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Swapping out pots


XPAULPITT

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Posted

I recently swapped out the PCB with the 300K pots for 500K CTS pots all around. I am extremely happy with what they did for the tone. My problem is that I used all audio taper pots. The volume goes from full open at 10 but then falls off very fast to like 50% by the time I'm at 8. Should I have used linear taper for the volume? If so, would this help to make the change more gradual or is this the price I have to pay for using 500K pots?

Posted

I recently swapped out the PCB with the 300K pots for 500K CTS pots all around. I am extremely happy with what they did for the tone. My problem is that I used all audio taper pots. The volume goes from full open at 10 but then falls off very fast to like 50% by the time I'm at 8. Should I have used linear taper for the volume? If so, would this help to make the change more gradual or is this the price I have to pay for using 500K pots?

 

 

i do that mod all the time and haven't experienced the issue you have, measure the sweep of the pot with a multimeter and see if there is a sudden drop.

 

 

if you have changed the pots, then you are half way to better electronics. IMO the toggle switch and input jack are high quality switchcraft (if they are not replace them with switchcraft)

 

take out the orange/blue tiny ceramic capacitor and throw it away/step on it/burn it. its tonally useless.....IMO pickup some Sprague orange drops or if you want to splash out a bit get some replica bumblebee oil in paper capacitors faithfully re-created by LUXE.

 

alter the wiring to match the 1950's wiring diagram. then play the guitar.

 

 

 

500k pots add brightness and 300k are darker. I personally use 300k for neck and 500k for bridge all audio tapers including tone pots

Posted

i did use a switchcraft jack and i think that the stock switch was switchcraft too. i also used orange drops. the only decent diagram i could find online was from seymour duncan's site and it is slightly different from the gibson wiring when it comes to the caps. i already ordered some linear pots. they are what gibson uses as volume and probably more of what i'm looking for. i was also looking at some vitamin q oil in paper caps. bumble bees are a bit out of my price range. thanks for the input.

Posted

i did use a switchcraft jack and i think that the stock switch was switchcraft too. i also used orange drops. the only decent diagram i could find online was from seymour duncan's site and it is slightly different from the gibson wiring when it comes to the caps. i already ordered some linear pots. they are what gibson uses as volume and probably more of what i'm looking for. i was also looking at some vitamin q oil in paper caps. bumble bees are a bit out of my price range. thanks for the input.

 

 

yes it just changes over on the pot lugs that the caps are soldered too. thats the quick way that is just the same, ok fit the linear ones and let me know how you get on.

 

 

to be honest IMO the orange drops are 90% as effective as the bumblebees to my ear I used them in my SG and they sound great. not used vitamin Q's but they wont differ to Bumblebees much as they are oil in paper too like the white tigers.

 

 

 

even the smallest thing changes tone/volume to my ear maybe the linear pots are whats right for you.

 

 

 

I have just ordered my callaham ABR-1 bridge and Faber Aluminum Locking tailpiece, my final customisation to my les paul. If only i could upgrade the neck tennon!

  • 3 weeks later...
Posted

hello,

i'm a new member but i've been playing gibsons for over 30years.my first good guitar was a bigsby equiped 1964 ES335

 

i need a little help ,i just bought a les paul used and it's a rewire.i need a grounding plate does anybody have one to sell.i'd be happy to pay for shipping.

thanks

Posted

hello,

i'm a new member but i've been playing gibsons for over 30years.my first good guitar was a bigsby equiped 1964 ES335

 

i need a little help ,i just bought a les paul used and it's a rewire.i need a grounding plate does anybody have one to sell.i'd be happy to pay for shipping.

thanks

 

 

How did you notice? from the sound or because of the above pictures?

 

you dont need one, wire all the earths to the back of their 'respective' closest pots, then connect the back of the pots in series with more wire, finally the ground one of the pots to the stopbar. thats the historic way before the plates and before the PCB's.

 

out of interest what year is your LP and if possible have you got a picture of the cavity like the others have posted above?

 

 

depending on the year and what your picture would show its possible that it could be the original wiring before the plate started to be used.

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