in two of my guitars and think they're pretty good. Have you also considered replacing your caps? Now would be the time... I`m sorry I have to ask... what exactly are "caps" on the guitar? (I would have to guess what it is in connection with the guitar - my knowledge of the english language is quite small) And what would be the advantage of it? Another thing would be: How would it affect the volume/tone when I should build in pots with 500 or 250kohm instead of the mentioned 300 or 500? Thanks again! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shade Posted February 1, 2010 Author Share Posted February 1, 2010 So... cleaning didn`t help for a long time, because now they start scratching again... Another question though.... Why does Gibson use linear poti for volume and not audio (log)? (Volume: 300k Linear Tone: 500k Audio (log)) I have to admit I never really thought about it before but normally the standard for volume today would be audio (log), which would suit better to the human hearing... or am I wrong? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
loneguitar Posted February 4, 2010 Share Posted February 4, 2010 Scratching is caused by a build up of crap on the wiper in the pot, you have to spray directly into the open cavity and work the control back and forth. This is very common with pots after a while. You can of course repalce them all but eventually you'll have to clean the pots, it's a part of main't. just like cleaning the guitar. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KL Posted February 4, 2010 Share Posted February 4, 2010 What they said . . . I have lots of guitars and have never needed to replace a pot. A temporary fix is just to wind the pot back and forth quickly through it's full range of travel. This often will clear the pot. If you spray the pot with just a little bit of Servisol Super 10 spray that should cure it. Twice over many years the pick up selector switch on two Gibsons I've had has stopped working in one position. A quick spray with a small amount of Servisol has cured the problem straight away. The can of Servisol comes with a long thin "straw" you attach to the spray so you can direct the spray exactly where it needs to go in the switch. Works great on amp pots too. I certainly wouldn't be rushing out to replace your potentiometer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cdntac Posted February 4, 2010 Share Posted February 4, 2010 I've had to spray the pots on my '68 Byrdland a couple of times. I made up my own attachment for getting the spray into the pots after seeing this at the Stew-Mac site: http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Tools/Special_tools_for:_Electronics/Pot_Cleaning_Cap.html How difficult was it to make my own? Step 1: Drive to the hardware store Step 2: Buy a few inches of rubber tubing the same size as the threading that holds the pots (IIRC 5/16" but I may be wrong --- that's just off the top of my head) Step 3: Drive home from the hardware store. Then just take the knob of the guitar and remove the nut that holds the pot. Spray a bit of contact cleaner into the tubing and let it seep down into the pot. Turn the knob a few times afterwards and repeat. I did this to a my friend's '82 LP Custom the other night and it fixed it right up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Borgelin Posted February 5, 2010 Share Posted February 5, 2010 Gibson should probably improve their pot-construction though...look at this comparison to CTS-pots: http://www.lespaulforum.com/pots/potents.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
L5Larry Posted February 5, 2010 Share Posted February 5, 2010 The information given at the above website on pots is somewhat misleading. Gibson does not manufacture potentiometers....... or switches, or jacks, or tuning machines, or.... Just because the part is stamped with the Gibson logo does not mean they fabricated the part. They either buy "off the shelf" parts from a manufacturer, or "contract" with a manufacturer to make the parts with the Gibson logo, sometimes to Gibson design specifications. And Gibson, as with any OEM (if you don't know what that means, look it up somewhere), buys different grade parts for different grade instruments. If you think the same parts go into a $500 Epi as go into a $5000 Gibson, just what do you think the extra $4500 is for, the headstock logo. Just as a few examples of whose parts went into the 50's, 60's, 70's Gibsons. Originally all the pots Gibson used were made by CTS, they are easily identifiable by the pot code prefix 137. 137 is the manufacturers code for CTS. The "Gibson" pickup selector switches were design and manufactured by Switchcraft. They were an "off the shelf" item, part of Switchcraft's standard line of products, still available today from Switchcraft. The jacks were all standard Switchcraft stock. The Gibson Deluxe tuning machines were made by Kluson, exactly the same product as "Kluson Deluxe" tuners but with the Gibson name engraved on them. The "harmonica" bridge used on many SG models for years was made by Schaller. Guess who made the "Gibson" vibratos units that looked like Bigsbys... BIGSBY. This is how the manufacturing industry works. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jamman Posted February 5, 2010 Share Posted February 5, 2010 the cts pots from RS are good i have them in 1 of my LP's . if you need to change pots even though expencive, the superpots might be worth the money. buy cheap , get cheap. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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