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Coil Tap - is it worth?


fhallack

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I have not so much experience with Gibson's, just a handful. I have experienced in one guitar for sure, that going to ALL coax has made a major difference in the overall sound quality. I THINK I can hear a difference between that one, and the other that I have push-pull pots wired with the typical thin wire that Gibson uses in the coil tapped pups. The sound difference is similer to what the other sounded like before going to the origonal 50's diagram.

 

I know from my audiophile experiments with different wire and cables, it does make a BIG difference. While I don't have a lot of experience with Gibsons, I do with Fenders. Oddly, even with high purity VERY expensive Silver wire, with Fenders I could tell no difference.

 

As for pots, (again, mostly with Fenders) there ARE differences to the sound and tone. But, I don't think CTS are the best. They do have a harshness or raspyness to the treble that relates very well to a more "vintage" tone, so I use them. Just because they are 'American' or whatever, that doesn't mean they are by default the best. You have to use your ears, and when you do, sometimes the 'best' sounding ones are not what is expected.

 

I can also for sure tell differences in caps, PIO, ceramic, etc.

 

Personally, I think all this stuff makes a difference, but it is both subjective, and cumulative. Changing pots, cap type, and wire type makes as much difference and improvement in my Special as does changing pups, but changing one pot to a push-pull is much less of a difference. But none of these change the overall tonality or voice of the guitar.

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Quality components can make a difference in the efficiency of a circuit.

Installing a 4 conductor wire on a 490 and connecting it to a DiMarzio push pull pot will not change the untapped sound of the pickup.

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