jagboy93 Posted December 17, 2012 Share Posted December 17, 2012 Hello everyone!. First time posting here! So i have an Epiphone Dot Studio and it seems to me like i need new pots! no volume is coming out of the guitar! it's time! i shouldn't have waited so long I'm looking for pots that will fit in the holes! none that need reaming or sanding down. It needs to fit exactly! I'm caught between CTS pots and Alpha pots! but i'm not sure which ones to get! i know i need 500k because they are humbuckers. please help! because they different kinds. i looked on stewmac's site too!. Also is $50 a reasonable price getting them replaced because i sure as hell can't do it. the guy works on solid-body guitars for 35, and adds 15 for semi-hollows!. Thanks everyone! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Whitmore Willy Posted December 17, 2012 Share Posted December 17, 2012 Jagboy93, Welcome to the forum. If he is going to solder the pots into a harness and install it for $50 it is reasonable to good. (depends on where you live) I am presuming that that is the price After you buy the pots. As to type...Stock in most Epiphones are Alphas. They are metric. CTS are imperial and the holes would need to be opened up. If you went with CTS you would also need new knobs as the splines are fine-knurled. (Alphas are course splines) The stock pots are likely Linear for Volume and Audio for tone. (Standard in most Epiphones from the factory.) They are likely short shaft. Beyond that I could write a book but, it sounds as though you are only interested in replacing the pots. It also sounds as though you wish to do it without modifications. Best of luck, Willy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jagboy93 Posted December 17, 2012 Author Share Posted December 17, 2012 Jagboy93, Welcome to the forum. If he is going to solder the pots into a harness and install it for $50 it is reasonable to good. (depends on where you live) I am presuming that that is the price After you buy the pots. As to type...Stock in most Epiphones are Alphas. They are metric. CTS are imperial and the holes would need to be opened up. If you went with CTS you would also need new knobs as the splines are fine-knurled. (Alphas are course splines) The stock pots are likely Linear for Volume and Audio for tone. (Standard in most Epiphones from the factory.) They are likely short shaft. Beyond that I could write a book but, it sounds as though you are only interested in replacing the pots. It also sounds as though you wish to do it without modifications. Best of luck, Willy thanks alot willy! No actually i'm gonna buy the pots before i give it to the guy. Haha so here's the page http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Electronics,_pickups/Potentiometers/Alpha_Control_Pots.html. Which Ones would i choose?. Just the 500k ones right?. The 2.73 ones?. I wouldnt have to buy new knobs or anything right?.. You've been a great help! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greybeard Posted December 18, 2012 Share Posted December 18, 2012 If you can get the tech that is going to do the job for you to work with you a bit, I'd advise having him take the pots and harness out of the guitar first to see whats in there. When I did the mods on my ES-345 a few months ago, I found that there were mini-pots in the guitar from the factory. That was somewhat of a surprise since I had already bought full size pots to do the mod. I was able to get the full sized ones in there but one of the tone pot holes was drilled very close to an internal brace and the full sized pot was touching the brace when it was installed. If you don't want to drill out your holes you may wind up needing to put the same size as you have back in there just in case the hole is drilled a little off and you can't get the full sized pot in there. Another little surprise was that I got the schematic for the guitar from an Epiphone rep and found out that the schematic called for 300 Kohm linear volume pots and 500 Kohm audio tone pots but the guitar actually had 500 Kohm pots installed for all of the volume and tone controls. I wound up putting new 500 Kohm pots in for all of them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jagboy93 Posted December 18, 2012 Author Share Posted December 18, 2012 If you can get the tech that is going to do the job for you to work with you a bit, I'd advise having him take the pots and harness out of the guitar first to see whats in there. When I did the mods on my ES-345 a few months ago, I found that there were mini-pots in the guitar from the factory. That was somewhat of a surprise since I had already bought full size pots to do the mod. I was able to get the full sized ones in there but one of the tone pot holes was drilled very close to an internal brace and the full sized pot was touching the brace when it was installed. If you don't want to drill out your holes you may wind up needing to put the same size as you have back in there just in case the hole is drilled a little off and you can't get the full sized pot in there. Another little surprise was that I got the schematic for the guitar from an Epiphone rep and found out that the schematic called for 300 Kohm linear volume pots and 500 Kohm audio tone pots but the guitar actually had 500 Kohm pots installed for all of the volume and tone controls. I wound up putting new 500 Kohm pots in for all of them. I'm not really sure what you are saying, All i really need to know is what pots to pick from that stewmac page and if there needs to be any drilling done to the guitar or modification to the pots, i have a factory 2nd, Epi dot studio, all black! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jcwillow777 Posted December 18, 2012 Share Posted December 18, 2012 500 ohm short shaft. I have used the Alphas from Stewmac and they are definitely an upgrade from the stock Alphas that Epi uses. http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Electronics,_pickups/Potentiometers/Alpha_Control_Pots.html Honestly, if I were you I would change out the wiring, switch and jack at the same time, it really wouldn't cost that much more and you will be glad you did. I recommend Switchcraft. You will need the long shaft 1/4" jack, the regular is too short. I know from experience. Stewmac sells some nice wire too. http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Electronics,_pickups/Supplies:_Wire,_cables/Humbucker_Hookup_Wire.html?actn=100101&xst=3&xsr=3158 $50 is reasonable, it is a lot of work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jagboy93 Posted December 18, 2012 Author Share Posted December 18, 2012 500 ohm short shaft. I have used the Alphas from Stewmac and they are definitely an upgrade from the stock Alphas that Epi uses. http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Electronics,_pickups/Potentiometers/Alpha_Control_Pots.html Honestly, if I were you I would change out the wiring, switch and jack at the same time, it really wouldn't cost that much more and you will be glad you did. I recommend Switchcraft. You will need the long shaft 1/4" jack, the regular is too short. I know from experience. Stewmac sells some nice wire too. http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Electronics,_pickups/Supplies:_Wire,_cables/Humbucker_Hookup_Wire.html?actn=100101&xst=3&xsr=3158 $50 is reasonable, it is a lot of work. yeah i was planning on getting them from stewmac!.so then just get a pair of 500k pots?. because it doesn't specify for audio/linear on the site. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jcwillow777 Posted December 18, 2012 Share Posted December 18, 2012 yeah i was planning on getting them from stewmac!.so then just get a pair of 500k pots?. because it doesn't specify for audio/linear on the site. Yeah, just get a pair. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
corson Posted December 18, 2012 Share Posted December 18, 2012 If you are getting no sound at all,I would suspect the problem lies elsewhere.It's unlikely that the pots would all pack up at the same time.If you can get a little dentist mirror into the f holes,you might find a broken connection.Or it may be the socket or switch. If you're not happy probing around,then let the guitar tech find the fault rather than buying parts you may not need. Hope this helps. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wiggy Posted December 18, 2012 Share Posted December 18, 2012 If you are getting no sound at all,I would suspect the problem lies elsewhere.It's unlikely that the pots would all pack up at the same time.If you can get a little dentist mirror into the f holes,you might find a broken connection.Or it may be the socket or switch. If you're not happy probing around,then let the guitar tech find the fault rather than buying parts you may not need. Hope this helps. I would agree with Corson - the two weak wiring spots on the Dot Studio are the switch and the jack socket and my guess is that it's probably a wire come off the jack socket. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greybeard Posted December 19, 2012 Share Posted December 19, 2012 I'm not really sure what you are saying, All i really need to know is what pots to pick from that stewmac page and if there needs to be any drilling done to the guitar or modification to the pots, i have a factory 2nd, Epi dot studio, all black! What I'm saying is that factory tolerances on drilling the original holes could put you too close to the internal bracing to get a full sized pot in there without modifying your holes. I'd have the tech check to see what you've got before buying anything and try a full sized pot in there to see if it will fit first. If you are going to put mini-pots back in you won't have a problem. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greybeard Posted December 19, 2012 Share Posted December 19, 2012 There is no internal bracing, aside from the center block. Space for full-sized pots is not a problem. Interesting. I would have thought that they would brace all of the ES guitars the same. My ES-345 had a wood brace right next to the tone pots. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jagboy93 Posted December 19, 2012 Author Share Posted December 19, 2012 Thanks for all the help! so this is my plan, 1)Order 2 alpha 500k regular-shaft pots and a Switchcraft jack 2) when the order comes, drop off my guitar to the tech! So basically the tech is going to have drill a little bit?. Should i order the shielded push-back wire from stewmac?. what exactly would that wire be used for? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jagboy93 Posted December 19, 2012 Author Share Posted December 19, 2012 If you're referring to the type with metal braided wrap, I'd advise against it for hollow-bodied guitars. The outer braid is used for ground, and could cause shorting problems, since the wire bundle has to be stuffed into the F hole. I recommend standard plastic-insulator guitar wire. Like I said about the tech knowing how to use a drill, he'll (if he's a competent pro) have wire on hand, and know which kind to use. (why do I get the feeling that the "tech" is a friend/acquaintence, and not a person who's actually in the business of guitar repair?) He is in the business of repairing guitars!. So then i won't even get the new wire. So basically it comes down to this. 1) get 2 alpha 500k pots and a switchcraft jack. He is going to HAVE drill even if it's very little. That's my plan. I'm going the order the parts , then when they come in..drop them and the guitar off. Is there anything that i should ask/telll him?. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jagboy93 Posted December 20, 2012 Author Share Posted December 20, 2012 Sorry, but I was somewhat confused as to why the owner would have to procure the parts for the tech. I still am. I advise replacing the 3-way switch while he's at it, since it's the single thing you left out. A Switchcraft unit is about 20 bucks, but the stock Epiphone switches are often flukey (mine was). Ask him to make sure the wires don't show through the F hole. I'm just doing it myself to make the process faster. My switch has never given me trouble!. Okay thank you very much!! You've all been a great help! thanks joe! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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